20260116 THE TENSION BETWEEN SPIRITUAL AND SECULAR AUTHORITY
16 January 2026, Friday, 1st Week in Ordinary Time
First reading |
1 Samuel 8:4-7,10-22 |
The people of Israel demand a king
All the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. ‘Look,’ they said to him ‘you are old, and your sons do not follow your ways. So give us a king to rule over us, like the other nations.’ It displeased Samuel that they should say, ‘Let us have a king to rule us’, so he prayed to the Lord. But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for it is not you they have rejected; they have rejected me from ruling over them.’
All that the Lord had said Samuel repeated to the people who were asking him for a king. He said, ‘These will be the rights of the king who is to reign over you. He will take your sons and assign them to his chariotry and cavalry, and they will run in front of his chariot. He will use them as leaders of a thousand and leaders of fifty; he will make them plough his ploughland and harvest his harvest and make his weapons of war and the gear for his chariots. He will also take your daughters as perfumers, cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields, of your vineyards and olive groves and give them to his officials. He will tithe your crops and vineyards to provide for his eunuchs and his officials. He will take the best of your manservants and maidservants, of your cattle and your donkeys, and make them work for him. He will tithe your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. When that day comes, you will cry out on account of the king you have chosen for yourselves, but on that day God will not answer you.’
The people refused to listen to the words of Samuel. They said, ‘No! We want a king, so that we in our turn can be like the other nations; our king shall rule us and be our leader and fight our battles.’ Samuel listened to all that the people had to say and repeated it in the ears of the Lord. The Lord then said to Samuel, ‘Obey their voice and give them a king.’
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 88(89):16-19 |
I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.
Happy the people who acclaim such a king,
who walk, O Lord, in the light of your face,
who find their joy every day in your name,
who make your justice the source of their bliss.
I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.
For you, O Lord, are the glory of their strength;
by your favour it is that our might is exalted;
for our ruler is in the keeping of the Lord;
our king in the keeping of the Holy One of Israel.
I will sing for ever of your love, O Lord.
Gospel Acclamation | cf.Ep1:17,18 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
enlighten the eyes of our mind,
so that we can see what hope his call holds for us.
Alleluia!
Or: | Lk7:16 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
A great prophet has appeared among us;
God has visited his people.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Mark 2:1-12 |
The Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins
When Jesus returned to Capernaum, word went round that he was back; and so many people collected that there was no room left, even in front of the door. He was preaching the word to them when some people came bringing him a paralytic carried by four men, but as the crowd made it impossible to get the man to him, they stripped the roof over the place where Jesus was; and when they had made an opening, they lowered the stretcher on which the paralytic lay. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, ‘My child, your sins are forgiven.’ Now some scribes were sitting there, and they thought to themselves, ‘How can this man talk like that? He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins but God?’ Jesus, inwardly aware that this was what they were thinking, said to them, ‘Why do you have these thoughts in your hearts? Which of these is easier: to say to the paralytic, “Your sins are forgiven” or to say, “Get up, pick up your stretcher and walk”? But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’ – he turned to the paralytic – ‘I order you: get up, pick up your stretcher, and go off home.’ And the man got up, picked up his stretcher at once and walked out in front of everyone, so that they were all astounded and praised God saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this.’
THE TENSION BETWEEN SPIRITUAL AND SECULAR AUTHORITY
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [1 SM 8:4-7, 10-22; PS 89:16-19; MK 2:1-12]
Which form of political power is best for the world today? Is it democracy? Is it authoritarianism? Is it monarchy? Even within democracy, there are various forms, namely parliamentary democracy, presidential democracy, and direct democracy. Today, China ridicules Western democracy and offers its own interpretation of democracy as a system of governance that protects the people and ensures common prosperity for all. In an authoritarian form of government, this may take the shape of communism, socialism, or absolute monarchy. Vatican City State, for example, is an absolute monarchy in which the Pope rules as sovereign.
Indeed, the truth is that no single form of government is ideal; each has its own strengths and weaknesses. This is why different countries adopt different forms of government. Any system of governance can lead to abuses. What matters, at the end of the day, is whether the government rules fairly and justly, ensures that citizens’ rights are protected, promotes social harmony, enables wealth to be shared equitably, and allows the country to progress economically and technologically. The state is responsible for maintaining law and order, safeguarding the nation from both internal and external threats, and fostering economic prosperity.
What about the moral values of a country? The danger is that more and more governments lack the courage or the capacity to speak out on moral issues, as we are living in an age of moral relativism. Taking a moral stance risks the loss of votes, since moral issues are often polarising. Hence, governments tend to take their cue from the people. Morality today is determined by consensus, which means that moral positions and values change over time according to popular preference. Yet this is often all that a democratic government can do if it wishes to avoid losing the next election. This explains why governments abdicate their role as moral spokespersons for the people. Laws are enacted to reflect the customary and socially acceptable norms of society at a particular period of time; they are not absolute.
This was why Samuel was displeased with the people when they asked for a king to rule over them. He feared that, by asking for a king like those of the surrounding pagan nations, they were rejecting the rule of God over them. Under the leadership of the Judges, the people were governed on God’s behalf, as the Judges guided them in discerning Yahweh’s will. They acted as prophets who listened to the word of God and discerned how the people were to act. God was the only king of Israel, the Lord of Hosts. He manifested His power not through military might, but through His own strength. He delivered the Hebrews from the Egyptians by His mighty arm and brought about the conquest of Jericho for Joshua without reliance on Israel’s military power. This clearly demonstrated that faith was essential for their victory over their enemies; it was God who would fight for them (Ex 14:14; Dt 1:30; 3:22; 20:4).
Hence, to ask for an earthly king meant that God’s rule would be displaced. In fact, the earthly king would replace God as their sovereign, taking over privileges that belonged to God–such as tithes of land, property, and crops, and even control over manpower. Unlike God, who uses these resources for the common good of the people, the king would use them for his own benefit, for his family, his army, and to maintain the royal institutions. This was the warning Samuel gave the people. Eventually, they would end up as slaves to the king: “He will take the best of your manservants and maidservants, of your cattle and your donkeys, and make them work for him. He will tithe your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. When that day comes, you will cry out on account of the king you have chosen for yourselves, but on that day God will not answer you.” The earthly king–or any government–is meant to serve the people, protect them, and ensure the common good. Unfortunately, history has shown us many corrupt officials who seize power to enrich themselves and their families.
Yet, to be fair to the people, the leadership of the Judges was often unstable and not strong enough to defend Israel against foreign enemies such as the Philistines. The Judges were neither warriors nor politicians; their role was primarily spiritual, though it had political and military implications. Over time, however, their moral and spiritual authority also weakened, and their sons–who succeeded them–often reflected the spiritual and moral decline of the era. The people no longer listened to Yahweh, and as a result, they struggled to discern God’s will. Understanding this changing situation, God commanded Samuel: “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for it is not you they have rejected; they have rejected me from ruling over them. Obey their voice and give them a king.”
The lesson is clear: without moral, spiritual, and political leadership, Israel was vulnerable to falling into the hands of their enemies.It was within this context that the people asked for a king to rule over them. Ideally, this king would serve as a representative of Yahweh and was anointed by Samuel to succeed him. The people said to Samuel, “We want a king, so that we in our turn can be like the other nations; our king shall rule us, be our leader, and fight our battles.” Unfortunately, true to Samuel’s prophecy, the kings of Israel, like those of other nations, often abused their power, position, and privileges. They were pale shadows of the kingship of Yahweh.
If secular authority loses its moral compass, spiritual authority can help guide both leaders and the people toward doing what is right. This is the role of religion and the Church today. We have been entrusted with spiritual authority to form our people in truth and love. This is why Christian education–which includes the study of philosophy, theology, and Scripture–is so important. Without proper catechesis and spiritual and theological formation, we lack the foundation needed to guide the world, especially secular leaders, in making moral and ethical decisions for the common good–not just for today, but for the future of humanity. Christian education is indispensable for the formation of conscience and, for Catholics, for the deepening of their faith. Indeed, just as Jesus forgave the sins of the paralysed man before asking him to stand up, take his mat, and walk, we too must first address our own moral and spiritual paralysis in order to stand firm for our people and uphold our values.
Consequently, every Catholic must take spiritual and theological formation seriously. Some are called to be full-time teachers of the faith, whether as priests, religious, or laypeople. Others are called to serve in various roles within the Catholic community, guiding leaders and decision-makers to act in accordance with Gospel values. We are all called to share our faith with one another. The more spiritually grounded we are–both in knowledge and in personal relationship with the Lord–the more attuned we become to God’s will, enabling us to offer insightful contributions to those involved in making decisions for the Church, the nation, and our communities.
The Gospel today highlights the importance of sharing our faith with others. We read that there was no room left in the house where Jesus was preaching. Then, “some people came bringing him a paralytic carried by four men, but as the crowd made it impossible to get the man to him, they stripped the roof over the place where Jesus was. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, ‘My child, your sins are forgiven.'” Indeed, the Lord healed the man, set him free from his sins, and gave him the capacity to stand up and contribute meaningfully to society. The truth remains that those who are healthy and able to walk sometimes misuse their abilities, using their talents for evil rather than good.
Let us, therefore, be reminded that many are seeking direction in life, longing to be freed from blindness, and to walk again with joy and peace. As St. Paul wrote, “But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!'” (Rom 10:14-15). Let us, as students and teachers of faith, impart what we have learned to others and not keep it to ourselves.
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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