20260119 A DISCERNING OBEDIENCE
19 January 2026, Monday, 2nd Week in Ordinary Time
First reading |
1 Samuel 15:16-23 |
Saul disobeys the Lord and the Lord rejects him
Samuel said to Saul, ‘Stop! Let me tell you what the Lord said to me last night.’ Saul said, ‘Tell me.’ Samuel continued, ‘Small as you may be in your own eyes, are you not head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord has anointed you king over Israel. The Lord sent you on a mission and said to you, “Go, put these sinners, the Amalekites, under the ban and make war on them until they are exterminated.” Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you fall on the booty and do what is displeasing to the Lord?’ Saul replied to Samuel, ‘But I did obey the voice of the Lord. I went on the mission which the Lord gave me; I brought back Agag king of the Amalekites; I put the Amalekites under the ban. From the booty the people took the best sheep and oxen of what was under the ban to sacrifice them to the Lord your God in Gilgal.’ But Samuel replied:
‘Is the pleasure of the Lord in holocausts and sacrifices
or in obedience to the voice of the Lord?
Yes, obedience is better than sacrifice,
submissiveness better than the fat of rams.
Rebellion is a sin of sorcery,
presumption a crime of teraphim.
‘Since you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.’
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 49(50):8-9,16-17,21,23 |
I will show God’s salvation to the upright.
‘I find no fault with your sacrifices,
your offerings are always before me.
I do not ask more bullocks from your farms,
nor goats from among your herds.
I will show God’s salvation to the upright.
‘But how can you recite my commandments
and take my covenant on your lips,
you who despise my law
and throw my words to the winds,
I will show God’s salvation to the upright.
‘You do this, and should I keep silence?
Do you think that I am like you?
A sacrifice of thanksgiving honours me
and I will show God’s salvation to the upright.’
I will show God’s salvation to the upright.
Gospel Acclamation | cf.1Th2:13 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Accept God’s message for what it really is:
God’s message, and not some human thinking.
Alleluia!
Or: | Heb4:12 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
The word of God is something alive and active:
it can judge secret emotions and thoughts.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Mark 2:18-22 |
'Why do your disciples not fast?'
One day when John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, some people came to Jesus and said to him, ‘Why is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?’ Jesus replied, ‘Surely the bridegroom’s attendants would never think of fasting while the bridegroom is still with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they could not think of fasting. But the time will come for the bridegroom to be taken away from them, and then, on that day, they will fast. No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak; if he does, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and the tear gets worse. And nobody puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins too. No! New wine, fresh skins!’
A DISCERNING OBEDIENCE
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [1 Sam 15:16-23; Ps 50:8-9, 16-17, 21, 23; Mk 2:18-22]
Obedience today is a rare virtue, even in priestly and religious life. This is largely because we are brought up in a world shaped by relativism and individualism. With education and exposure to diverse views through the mass media, we are so filled with information that we often become confused about what is true or false. Burdened by a lack of faith in God, we tend to do things our own way, believing it to be the best and right approach. Consequently, those in authority can no longer command obedience, as people think they know better than their superiors. They are unconvinced by the arguments presented to them, insisting on following their own minds. Disobedience ultimately stems from pride. It leads to rebellion and presumption; which Samuel describes as a sin of sorcery and a crime of teraphim. In essence, it is the worship of idols–of which the human person has become the greatest idol today.
Indeed, this was the case of Saul in today’s first reading. We can easily identify with him in this incident. Perhaps we, too, would have acted the same way if we were in his position. He followed God’s command to wipe out the Amalekites, who were disobedient to God. But regarding the spoils, which were also to be destroyed, Saul did not obey. Instead, he kept them, and “from the booty the people took the best sheep and oxen of what was under the ban to sacrifice them to the Lord your God in Gilgal.”
Saul sinned on two counts. First, he did not take the Word of God seriously. He obeyed God only insofar as it was agreeable to him, being selective in his obedience. His obedience was incomplete. Many of us do the same–we pick and choose the texts of Scripture that suit us and reject those that challenge our lifestyle. When we do this, it shows that we do not truly believe in the authority of God’s Word. Like the devil, we can cite Scripture for our own purposes. We are not docile to the Word of God; we simply want things our own way.
Secondly, Saul was presumptuous. This sin is a product of the capital sin of pride. We think we know better than others. In Saul’s case, he presumed to know what God wanted. Even if his actions were not motivated by greed–to keep the spoils for himself, but rather to offer sacrifice to the Lord–he showed no regard for what God really wanted. As Samuel remarked, “Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than the fat of rams.” Indeed, when we want to do something good for someone, such as buying a gift, we often give what we think the person should like rather than what they truly want or need. Isn’t it presumptuous to assume that others should appreciate something just because we consider it nice, beautiful, or useful? Wouldn’t it be better to give what the person really wants or truly needs?
Thirdly, disobedience and presumption lead to false compromises. Saul compromised God’s command by destroying the enemies but sparing the spoils. He justified himself by claiming that he had taken the best to sacrifice to the Lord. In truth, however, his actions served to enrich himself with the plundered goods from his enemies. His intention to offer a sacrifice to the Lord was not pure. This is often the case for those who read the Bible but find God’s commands difficult to follow. We try to compromise the texts so that we feel less guilty. Today, many Christians use Scripture selectively–or ignore it entirely–to justify divorce, same-sex unions, abortion, or the termination of life. The danger is that once we compromise on fundamental truths, we will be led to make further compromises. Eventually, the Word of God is no longer upheld in its fullness but is adapted to suit our own needs and interests, so that we may find acceptance in the world today.
What are the implications for someone who is disobedient? Firstly, it means the person is not truly imbued with the Word of God. He does not know the mind and heart of God. This explains why Saul was presumptuous in making his own decisions. The Lord said, “‘I find no fault with your sacrifices; your offerings are always before me. I do not ask for more bulls from your farms, nor goats from among your herds.'” Saul was listening to himself and his own desires, not to the Word of God. He did not know God well enough to give Him what He desired most–not our sacrifices, but our obedience to His holy will. What makes God most happy is not what we can offer Him, for He does not need our sacrifices. He is most pleased when we walk in His ways and find true peace and happiness.
Secondly, since Saul could not obey, he also could not lead. This was Samuel’s indictment: “Since you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has rejected you as king.” Indeed, how could God allow Saul to deputise Him when he acted on his own, as if he had sole authority? He forgot that he was the Lord’s Anointed and His representative. He could not act according to his own desires but was called to carry out the bidding of the Lord. The truth is that those in authority often forget that their authority is delegated. Therefore, they must act accordingly, not according to their whims and fancies. If those in authority do not listen to higher authority, they lose the right to command. Why should their subordinates obey them if they will not obey their superiors? This is the hypocrisy of leaders who adopt double standards in obedience. They expect those under their charge to obey them, yet they refuse to obey their own superiors, not even God. As the Lord said to Saul, “But how can you recite my commandments and take my covenant on your lips, you who despise my law and throw my words to the winds? You do this, and should I keep silent?”
However, obedience does not mean blind obedience. A rigid adherence to rules can sometimes go against the very spirit of obedience.It is more important to obey not just the letter of the law but the spirit of the law. A case in point is the question of fasting: “Some people came and said to Jesus, ‘Why is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not?'” Fasting was an important pillar of spiritual life, yet there was a danger that it could be observed merely as a discipline, without promoting true spiritual growth–which is to identify with God’s love and compassion in His suffering. Hence, Jesus’ reply was clear: “As long as they have the Bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. But the time will come when the Bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then on that day, they will fast.”
So it is not enough simply to obey the Word of God without considering the context. There must be consistency in the way the rules are applied. Jesus said, “No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak; if he does, the patch pulls away from it, the new from the old, and the tear gets worse. And nobody puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost along with the skins. No! New wine, fresh skins!” Hence, when applying the fundamental principles of Scripture, we must also consider how these principles are to be applied intelligently in today’s situations. The principle of coherence remains: external circumstances may change, but the foundational principles of life, as taught in Scripture and tradition, remain constant. Truth can develop through organic growth, but it cannot devolve into something entirely different. What was once true does not become false; the essence of God’s truth endures.
This is where the challenge lies in the work of discernment in the Spirit. How discerning are we in seeking the truth and doing God’s will? Do we, like Saul, seek to justify ourselves when we go against the command of God? Today, we are called to remain faithful to the Word of God even as we face new challenges arising from science, technology, and situations previously unknown. This calls for serious reflection on whether science and technology are being used in ways that promote life, respect the dignity of every human person, foster authentic and inclusive love, and encourage humble service–especially to those in need.
Best Practices for Using the Daily Scripture Reflections
- Encounter God through the spirit of prayer and the scripture by reflecting and praying the Word of God daily. The purpose is to bring you to prayer and to a deeper union with the Lord on the level of the heart.
- Daily reflections when archived will lead many to accumulate all the reflections of the week and pray in one sitting. This will compromise your capacity to enter deeply into the Word of God, as the tendency is to read for knowledge rather than a prayerful reading of the Word for the purpose of developing a personal and affective relationship with the Lord.
- It is more important to pray deeply, not read widely. The current reflections of the day would be more than sufficient for anyone who wants to pray deeply and be led into an intimacy with the Lord.
Note: You may share this reflection with someone. However, please note that reflections are not archived online nor will they be available via email request.
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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