David and Goliath

 Reflection on Today's Readings, Wednesday of 2nd Week in Ordinary Time, Year 11, January 19th, 2022 Texts: 1 Samuel 17:32-33, 37, 40-51; Psalm 144:1.2.9-10; Mark 3:1-6 

Today's first reading reminds us that one with God is more than conqueror. David defeated Goliath because God was on his side and his confidence was also in God. Reflecting on the reading, I asked the question: "What gave David such boldness to confront Goliath?" The answer to the question is found in his response when Saul was trying to discourage him. He said, "The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” God had built his confidence over time through the challenges he encountered. He had survived challenges that proved to him that God was with him. He knew that God saved him from those challenges for a purpose. Just like David, those challenges we are passing through now are meant to build us for future glory; they are meant to build our trust and confidence in God. 

David fought Goliath to win glory for himself, for us it may integrity that will win us glory, let us keep at it; it may truthfulness, let us keep at it; it may be fight for justice, let us keep at it; it may be diligence, let us keep at it. In all let us be good, for there is a crown of glory for whoever is good.  Story of David today shows that at the door of success, temptation is present, there is something to discourage us. Saul reminded David that he was not qualified to fight Goliath because of his age and lack of experience. The end of the battle shows that it is God who qualifies. This tells us that we should not allow any discouraging words some people might be saying to discourage us, for our success depends not on us but almighty God.  

David also teaches us to do whatever we are to do for love of God and His glory. We should not allow our ego to be the reason for doing things. David fought Goliath for the love of God, for God to be glorified and acknowledged. This is clear in his words: “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin; but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, ... that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s and he will give you into our hand.”  

Today's gospel reading still centres on Sabbath. Since yesterday Jesus Christ has been trying to change the people's understanding of the Sabbath. Jesus Christ did not come to save us from sin alone but also from ignorance. The Sabbath was already a curse for the people rather than a blessing. In today's gospel reading, Jesus asked the people question pertaining to the kind of work should be done on Sabbath. In His words: "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” The question put the people on the crossroads and they could not answer it. They refused to accept the truth the question threw at their faces. It was the case of rejection of truth and unwillingness to save themselves from ignorance. Jesus Christ was disturbed by their stubbornness. It is said, "And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, 'Stretch out your hand.' He stretched it out, and his hand was restored." This is clear that Jesus Christ challenged the Sabbath because it had lost its human face. This tells us that every law must have human face, law must be human oriented. Every law that has no human face does not deserve obedience and as such we are not to accept such law or obey it. The binding force of law is from the fact that it is human oriented.  

God our Father, always move us with Your grace to put human face in whatever we do and to do them for love of You and the glorification of Your name. Amen. 

 Fr. Andrew Olowomuke