Kings and Conflict

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to contemplate the meaning of “The Son of Man Is Lord of the Sabbath” to our action as followers of Christ.

Ordained to Serve

The Reading from the First Letter of Samuel presents that Samuel Is Sent to Bethlehem to Anoint David.

* [16:1] David is anointed two more times after Saul’s death (2 Sm 2:4; 5:3). In 17:28, his brother Eliab is not aware of David’s selection. These repetitions and inconsistencies reflect the final editor’s use of multiple sources. (1 Samuel, CHAPTER 16 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 89 proclaims a divine title, which is here extended to David.

* [89:28] Most High: a divine title, which is here extended to David as God’s own king, cf. Ps 2:7–9; Is 9:5. As God rules over the members of the heavenly council (Ps 89:6–9), so David, God’s surrogate, rules over earthly kings. (Psalms, PSALM 89 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Mark addresses the relationship between The Disciples and the Sabbath.

* [2:23–28] This conflict regarding the sabbath follows the same pattern as in Mk 2:18–22.

* [2:25–26] Have you never read what David did?: Jesus defends the action of his disciples on the basis of 1 Sm 21:2–7 in which an exception is made to the regulation of Lv 24:9 because of the extreme hunger of David and his men. According to 1 Samuel, the priest who gave the bread to David was Ahimelech, father of Abiathar.

* [2:27] The sabbath was made for man: a reaffirmation of the divine intent of the sabbath to benefit Israel as contrasted with the restrictive Pharisaic tradition added to the law.

* [2:28] The Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath: Mark’s comment on the theological meaning of the incident is to benefit his Christian readers; see note on Mk 2:10. (Mark, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB, n.d.)

Kimberly Grassmeyer asks “Are we able to trust and know that our God sees past all of those external manifestations, and into our hearts?  Can we remember God’s promise to us that we were made - and are - perfect in God’s sight?  That we are enough?  That we are worthy?  ?

If you’re like me, we don’t know how to hold these truths in our consciousness every day.  We forget them when we doubt, when we fear, when we’re weak.  So, I for one am happy to be reminded anew of the image of a young boy having been chosen by his God (when many others were available) to lead his people — and that in this choosing, he went on to slay the defiant, boisterous, name-calling bully giant.  We, too, were each chosen by God, for good; we are all capable, worthy, and enough.  We can all remember the example of David.  Amen. (Grassmeyer, 2026)

Don Schwager quotes “The Lord of the Sabbath”, by John Chrysostom, 347-407 A.D.

"Doubtless he speaks of himself when he mentions the 'Lord of the sabbath' (Mark 2:28, Matthew 12:8, Luke 6:5). Mark relates a complementary saying about our common human nature, that "the sabbath was made for humans, not humans for the sabbath" (Mark 2:27). Why then should someone who gathered sticks on the sabbath be censured? The law that was established earlier could not be scorned without jeopardizing the law to be given later.

"The sabbath did confer many benefits, great blessings in the earlier dispensation. It made people more gentle toward those close to them. It guided them toward being more sympathetic. It located them temporally within God's creation and providence, as Ezekiel knew (Ezekiel 20:19-20). The sabbath trained Israel by degrees to abstain from evil and disposed them to listen to the things of the Spirit.

"They would have stretched the law out of shape if, when he was giving the law of the sabbath, Jesus had said, 'You can work on the sabbath, but just do good works, do nothing evil.' This would have brought out the worst in them. So he restrained them from doing any works at all on the sabbath. And even this stricter prohibition did not keep them in line. But he himself, in the very act of giving the law of the sabbath, gave them a veiled sign of things to come. For by saying, 'You must do no work, except what shall be done for your life' (Exodus 12:16), he indicated that the intent of the law was to have them refrain from evil works only, not all works. Even in the temple, much went on during the sabbath, and with great diligence and double toil. Thus even by this very shadowy saying Jesus was secretly opening the truth to them. Did Christ then attempt to repeal a law so beneficial as the sabbath law? Far from it. Rather, he greatly magnified the sabbath. For with Christ came the time for everyone to be trained by a higher requirement."(excerpt from THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 39.3) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Samuel 16:1-13 comments that God has chosen each of us to be his disciple and follow him. In Baptism, he gave us the greatest honor we could ever imagine: he made us his sons and daughters. But each person’s path is different. The Lord knows our gifts and our weaknesses, and he has a particular calling for each of us.

The sons of Jesse may have had to fight the temptation to compare themselves to their royal brother. But then again, maybe not. Maybe they trusted in God’s choice, both for themselves and for David, because they knew that God loved them and had the best in mind for them. May we always trust in the Lord’s desires for us!

“Lord, thank you for your perfect plan for my life.” (Meditation on 1 Samuel 16:1-13, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that Saul was originally chosen to be king but Saul did things against the will of God. In Disobedience Saul is rejected. Samuel goes to Bethlehem and the older sons of Jesse are rejected. Then, the youngest son, David, is anointed to be the next King of Israel. In ancient times the Spirit of the Lord is described as possessing people. The Gospel of Mark presents the episode where disciples break off heads of grain to snack when hungry and are accused of harvesting grain on the Sabbath by the Pharisees. Jesus responds there are times when you have to do it and Jesus cites the show bread given to the men of David. When the high priest was named as Abiathar did Jesus make a factual error? Friar Jude comments that Jesus surrendered His Divine Prerogative that includes making errors. Mark, the first Gospel written, has little correction that  may be in later Gospel accounts. The power to “loose and bind” what to follow or not to follow is claimed by Jesus.

Father Richard Rohr introduces womanist theologian Delores Williams (1937–2022) who connects the call Hagar experienced in the wilderness to the experiences of African American women. 

As the result of these hard-time experiences and the encounters with God, Hagar and many African-American women manifested a risk-taking faith. Though she obeyed God’s mandate for her life, Hagar dared to give a name to the God she met in the wilderness. In a sense, this God is her God, and possibly not the God of her slave holders Abram and Sarai. No other person in the Bible names God. Many African-American women (slave and free) have taken serious risks in the black community’s liberation struggle. For example, in the midst of the violence and brutality that accompanied slavery in America, Harriet Tubman, with a price on her head, dared to liberate over three hundred slaves. She served as a spy and a general in the Civil War. She is said to have relied solely upon God for help and strength; she had no one else to look to. Thus we can speak of Hagar and many African-American women as sisters in the wilderness struggling for life, and by the help of their God coming to terms with situations that have destructive potential. [3] (Rohr, n.d.)

We have the gift of Sabbath time to ponder with gratitude our relationship with the Divine through our baptism as priest, prophet, and leader.

References

Grassmeyer, K. (2026, January 20). Daily Reflection January 20, 2026 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved January 20, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-january-20-2026 

Mark, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 20, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/2?23 

Meditation on 1 Samuel 16:1-13. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved January 20, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/01/20/1483524/ 

1 Samuel, CHAPTER 16 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 20, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1samuel/16?1 

Psalms, PSALM 89 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 20, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/89?20 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). God Calls Those on the Margins. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved January 20, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/god-calls-those-on-the-margins/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). The Son of Man Is Lord of the Sabbath. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved January 20, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Called to Life in the Body

 

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to listen to the Spirit calling us to become more aware of our role as disciples of Christ.

Come and see

 

The reading from the First Book of  Samuel describes the call of Samuel by the Lord.

 

* [3:2–18] The call of Samuel: This section may be divided as follows: 1. the triple summons (vv. 2–9); 2. God’s revelation (vv. 10–14); 3. Samuel informs Eli (vv. 15–18).1

Psalm 40  is a thanksgiving for deliverance and a prayer for help.

* [Psalm 40] A thanksgiving (Ps 40:2–13) has been combined with a lament (Ps 40:14–17) that appears also in Ps 70. The psalmist describes the rescue in spatial terms—being raised up from the swampy underworld to firm earth where one can praise God (Ps 40:2–4). All who trust God will experience like protection (Ps 40:5–6)! The Psalm stipulates the precise mode of thanksgiving: not animal sacrifice but open and enthusiastic proclamation of the salvation just experienced (Ps 40:7–11). A prayer for protection concludes (Ps 40:12–17).2 

The reading from the First Letter of Paul to the Corinthians urges us to glorify God in our body.

* [6:12–20] Paul now turns to the opinion of some Corinthians that sexuality is a morally indifferent area (1 Cor 6:12–13). This leads him to explain the mutual relation between the Lord Jesus and our bodies (1 Cor 6:13b) in a densely packed paragraph that contains elements of a profound theology of sexuality (1 Cor 6:15–20).3

 

In the Gospel of John is the calling of the First Disciples of Jesus.

* [1:41] Messiah: the Hebrew word māśiâh, “anointed one” (see note on Lk 2:11), appears in Greek as the transliterated messias only here and in Jn 4:25. Elsewhere the Greek translation christos is used.4 

Kimberly Grassmeyer has been encouraged by others – the gentle and wise Fr. Larry Gillick, S.J. among them – to try quieting her mind and heart.  That in being at peace, with an open heart, she might listen and hear.

LISTEN.  It’s such a powerful word and a loving act.  If you need that advice also, I’m happy to share it with you!  And I’ll pray for all of us that we can be still, know that God is with us, and to hear God’s voice as young Samuel did.  Amen.5 

Don Schwager quotes “The first disciples longing for the Messiah,” by John Chrysostom (349-407 AD).

"Andrew, after having stayed with Jesus and after having learned what he did, did not keep the treasure to himself but hurries and races to his brother in order to let him know the good things Jesus has shared with him. But why hasn't John mentioned what they talked about? How do we know this is why they 'stayed with him'?... Observe what Andrew says to his brother, 'We have found the Messiah, which is, being interpreted, the Christ.' You see how, in a short time, he demonstrates not only the persuasiveness of the wise teacher but also his own longing that he had from the beginning. For this word, 'we have found,' is the expression of a soul that longs for his presence, looking for his coming from above, and is so ecstatic when what he is looking for happens that he hurries to tell others the good news. This is what brotherly affection, natural friendship, is all about when someone is eager to extend a hand to another when it comes to spiritual matters. Also see how he adds the article, for he does not say 'Messiah' but 'the Messiah.' They were expecting the Christ who would have nothing in common with the others." (excerpt from HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 19.1)6 

The Word Among Us Meditation on John 1:35-42 invites us to reflect on this Gospel passage to give us insight into our own searching and finding.

We will all experience longings from time to time and feel tempted to satisfy them in all the wrong places. What “wrong places” do you tend to go to? Do these quick fixes really satisfy? Today, ask the Holy Spirit to prompt you to go to the Lord when you’re feeling those yearnings. Only by making a conscious effort to “come and see” Jesus will you finally find what you have been looking for all along. “Jesus, help me to see that only you can satisfy the deepest desires of my heart.”7

 

Friar Jude Winkler notes the calling of Samuel occurred at a time when Israel seemed distant from The Lord. In contrast to some Greek thought, Paul asserts the Body as the Temple of the Holy Spirit and not to be desecrated by serving our passions. Friar Jude compares the different senses of Peter as “rock” in the Gospels of Matthew and John.

 

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that according to the book of Exodus, “The Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as a person speaks to a friend” (33:11).God patiently stays in the dialogue, answering Moses respectfully and even intimately, offering a promise of personal Presence and an ever-sustaining glimpse into who God is. God is Being Itself, Existence Itself, a nameless God beyond all names, a formless God previous to all forms, a liberator God who is utterly liberated from the limits culture and religion put on any Divinity. God asserts God’s ultimate freedom from human attempts to capture God in concepts and words by saying, “I AM who I AM” (Exodus 3:14). Over the course of his story, we see that Moses slowly absorbs this same daring freedom. Despite the failings and limitations Moses perceived in himself, he is liberated by God’s faith in him. It is this same daring and unequivocal freedom that inspired many Black Americans when they read this text. Allen Dwight Callahan expresses this freedom in “The Talking Book: African Americans and the Bible.”

“African Americans heard, read, and retold the story of the Exodus more than any other biblical narrative. In it they saw their own aspirations for liberation from bondage in the story of the ancient Hebrew slaves. . . . The Exodus signified God’s will that African Americans too would no longer be sold as bondspeople, that they too would go free.” [2]8 

Fr Richard concludes that in working for outer freedom, peace, and justice in the world, we discover the even deeper inner freedom of our True Self in God. We contemplate to what extent to which we are transformed in our response to the call of God as we strive for the liberation from the passions that inflict our society as racism, inequality, greed, and self centered action.

 

References

1	(n.d.). 1 Samuel, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB. Retrieved January 17, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1samuel/3
2	(n.d.). Psalms, PSALM 40 | USCCB. Retrieved January 17, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/40
3	(n.d.). 1 Corinthians, CHAPTER 6 | USCCB. Retrieved January 17, 2021, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1corinthians/6
4	(n.d.). John, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. Retrieved January 17, 2021, from https://www.usccb.org/bible/john/1
5	(n.d.). Daily Reflections - Online Ministries .... Retrieved January 17, 2021, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
6	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved January 17, 2021, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2021&date=jan17
7	(n.d.). Mass Readings and Catholic Daily Meditations for January 17 .... Retrieved January 17, 2021, from https://wau.org/meditations/2021/01/17/180633/
8	(2021, January 17). A Journey to Freedom — Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved January 17, 2021, from https://cac.org/a-journey-to-freedom-2021-01-17/