Saturday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

Title

God Chooses

Outline

We all potentially make choices in life, choices of vocation and leadership made on the basis of perceived qualities

While you are a sister because God called you, you made a choice to follow his call and the Order chose you because of discerning what they believed was God’s call on you

When I was ordained a Catholic priest the Cardinal stated that he chose me, having done so on the basis of an interview and my spiritual journey, but also on the basis of Pope Francis’ choice and the discernment of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

Of course, this is true in the secular world as well, whether it be someone hiring someone or advancing them in a corporation or in the election of or appointment of political leaders, although the qualities there are not the discernment of a divine call

Our first reading concerns the choice of Saul as King

We are told why the choice of Saul was accepted by the people: he was from a powerful family in a politically mediating tribal and physical location. Saul himself was physically impressive, which made him a good candidate to be a king to fight their battles.

Samuel may have been impressed, but he made his choice on the basis of the word of the Lord, although it fits with the need of the people: “The LORD anoints you ruler over his people Israel. You are the one who will govern the LORD’s people and save them from the power of their enemies all around them.”

Of course, it starts well but does not end well, for Saul himself does not have a total trust in God - perhaps he felt too insecure, perhaps he trusted too much in his strength

Jesus chooses Matthew as a disciple, eventually an apostle

He is not following Jesus when chosen, but collecting customs duties at his post.

Jesus sees something in Matthew and does not let the fact that he is a significant customs agent put him off

Matthew shows the qualities of repentance (a change of mind) and of trust in Jesus and obedience in following him at once, but he also shows an evangelistic bent in inviting fellow-tax collectors and outcasts to meet Jesus. He knew Jesus would not reject them, although they would have to repent to become disciples.

Note that fact: Jesus accepts and associates with outcasts, even eating with them, which should make him impure. We do not know what percentage became disciples, but I suspect it was higher than the percentage of Pharisees he ate with. But such meals were meals Jesus was invited to. The one meal he invites people to was only open to his core disciples (more than the Twelve and surely including the women who followed him) This is missed in modern use of the slogan “eating with tax collectors and sinners”

Interestingly enough, Jesus never tells others what he saw in them so that he called them. It was probably not that they would make good leaders in the world, for God has a different type of leadership and seems to prefer to call people the world would reject and enable them to “do the job” through the Spirit.

That raises some questions for me and for you

As long as we think that God chose us for our natural gifts and abilities, those that would make the world around us choose us, and rely upon those gifts, we are setting ourselves up for a fall. I raise the question about you and about me, for I have seen pastors and professors crash - Hans Kung was a very gifted scholar.

As long as we think that God cannot choose us for this or that because of our past or present state, we will likely be blind to God’s call. Joseph Ratzinger had to accept that God could choose a somewhat awkward, introverted, and physically weak man to be Pope, even if it felt like a guillotine coming down. Could we be avoiding God’s call?

The way to fulfill God’s call is to allow his presence to change our mind, to trust him and obey, and to continually rely on his working through us rather than doing it ourselves in our own way. This is a process we will be repeating over and over for the rest of our lives.

Readings

Catholic Daily Readings 1-15-2022: Saturday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

FIRST READING

1 Samuel 9:1–4, 17–19, 10:1

1 There was a powerful man from Benjamin named Kish, who was the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite. 2 He had a son named Saul, who was a handsome young man. There was no other Israelite more handsome than Saul; he stood head and shoulders above the people.

3 Now the donkeys of Saul’s father, Kish, had wandered off. Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you and go out and hunt for the donkeys.” 4 So they went through the hill country of Ephraim, and through the land of Shalishah. Not finding them there, they continued through the land of Shaalim without success. They also went through the land of Benjamin, but they failed to find the animals.

17 When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the LORD assured him: This is the man I told you about; he shall govern my people. 18 Saul met Samuel in the gateway and said, “Please tell me where the seer lives.” 19 Samuel answered Saul: “I am the seer. Go up ahead of me to the high place and eat with me today. In the morning, before letting you go, I will tell you everything on your mind.

1 Then, from a flask he had with him, Samuel poured oil on Saul’s head and kissed him, saying: “The LORD anoints you ruler over his people Israel. You are the one who will govern the LORD’s people and save them from the power of their enemies all around them.

“This will be the sign for you that the LORD has anointed you ruler over his heritage:

Catholic Daily Readings 1-15-2022: Saturday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

RESPONSE

Psalm 21:2a

2 LORD, the king finds joy in your power;

in your victory how greatly he rejoices!

PSALM

Psalm 21:2–7

2 LORD, the king finds joy in your power;

in your victory how greatly he rejoices!

3 You have granted him his heart’s desire;

you did not refuse the request of his lips.

Selah

4 For you welcomed him with goodly blessings;

you placed on his head a crown of pure gold.

5 He asked life of you;

you gave it to him,

length of days forever.

6 Great is his glory in your victory;

majesty and splendor you confer upon him.

7 You make him the pattern of blessings forever,

you gladden him with the joy of your face.

Catholic Daily Readings 1-15-2022: Saturday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Luke 4:18

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he has anointed me

to bring glad tidings to the poor.

He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives

and recovery of sight to the blind,

to let the oppressed go free,

GOSPEL

Mark 2:13–17

13  Once again he went out along the sea. All the crowd came to him and he taught them. 14 As he passed by, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus, sitting at the customs post. He said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him. 15 While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners sat with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many who followed him. 16 Some scribes who were Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors and said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 17 Jesus heard this and said to them [that], “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

Notes

Catholic Daily Readings 1-15-2022: Saturday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

SATURDAY, JANUARY 15, 2022 | ORDINARY TIME

SATURDAY OF THE FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

YEAR 2 | ROMAN MISSAL | LECTIONARY

First Reading 1 Samuel 9:1–4, 17–19, 10:1

Response Psalm 21:2a

Psalm Psalm 21:2–7

Gospel Acclamation Luke 4:18

Gospel Mark 2:13–17

GREEN