David Foreshadowed Jesus

 

David foreshadowed the victory through the Cross.

Reflection on Today’s Readings, Wednesday of 2nd Week in Ordinary Time II, January 17th, 2024
Texts: 1 Samuel 17:32-33, 37, 40-51; Psalm 144:1, 2, 9-10; Mark 3:1-6 

The saying that Jesus Christ came to fulfil the scripture is not new. It is true in today’s first reading as we can see Jesus in David. The people of God faced the risk of becoming slaves to the Philistine. David gave himself up willingly for the faith he had in God and love of his people. We read, “David said to Saul, ‘Let no man's heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.’" David foreshadowed Jesus who came to fight our battle against the Devil. He took the initiative to save us in the face of becoming slave to the Devil forever.  

David represented the whole Israel and his victory was their victory. In the same way Jesus Christ represented the whole humanity and His victory was our own. Hence, He says, “In the world you face persecution. But take courage; I have conquered the world!” (John 16:33). In the words of John: “Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:5). 

David foreshadowed the victory through the Cross

Though David expressed his willingness to fight Goliath, King Saul has to send him. We read “And Saul said to David, ‘Go, and the  Lord be with you!’" It is also true about Jesus. Scripture says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). In the words of John: “God's love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him” (1John 4:9). 

David foreshadowed the victory through the Cross. David killed the Goliath with his sword. We read, “There was no sword in the hand of David. Then David ran and stood over the Philistine, and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath, and killed him, and cut off his head with it.” Cross is the instrument of the Devil; Jesus Christ defeated him through the Cross.  

The Memorial of St. Anthony of Egypt 

St Antony was born in Egypt.  He was the first person to embrace the monastic life under the inspiration of the scripture. “When is parents died, he listened to the words of the Gospel and gave all his belongings to the poor. He went out into the wilderness to begin a life of penitence, living in absolute poverty, praying, meditating, and supporting himself by manual work” (Universalis). He teaches us to live under the inspiration of the word of God.  

Prayer 

O God, who brought the Abbot Saint Anthony to serve you by a wondrous way of life in the desert, grant, through his intercession, that, denying ourselves, we may always love you above all things. Amen 

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke