Friday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 315
Reading 1
1 Samuel 24:3-21
Saul took three thousand picked men from all Israel
and went in search of David and his men
in the direction of the wild goat crags.
When he came to the sheepfolds along the way, he found a cave,
which he entered to relieve himself.
David and his men were occupying the inmost recesses of the cave.
David's servants said to him,
"This is the day of which the LORD said to you,
'I will deliver your enemy into your grasp;
do with him as you see fit.'"
So David moved up and stealthily cut off an end of Saul's mantle.
Afterward, however, David regretted that he had cut off
an end of Saul's mantle.
He said to his men,
"The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master,
the LORD's anointed, as to lay a hand on him,
for he is the LORD's anointed."
With these words David restrained his men
and would not permit them to attack Saul.
Saul then left the cave and went on his way.
David also stepped out of the cave, calling to Saul,
"My lord the king!"
When Saul looked back, David bowed to the ground in homage and asked Saul:
"Why do you listen to those who say,
'David is trying to harm you'?
You see for yourself today that the LORD just now delivered you
into my grasp in the cave.
I had some thought of killing you, but I took pity on you instead.
I decided, 'I will not raise a hand against my lord,
for he is the LORD's anointed and a father to me.'
Look here at this end of your mantle which I hold.
Since I cut off an end of your mantle and did not kill you,
see and be convinced that I plan no harm and no rebellion.
I have done you no wrong,
though you are hunting me down to take my life.
The LORD will judge between me and you,
and the LORD will exact justice from you in my case.
I shall not touch you.
The old proverb says, 'From the wicked comes forth wickedness.'
So I will take no action against you.
Against whom are you on campaign, O king of Israel?
Whom are you pursuing? A dead dog, or a single flea!
The LORD will be the judge; he will decide between me and you.
May he see this, and take my part,
and grant me justice beyond your reach!"
When David finished saying these things to Saul, Saul answered,
"Is that your voice, my son David?"
And Saul wept aloud.
Saul then said to David: "You are in the right rather than I;
you have treated me generously, while I have done you harm.
Great is the generosity you showed me today,
when the LORD delivered me into your grasp
and you did not kill me.
For if a man meets his enemy, does he send him away unharmed?
May the LORD reward you generously for what you have done this day.
And now, I know that you shall surely be king
and that sovereignty over Israel shall come into your possession."
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 57:2, 3-4, 6 and 11
R. (2a) Have mercy on me, God, have mercy.
Have mercy on me, O God; have mercy on me,
for in you I take refuge.
In the shadow of your wings I take refuge,
till harm pass by.
R. Have mercy on me, God, have mercy.
I call to God the Most High,
to God, my benefactor.
May he send from heaven and save me;
may he make those a reproach who trample upon me;
may God send his mercy and his faithfulness.
R. Have mercy on me, God, have mercy.
Be exalted above the heavens, O God;
above all the earth be your glory!
For your mercy towers to the heavens,
and your faithfulness to the skies.
R. Have mercy on me, God, have mercy.
Alleluia
2 Corinthians 5:19
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ,
and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Mark 3:13-19
Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted
and they came to him.
He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles,
that they might be with him
and he might send them forth to preach
and to have authority to drive out demons:
He appointed the Twelve:
Simon, whom he named Peter;
James, son of Zebedee,
and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges,
that is, sons of thunder;
Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew,
Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus;
Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean,
and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.
Reflection 1
Catholic Daily Reflections
Confronting Evil with the Gospel
He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles, that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. Mark 3:14–15
The Twelve Apostles were first called by Jesus and then sent to preach with authority. The authority they were given was for the purpose of driving out demons. But how did they do that? It’s interesting to note that the authority they were given over demons was, in part, associated with their commission to preach. And though there are some recorded instances in the Scriptures of the Apostles driving out demons directly by command, it should also be understood that the preaching of the Gospel with the authority of Christ has a direct effect of driving out demons.
Demons are fallen angels. But even in their fallen state, they retain the natural powers they have, such as the power of influence and suggestion. They seek to communicate with us to deceive us and draw us away from Christ. The good angels, of course, also exercise this same natural power for our good. Our guardian angels, for example, constantly seek to communicate to us the truths of God and His grace. The angelic battle for good and evil is real, and as Christians we must be aware of this reality.
One of the greatest ways to confront satan and his demons is to listen to the Truth and to proclaim it with the authority of Christ. Though the Apostles were given a special authority for their preaching, every Christian, by virtue of their Baptism and Confirmation, is entrusted with the message of the Gospel to proclaim in various ways. And with that authority, we must constantly strive to bring forth the Kingdom of God. Doing so will have a direct impact on the diminishment of the kingdom of satan.
Reflect, today, upon your duty to share the Gospel with others. Sometimes this is done by an explicit sharing of the message of Jesus Christ, and at other times the message is shared more by our actions and virtue. But every Christian is entrusted with this mission and must learn to fulfill that mission with true authority, knowing that as that authority from Christ is exercised, the Kingdom of God increases and the activity of the evil one is overcome.
Reflection 2
One Bread, One Body
WE ARE “ANOINTIANS”
“The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed.” —1 Samuel 24:7
The murderous David did not kill his arch-enemy, King Saul, because he recognized Saul as the Lord’s anointed (1 Sm 24:7, 11). David appreciated being anointed, for he also had been anointed as king by Samuel (1 Sm 16:13; Ps 89:21). Being the Lord’s anointed held extreme significance (see Ps 133:2).
The Messiah is called in Greek “Christos,” which means “the Anointed One.” Jesus began His public ministry by quoting Isaiah 61:1: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me; therefore He has anointed Me” (Lk 4:18). St. Peter described Jesus’ ministry with these words: “God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and power” (Acts 10:38). Jesus’ title was “Christ,” that is, “the Anointed One.” Jesus’ followers are called “Christians,” that is, “the anointed ones.”
We Christians have been anointed in Baptism and Confirmation. These anointings are even more important than the anointings given to Saul and David. We have been anointed as priests, prophets, and kings (see Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1546). Like Jesus, we have been anointed “with the Holy Spirit and power” (Acts 10:38). In Jesus, we can do even greater works than He did (Jn 14:12). Christians, “remain in Him as that anointing taught you” (1 Jn 2:27).
Prayer: Father, make me so like Christ and so deep in His Word that I can rightly be called “Christian” (Acts 11:26).
Promise: “They were likewise to have authority to expel demons.” —Mk 3:15
Praise: Before reading the Bible, Pedro asks the Holy Spirit to open his ears to the voice of God speaking through His Word.
Reflection 3
The Servants of the Word
Jesus Appointed Twelve to Be with Him
What is God's call on your life? When Jesus embarked on his mission he chose twelve men for the task of preaching the kingdom of God and healing the sick in the power of that kingdom. In the choice of the twelve, we see a characteristic feature of God's work: Jesus chose very ordinary people. They were non-professionals, who had no wealth or position. They were chosen from the common people who did ordinary things, had no special education, and no social advantages. Jesus wanted ordinary people who could take an assignment and do it extraordinarily well. He chose these men, not for what they were, but for what they would be capable of becoming under his direction and power.
Jesus calls you to serve him - will you say yes today and tomorrow?
When the Lord calls us to serve, we must not shrug back because we think that we have little or nothing to offer. The Lord takes what ordinary people, like us, can offer and uses it for greatness in his kingdom. Do you make your life an offering to the Lord and allow him to use you as he sees fit?
Prayers
My all-powerful Lord, I thank You for the grace You have given me to proclaim the truth of Your saving message to those whom I encounter every day. Help me to fulfill my mission to preach in both word and deed and to do so with the gentle yet powerful authority given me by You. I offer myself to Your service, dear Lord. Do with me as You will. Jesus, I trust in You.
Lord Jesus, fill me with gratitude and generosity for all you have done for me. Take my life and all that I have as an offering of love for you, who are my All.
Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy
Reflection 19: The Lord Accepts You in His Mercy
If you have truly sought out our Divine Lord, then ask Him if He will accept you into His Heart and into His holy Will. Ask Him and listen to Him. If you have surrendered all and offered yourself to Him, He will respond to you telling you that He accepts you. Once you are given to Jesus and accepted by Him, your life will change. Perhaps not in the way you expect it to change, but it will change for the good in a way beyond what you could have hoped for or expected (See Diary #14).
Reflect upon three things today: 1) Do you seek Jesus wholeheartedly? 2) Have you asked Jesus to accept your life without reserve by your total surrender? 3) Have you allowed yourself to hear Jesus say to you that He loves and accepts you? Follow these simple steps and let the Lord of Mercy take control of your life.
Lord, I do seek You with my whole heart. Help me to find You and to discover Your most holy Will. As I find You Lord, help me also to let You draw me to Your merciful Heart so that I may be totally Yours. Jesus, I trust in You.
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