20260113 AUTHORITY OF MINISTRY COMES WITH SPIRITUALITY
13 January 2026, Tuesday, 1st Week in Ordinary Time
First reading | 1 Samuel 1:9-20 |
The Lord is mindful of Hannah and she gives birth to Samuel
After they had eaten in the hall, Hannah rose and took her stand before the Lord, while Eli the priest was sitting on his seat by the doorpost of the temple of the Lord. In the bitterness of her soul she prayed to the Lord with many tears and made a vow, saying, ‘O Lord of Hosts! If you will take notice of the distress of your servant, and bear me in mind and not forget your servant and give her a man-child, I will give him to the Lord for the whole of his life and no razor shall ever touch his head.’
While she prayed before the Lord which she did for some time, Eli was watching her mouth, for she was speaking under her breath; her lips were moving but her voice could not be heard. He therefore supposed that she was drunk and said to her, ‘How long are you going to be in this drunken state? Rid yourself of your wine.’ ‘No, my lord,’ Hannah replied ‘I am a woman in great trouble; I have taken neither wine nor strong drink – I was pouring out my soul before the Lord. Do not take your maidservant for a worthless woman; all this time I have been speaking from the depth of my grief and my resentment.’ Then Eli answered her: ‘Go in peace,’ he said ‘and may the God of Israel grant what you have asked of him.’ And she said, ‘May your maidservant find favour in your sight’; and with that the woman went away; she returned to the hall and ate and was dejected no longer.
They rose early in the morning and worshipped before the Lord and then set out and returned to their home in Ramah. Elkanah had intercourse with Hannah his wife and the Lord was mindful of her. She conceived and gave birth to a son, and called him Samuel ‘since’ she said ‘I asked the Lord for him.’
Responsorial Psalm |
1 Samuel 2:1,4-8 |
My heart exults in the Lord.
My heart exults in the Lord.
I find my strength in my God;
my mouth laughs at my enemies
as I rejoice in your saving help.
My heart exults in the Lord.
The bows of the mighty are broken,
but the weak are clothed with strength.
Those with plenty must labour for bread,
but the hungry need work no more.
The childless wife has children now
but the fruitful wife bears no more.
My heart exults in the Lord.
It is the Lord who gives life and death,
he brings men to the grave and back;
it is the Lord who gives poverty and riches.
He brings men low and raises them on high.
My heart exults in the Lord.
He lifts up the lowly from the dust,
from the dungheap he raises the poor
to set him in the company of princes
to give him a glorious throne.
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
on them he has set the world.
My heart exults in the Lord.
Gospel Acclamation | Jm1:21 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Accept and submit to the word
which has been planted in you
and can save your souls.
Alleluia!
Or: | cf.1Th2:13 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Accept God’s message for what it really is:
God’s message, and not some human thinking.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Mark 1:21-28 |
Unlike the scribes, he taught them with authority
Jesus and his disciples went as far as Capernaum, and as soon as the sabbath came he went to the synagogue and began to teach. And his teaching made a deep impression on them because, unlike the scribes, he taught them with authority.
In their synagogue just then there was a man possessed by an unclean spirit and it shouted, ‘What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus said sharply, ‘Be quiet! Come out of him!’ And the unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and with a loud cry went out of him. The people were so astonished that they started asking each other what it all meant. ‘Here is a teaching that is new’ they said ‘and with authority behind it: he gives orders even to unclean spirits and they obey him.’ And his reputation rapidly spread everywhere, through all the surrounding Galilean countryside.
AUTHORITY OF MINISTRY COMES WITH SPIRITUALITY
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [1 Sm 1:9-20; Responsorial Psalm 1 Sm 2:1,4-8; Mk 1:21-28]
There is a close relationship between prayer and ministry. Unfortunately, there is often a gap between effective prayer and ministry. Some of us pray, but our prayers are focused only on ourselves. Our prayers are about me and my needs. We ask for health and wealth, peace and security. Some of us also pray for our children and grandchildren. Still, the focus remains on ourselves and those related to us–especially our loved ones–because they affect our happiness and our lives. However, this is not the way we should pray. When the Lord taught us the “Our Father,” He emphasised that our prayers should include everyone by beginning with the words, “Our Father.” In other words, our prayers must go beyond ourselves. It is not enough to pray only for our own needs and well-being; we must also use the blessings we have received from the Lord to bless others. Only this kind of prayer is always heard, because it is directed beyond oneself.
That was the case with Hannah. She felt empty and without purpose because she could not fully live out her womanhood. In ancient times, especially, a woman who was unmarried or unable to conceive was often seen as incomplete. Barren women were considered failures, even though their condition was not due to any fault of their own. In those days, a woman’s primary role was to be a mother and a homemaker. She found her place in the home as a faithful spouse, a nurturing mother, and homemaker. Today, in more affluent and advanced societies, barrenness is no longer regarded as a shame, although many women still feel incomplete if they cannot conceive. Some resort to every possible means to have children, including unnatural methods such as in vitro fertilisation and surrogate motherhood. Indeed, many women are desperate to have children–even those who are not married or who are in same-sex relationships.
The real question we need to ask is why we should have children. On one hand, some feel that bringing children into the world is wrong because we only cause them to suffer. They believe it is better not to have children than to make them suffer as we did. Perhaps we can understand that those who have gone through very difficult times and remain unhealed from their past traumatic experiences may harbour such thoughts. Yet the truth is that there are also many happy children and families. Just because some fail, it does not mean that having children is a curse; rather, it depends on how we care for and raise them.
Then there are some who desire to have children because they feel bored, and some who feel neglected by their husbands think that children can compensate for their loneliness and boredom. They believe that by bringing a child into their married life, their lives will become richer and more meaningful. In a certain sense, it is true that having children can enrich family life and relationships.
However, children are created in the image and likeness of God. They are unique persons, each with a vocation in the world. They are not our property, to be disposed of when we no longer desire them. They are God’s children, and our duty is not to keep them for ourselves as if they were investments. Rather, they are meant for the service of God and humanity. We bring up our children to serve God and society so that, in the process, they may discover themselves. They are not our possessions; we are only guardians on God’s behalf.
Within this context, we can appreciate the way Hannah prayed for a child. “In the bitterness of her soul she prayed to the Lord with many tears and made a vow, saying, ‘Lord of hosts! If you will take notice of the distress of your servant, and bear me in mind and not forget your servant and give her a man-child, I will give him to the Lord for whole of his life and no razor shall ever touch his head.'” Hannah sought fulfilment in her life by offering a child to serve God and His people. She did not even intend to keep the child for herself. She promised that the son, if given to her, would be dedicated entirely to God’s service.
Because her prayer was sincere and not onward-looking, it was heard. It is ironic that she prayed in such a way that her voice could not be heard, for she was speaking under her breath. Yet her prayer was pure and filled with conviction. So much so that Eli, who had misinterpreted her as being drunk, nevertheless affirmed her prayer, saying, “Go in peace and may the God of Israel grant what you have asked of him.” “With that, the woman went away; she returned to the hall, ate, and was no longer dejected. After returning home, Elkanah had intercourse with Hannah his wife, and the Lord was mindful of her. She conceived and gave birth to a son, and she called him Samuel.”
The example of Hannah in prayer also serves as an indirect admonition to Eli, the high priest of Shiloh. He drew the wrong conclusion about Hannah’s lengthy, silent prayer. It is ironic that Eli, supposedly the spiritual icon of the people, was less prayerful and intimate in his relationship with the Lord than Hannah. In her prayers, Hannah used Yahweh’s personal name, whereas Eli used the more distant phrase “God of Israel.” This revealed his spiritual inadequacy. Although called to be a man of exceptional spiritual maturity as the leader of his people, he was portrayed as spiritually blind and inert. He was unable to distinguish appearance from reality, judging the external by reading the lips rather than discerning the heart. He was also an inept teacher, as evidenced by his own sons, who abused the sacrificial system for their own benefit (cf. 1 Sm 2:22-24). Eli lacked depth and a solid spirituality. It took a socially powerless, barren woman–and her child–to awaken him from his complacency in office. We have much to learn from such ordinary people of humble faith and love, often more than from brilliant theologians, about how to grow in faith.
He serves as a warning, especially to religious leaders today, whether clerical or lay. Above all, we are called to be leaders in prayer and in spiritual life. Without this foundation, we cannot teach with conviction or with genuine faith. We will risk allowing the world – like Eli’s sons – to blind us and cause us to misjudge spiritual matters. It is therefore imperative that leaders in faith and religion always combine ministry with prayer. It is dangerous to minister without a strong spiritual foundation. Spiritual leadership is not merely about administering, maintaining order and propriety in worship, or teaching correct doctrines; it also entails cultivating a sensitivity to God and discerning what is truly good and inspired by the Spirit.
In contrast, we have our Lord, who was truly a spiritual leader. The Gospel tells us that “His teaching made a deep impression on them because, unlike the scribes, he taught them with authority.” His way of teaching was different from that of the scribes, the experts in the Law. He taught with personal authority, speaking from His own deep conviction, needing no other authority beyond Himself. This was because He knew the Father intimately–He was the Word of the Father. As a consequence, people could see that in Jesus, His being was inseparable from His word. For Him, word and action confirmed each other, giving His teaching true authority.
This was further demonstrated by the reaction of the unclean spirit, which shouted, “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God.” Even the unclean spirit could sense the holiness of our Lord–they knew that He was from God. And Jesus, with authority and firmness, unshaken in any way, commanded the spirit, “Be quiet! Come out of him!” The gospel continues: “The unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and, with a loud cry, went out of him. The people were so astonished that they began asking each other what it all meant. ‘Here is a teaching that is new,’ they said, ‘and with authority behind it: he gives orders even to unclean spirits, and they obey him.’ And His reputation rapidly spread everywhere, throughout all the surrounding Galilean countryside.” Clearly, Jesus’ teaching was an exhibition of power. It was not merely about giving hope or consolation, though these were not excluded; His teaching was also a call to conversion and holiness. If our spiritual leadership lacks authority derived from intimacy with the Lord–an authority that communicates God’s message uncompromisingly in matters of repentance and conversion of heart–we fall short of what Jesus expects of us. We can recognise that we have preached with authority when some are converted while others respond with anger.
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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