“Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice...” – 1 Samuel 15:22
LOVE AND OBEDIENCE
When
I was young, I was not the most obedient person in the world. I must
have been a disappointment to the Lord, my parents, and other people.
Now that I am in my 50s, I regret some of the things I had done. And I
realize that a lot of my mistakes could have been avoided if I loved
others more than myself.
It was St. Ignatius who said, “It is not hard to obey when we love the one whom we obey.”
I’m still not perfect, but now I try my best.
To do the right thing especially in following what I believe God wants me to do... because I love God.
To keep our home happy and healthy even if it means making sacrifices... because I love my husband.
To fall in line at train and bus terminals even if I feel like I’m
wasting my time but I know it’s the right thing to do... because I love
my country.
In the end, true obedience stems from love. Marisa Aguas
1ST READING
The
life of Saul is, at heart, a lesson in obedience. Even though Saul was
not really God’s choice for the King of Israel, everything would have
been OK if he had been obedient. But Saul did not follow instructions
well. Whatever may be our judgment today on the nature of God’s command
to Saul, his disobedience was actually rebellion against God’s will and
we will see the ultimate result of this later: death. For Samuel, as for
God, there are no excuses for disobedience to God’s command.
1 Samuel 15:16-23
16 Samuel said to Saul: “Stop! Let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.” Saul replied, “Speak!” 17Samuel
then said: “Though little in your own esteem, are you not leader of the
tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king of Israel 18 and
sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and put the sinful Amalekites under a
ban of destruction. Fight against them until you have exterminated
them. 19 Why then have you disobeyed the Lord? You have pounced on the spoil, thus displeasing the Lord.” 20 Saul answered Samuel: “I did indeed obey the Lord and fulfill the mission on which the Lord sent me. I have brought back Agag, and I have destroyed Amalek under the ban. 21 But from the spoil the men took sheep and oxen, the best of what had been banned, to sacrifice to the Lord their God in Gilgal.” 22 But Samuel said: “Does the Lord so delight in burnt offerings and
sacrifices as in obedience to the command of the Lord? Obedience is
better than sacrifice, and submission than the fat of rams. 23 For
a sin like divination is rebellion, and presumption is the crime of
idolatry. Because you have rejected the command of the Lord, he, too,
has rejected you as ruler.”
P S A L M
Psalm 50:8-9, 16-17, 21, 23
R: To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
8 “Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you, for your burnt offerings are before me always. 9 I take from your house no bullock, no goats out of your fold.” (R) 16 “Why do you recite my statutes, and profess my covenant with your mouth, 17 though you hate discipline and cast my words behind you?” (R) 21 When
you do these things, shall I be deaf to it? Or do you think that I am
like yourself? I will correct you by drawing them up before your eyes. 23 He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies me; and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God.” (R)
GOSPEL
This story
highlights the difference between the Old and New Covenants — the Old
being based on the Law and Israel’s uncompromising obedience to it, and
the New being built on love and a compassionate and empathetic
understanding of how we struggle to follow the Law. It seems people at
times want to return to the former. This is a mistake as it leaves
little room for compassion and is impossible anyway. God understands our
struggles. This is not to excuse our sinfulness but to give us hope as
we struggle to overcome it.
Mark 2:18-22
18 The
disciples of John and of the Pharisees were accustomed to fast. People
came to Jesus and objected, “Why do the disciples of John and the
disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 19 Jesus
answered them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is
with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot
fast. 20 But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day. 21 No
one sews a piece of un-shrunken cloth on an old cloak. If he does, its
fullness pulls away, the new from the old, and the tear gets worse. 22 Likewise,
no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will
burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins are ruined. Rather, new
wine is poured into fresh wineskins.”
REFLECTION
FASTING?
Fasting
was quite important among Catholics until several decades ago. As kids,
we did not like the time of Lent very much and other days throughout
the year when adults had to fast and we kids had to abstain from sweets.
Then there was the Eucharistic fast from midnight until the moment of
receiving Holy Communion. I remember one day when I had to serve at the
6.30 a.m. Mass. At home, I had found a candy, took it in my mouth and
then remembered the Mass. I quickly took it out of my mouth. When I
asked the priest later whether I still could receive Holy Communion, he
said no. It was a bit too strict, but now that only the one-hour
Eucharistic fast remains, many Catholics still do not observe it at all.
In many offices, Masses are celebrated during the noon break and
often, the priest has to wait until 12:15, or even later, because
employees eat their lunch first, then come to Mass and receive
Communion.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus doesn’t seem to be very keen when it comes to
fasting. But this is no excuse. He defends His disciples who are with
Him. But He points out that after He’s gone, they would fast. Jesus
knows that “the flesh is weak” and that it needs some exercise to curb
its desires.
Feasting makes us lazy; fasting makes us strong. Feasting fills the
stomach; fasting fills the soul. Feasting weakens our will and
self-control; fasting strengthens our will and helps us to be in control
when temptations come our way. Feasting can lead to self-indulgence;
fasting gives inner strength and spiritual growth. But fasting falls in
the category of sacrifice, a word many of us have erased from our
vocabulary and practice.
Today, the Church honors Sts. Fabian and Sebastian, two martyrs of the
Early Church. Fabian was the first layman to be elected pope. Sebastian
was a Roman soldier. Both saints were ready to lose their lives than
their faith. We probably will not be killed for Christ, but what about
dying a bit for Him and for the sake of our spiritual growth by reducing
feasting and embracing more the sacrifice of fasting? Fr. Rudy Horst, SVD
"Lord,
You pricked my conscience. I realize that my spiritual growth is slowed
down by self-indulgence. Thank You for reminding me of the importance
of fasting and sacrifice."
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