20260124 THE SCANDALS AND PAINS OF FAMILY LIFE
24 January 2026, Saturday, 2nd Week in Ordinary Time
First reading |
2 Samuel 1:1-4, 11-12, 17, 19, 23-27 |
David's lament over Saul and Jonathan
David returned from his rout of the Amalekites and spent two days in Ziklag. On the third day a man came from the camp where Saul had been, his garments torn and earth on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground and did homage. ‘Where do you come from?’ David asked him. ‘I have escaped from the Israelite camp’ he said. David said to him, ‘What happened? Tell me.’ He replied, ‘The people have fled from the battlefield and many of them have fallen. Saul and his son Jonathan are dead too.’
Then David took hold of his garments and tore them, and all the men with him did the same. They mourned and wept and fasted until the evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, for the people of the Lord and for the House of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword.
Then David made this lament over Saul and his son Jonathan.
Alas, the glory of Israel has been slain on your heights!
How did the heroes fall?
Saul and Jonathan, loved and lovely,
neither in life, nor in death, were divided.
Swifter than eagles were they,
stronger were they than lions.
O daughters of Israel, weep for Saul
who clothed you in scarlet and fine linen,
who set brooches of gold
on your garments.
How did the heroes fall
in the thick of the battle?
O Jonathan, in your death I am stricken,
I am desolate for you, Jonathan my brother.
Very dear to me you were,
your love to me more wonderful
than the love of a woman.
How did the heroes fall
and the battle armour fail?
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 79(80):2-3,5-7 |
Let your face shine on us, O Lord, and we shall be saved.
O shepherd of Israel, hear us,
you who lead Joseph’s flock,
shine forth from your cherubim throne
upon Ephraim, Benjamin, Manasseh.
O Lord, rouse up your might,
O Lord, come to our help.
Let your face shine on us, O Lord, and we shall be saved.
Lord God of hosts, how long
will you frown on your people’s plea?
You have fed them with tears for their bread,
an abundance of tears for their drink.
You have made us the taunt of our neighbours,
our enemies laugh us to scorn.
Let your face shine on us, O Lord, and we shall be saved.
Gospel Acclamation | 2Co5:19 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
God in Christ was reconciling the world to himself,
and he has entrusted to us the news that they are reconciled.
Alleluia!
Or: | cf.Ac16:14 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Open our heart, O Lord,
to accept the words of your Son.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Mark 3:20-21 |
Jesus' relatives were convinced he was out of his mind
Jesus went home, and once more such a crowd collected that they could not even have a meal. When his relatives heard of this, they set out to take charge of him, convinced he was out of his mind.
THE SCANDALS AND PAINS OF FAMILY LIFE
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [2 SM 1:1-4, 11-12, 17, 19, 23-27; PS 80:2-3, 5-7; MK 3:20-21]
Every family has its fair share of joys and sorrows in life. There is no such thing as a perfect marriage or a family that lives happily ever after. In every family, we will have to face challenges that arise from building relationships, misunderstandings and lack of communication, scandals and failures, and the trials of life we face together–whether due to betrayal or infidelity in relationships, or the difficulties of life in our studies, at work, or even in sickness and accidents. The question, therefore, is not whether we have our fair share of the burdens of family life, but how we manage these difficulties and trials.
In today’s first reading, we read of the death of Saul. It was a difficult period in Israel’s history because of this sad ending. Indeed, the details of Saul’s tragic death are even left out in the lectionary. Saul went against the command of Moses and broke his own prohibition of necromancy by approaching the Witch of En Dor to summon the spirit of Samuel to speak to him regarding his future. As prophesied, Saul met his end at Mount Gilboa together with his three sons in a fierce battle against the Philistines. The lesson that Scripture wants us to learn is that rebellion against God results in divine discipline. Saul rebelled against God and forfeited his kingdom and throne. As a consequence, the Spirit of God left him, and without God’s Spirit, he became increasingly insecure, jealous, and fearful of David. This led him to react by seeking to eliminate David and all those he believed were helping him. His tragic end was interpreted as God’s disciplinary judgment on his failure to act as the Lord’s anointed. We read of the gruesome account of how the Philistines cut off his head, stripped him of his armour, and fastened his body to the wall.
This is a good reminder to us who have responsibilities to act as the Lord’s anointed in life. Whether in the family, in society, or in any organisation, leaders, in some ways, are called to act on behalf of the Lord. We are entrusted to raise our families and lead our people in such a way that they will walk in the way of the Lord. We must show good examples and remain conscious that we are God’s stewards acting on His behalf. Even our children and those entrusted to us do not ultimately belong to us. They are God’s sheep, and there is only one Shepherd. If we do not act responsibly, there will be repercussions, and we will suffer the consequences of our negligence and lack of leadership in word and example. Indeed, many of us regret, whether as parents or leaders, when we look back at how we raised our children or led our people. We see the effects of our mistakes and poor mentoring on those under our care. At times, we also suffer the consequences ourselves, because those who were hurt by us may later treat us with indifference or even resentment when they are no longer under our charge.
Nevertheless, we should never blame our family, parents, or leaders for their sins, foolish acts, or poor decisions. King David shows us how to transcend the mistakes of those above him and remain faithful to them simply because they are the Lord’s anointed. Even though King Saul was unjust to David, he never took matters into his own hands. He did not kill Saul, even when given the opportunity to do so. Until Saul’s death, David continued to respect him as the Lord’s anointed. If anyone were to reprimand Saul, it would not be David, but the Lord. When he heard the news from the Amalekite messenger who claimed to have killed Saul, David was heartbroken. Instead of rejoicing at his enemy’s death, he executed the Amalekite–who thought he would be rewarded–because, whether the story was true or false, the punishment for laying hands on the Lord’s anointed was death, according to Israel’s law. For David, Saul, despite his failures as king, remained God’s chosen anointed. David and his men grieved not only for Saul’s death but for the entire royal family, which had been practically wiped out by the Philistines. Their defeat was also a national tragedy. We too must remain filial and respectful toward our elders and leaders.
Indeed, the demise of God’s rebellious servants is to be lamented, not celebrated. David was clear that Saul’s tragic end was the result of divine discipline, opening the path for him to assume the throne. Yet David did not rejoice or celebrate. It is true that he expected the Lord to deal decisively with Saul (1 Sm 26:10f) – he even appealed to the Lord to be his judge and vindicator (1 Sm 24:15). However, when God carried out His divine judgment on Saul, David did not gloat or express any vindictive satisfaction. David placed the interests of the nation above his own personal gain. Israel’s loss outweighed any benefit he might have derived from Saul’s death. After all, Saul had won many victories for Israel and had saved the nation from its enemies. In the final analysis, the death of God’s unfaithful servants is to be lamented, not celebrated, because it shatters God’s plan for the individual, the family, the organisation, and the nation, causes innocent people to suffer, and brings shame to the entire family and community.
It is also telling how magnanimous David was. Instead of bearing grudges against Saul, he paid tribute to him and to Jonathan. He was forgiving and magnanimous. Rather than recalling the personal hurts he suffered under Saul, he chose to forgive and remember the good they had done. He even composed a beautiful poem glorifying their deeds. Before recounting the battlefield deaths of Saul and Jonathan, David first highlighted their honourable distinctions. Both Jonathan and Saul were renowned for their prowess in battle. “Alas, the glory of Israel has been slain on your heights! How did the heroes fall?” They were men of character, possessing loyalty and faithfulness to the nation and to each other, so much so that even in death they were not separated: “Saul and Jonathan, loved and lovely, neither in life nor in death were divided. Swifter than eagles were they, stronger than lions.”
Of course, the most personal expression of grief was that David had lost his very dear brother and friend, confidant, and companion.“O Jonathan, in your death I am stricken, I am desolate for you, Jonathan my brother. Very dear to me you were; your love to me was more wonderful than the love of a woman. How did the heroes fall, and the battle armour fail?” Indeed, in every human relationship, no matter how close, there comes a time for separation–whether it is a loved one, a family member, or a friend. Departures are always painful, especially for married couples who have shared many years together. For David, however, the loss was even more profound. A man’s wife might be his partner in procreation and parenting, but not necessarily his best friend or confidant. Jonathan, for David, was both friend and confidant in a way that few spouses could claim to be for one another. We can imagine that Jonathan’s untimely death left a gaping hole in David’s heart. So too in our lives, we face losses that are deeply painful. Yet we are called to accept God’s will, however difficult, without resentment or anger. We must live in such a way that, when it is time for our loved ones to go, we are ready to let them go–not regretting or resenting what we have lost, but grateful for the time we shared and for all that we gained from that relationship.
In the Gospel, Jesus faced a similar situation. His family was scandalised by His public ministry because they did not understand Him; they were not yet part of the inner circle of disciples. They thought He was out of His mind, overwhelmed by His passion for ministry and the crowds. They may have perceived Him as eccentric, or feared that His religious fervour would ruin His health or that His zeal was too radical. They saw Him neglecting basic needs, spending nights in prayer, and going to extremes in serving the people. This incident illustrates the Parable of the Sower, where the seed falls on different kinds of soil. Jesus was not supported by His own family, as well as being opposed by the scribes–a double blow to His mission. Yet He took it all in stride, because His faith was in His Father. He was clear that He came to do the will of God, and that all who do the Father’s will are truly His family. In the final analysis, it is not blood relationship that counts, but a spiritual and faith relationship that truly binds us together, giving life and support. When we are rooted in our common faith in God, then, like David and our Lord, we can be good leaders and mentors, guiding others in life, love, and faith.
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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