20260112 ACCEPTANCE BY GOD AS THE BASIS FOR SELF-ACCEPTANCE
12 January 2026, Monday, 1st Week in Ordinary Time
First reading | 1 Samuel 1:1-8 |
Hannah's rival taunts her for being barren
There was a man of Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the highlands of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. He had two wives, one called Hannah, the other Peninnah; Peninnah had children but Hannah had none. Every year this man used to go up from his town to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord of Hosts in Shiloh. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there as priests of the Lord.
One day Elkanah offered sacrifice. He used to give portions to Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters; to Hannah, however, he would give only one portion, although he loved her more, since the Lord had made her barren. Her rival would taunt her to annoy her, because the Lord had made her barren. And this went on year after year; every time they went up to the temple of the Lord she used to taunt her. And so Hannah wept and would not eat. Then Elkanah her husband said to her, ‘Hannah, why are you crying and why are you not eating? Why so sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?’
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 115(116):12-19 |
A thanksgiving sacrifice I make to you, O Lord.
or
Alleluia!
How can I repay the Lord
for his goodness to me?
The cup of salvation I will raise;
I will call on the Lord’s name.
A thanksgiving sacrifice I make to you, O Lord.
or
Alleluia!
My vows to the Lord I will fulfil
before all his people.
O precious in the eyes of the Lord
is the death of his faithful.
A thanksgiving sacrifice I make to you, O Lord.
or
Alleluia!
Your servant, Lord, your servant am I;
you have loosened my bonds.
A thanksgiving sacrifice I make;
I will call on the Lord’s name.
A thanksgiving sacrifice I make to you, O Lord.
or
Alleluia!
My vows to the Lord I will fulfil
before all his people,
in the courts of the house of the Lord,
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
A thanksgiving sacrifice I make to you, O Lord.
or
Alleluia!
Gospel Acclamation | cf.Ac16:14 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Open our heart, O Lord,
to accept the words of your Son.
Alleluia!
Or: | Mk1:15 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
The kingdom of God is close at hand:
repent and believe the Good News.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Mark 1:14-20 |
I will make you into fishers of men
After John had been arrested, Jesus went into Galilee. There he proclaimed the Good News from God. ‘The time has come’ he said ‘and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News.’
As he was walking along by the Sea of Galilee he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net in the lake – for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you into fishers of men.’ And at once they left their nets and followed him.
Going on a little further, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they too were in their boat, mending their nets. He called them at once and, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the men he employed, they went after him.
ACCEPTANCE BY GOD AS THE BASIS FOR SELF-ACCEPTANCE
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [1 SM 1:1-8; MK 1:14-20]
Many of us are unable to accept ourselves because we often see ourselves as failures and believe we are unlovable by others. We feel inadequate and undeserving of love. In other words, we feel barren, as if no one would want us. This was the same feeling that Hannah experienced in today’s first reading. Being childless was considered a shame for married women in those days. She felt inferior and unappreciated because she had no children, and her happiness depended on whether others thought well of her. Worst of all, she was constantly taunted by Peninnah, the other wife of Elkanah. What ultimately destroyed her was the inability to accept her own shortcomings.
Yet another significant point is that she “wept and would not eat,” despite the assurance of her husband, Elkanah, who said to her, “Hannah, why are you crying and why are you not eating? Why so sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?” This points to another truth in life: no one on this earth can truly give us the love that fully fulfils us. Even though Elkanah assured her of his love, it was not sufficient to soothe her because she knew he also loved Peninnah, the other wife. Perhaps this is a good reminder of why the Church does not accept polygamy–it can leave a partner feeling insecure in love. Nevertheless, the truth remains: we can never fully accept ourselves unless we know that God accepts us.
Indeed, Hannah’s barrenness is indicative of the spiritual sterility of Israel. Israel, too, often felt that she was not accepted by God, despite God’s assurance of His faithful and merciful love. Instead of focusing on God’s love, they turned the observance of the laws into a way to earn His favour. Rather than believing that God loved them unconditionally, they sought to prove that they were lovable. Yet, the observance of the laws, instead of making them feel accepted, only made them feel more unworthy. First, it was a heavy burden to try to observe every dot of the law meticulously. Second, many could not keep the laws perfectly, which made them feel condemned by God and despised by their community.
This is particularly true in our own lives as well. We are often so desperate for love and acceptance that we try to win the approval of others by behaving well and doing good. If this approach fails, we may swing to the opposite extreme, trying to exert control over others and demanding their recognition and acceptance. Of course, no one can be forced to love us; at most, we may make them fear us. The consequence is that when people are negative toward us, we often internalise that negativity and turn it on ourselves. Many of us suffer from low self-esteem because society looks down on us, especially our loved ones. Worst of all, when religion seems to condemn us, we may feel that God does not love or understand us.
The Good News is that this is not the way God sees us. When Jesus came, He gave an entirely different perspective on life. He told us that God loves us regardless of who we are. He proclaimed the Good News from God, declaring, “The time has come, and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News.” The Good News is that God has forgiven us and accepted us. Salvation is at hand if we believe. This is the repentance expected of us: to repent is not merely an ethical action of turning away from sin, but to believe that God loves us unconditionally.
Indeed, for Jesus, accepting that God loves us is the starting point of salvation. This does not mean that there will be no judgment for those who refuse to turn away from sin; judgment will come later, at the end of our lives. But what is more important now is that God has taken away our sins in Christ. Accepting this unimaginable love and mercy from God transforms us into people of love. This was also the response of the psalmist to God’s love. Having received His mercy, he responded by offering a sacrifice of praise: “How shall I make a return to the Lord for all the good he has done for me? The cup of salvation I will take up, and I will call upon the name of the Lord.” Conversely, rejecting this love will result in ongoing frustration, as one continually attempts to prove oneself worthy before God and fellow human beings.
Otherwise, how can one account for the immediate and radical response of the first followers of Jesus to the proclamation of the Good News? We read that Simon and Andrew, when promised by Jesus that He would make them “fishers of men,” “at once left their nets and followed him.” So did James and John, the sons of Zebedee: “He called them at once and, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the men he employed, they went after him.” Such was the compelling power of Jesus. If they all gave up their trade and family to follow Him in proclaiming the Good News, it was because they could not resist such a beautiful message of salvation–a message that is equally attractive to all men and women who are yearning to know that they are loved and accepted by God.
Indeed, this is the only Good News that can truly appeal to people in our time. We have enough pessimists and “wet blankets” around us. As we were reminded yesterday, by virtue of our baptism, we are called to be fishers of men. To attract people to Jesus, we must be positive and hopeful witnesses. The world must see us as people of hope and love. A downward-spiralling attitude only makes things worse, leading people to despair and negativism, whereas a positive, upward-spiralling attitude gives people hope. When we focus on the mistakes and hopelessness of others, we only reinforce those attitudes. Conversely, when we affirm their goodness and the possibilities available to them, they become positive and hopeful. As Christians, and especially as leaders, we must inspire hope, faith, and love. We must be forward-looking, positive, and hopeful. Above all, we must be affirming and life-giving.
This hope, however, is not merely positive thinking based on auto-suggestion or make-believe. Rather, the basis of Christian hope is Jesus, who is our hope. The Gospel that Jesus preached is the Gospel of God’s love and mercy. This Gospel has changed the world and continues to do so. This is the essential message we must proclaim to all: God is love! God has forgiven us in Christ, and He loves us sinners. When we accept this truth, our hearts rejoice, and we begin to accept and love ourselves, and in turn, accept the failings of our brothers and sisters. Anyone who is accepted despite his unworthiness will begin to love and accept himself as well. When that happens, everyone is set free to love and forgive, transforming the world from the kingdom of Satan to the Kingdom of God, where God reigns in love and freedom.
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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