1 Samuel 15:16-23

Psalm 50:8-9, 16bc-17, 21 and 23

M ark 2:18-22  Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting; and people came and said to him, "Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?" (19) And Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. (20) The days will come, when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day. (21) No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; if he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. (22) And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; if he does, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost, and so are the skins; but new wine is for fresh skins."

Meditation by John Schlegel, S.J.

In today’s first reading from the book of Samuel, we find Samuel, the prophet, dismissing Saul of his kingly title and authority.  Saul has displeased the God of the Israelites and is now paying the consequences.  It appears Saul misplaced his priorities and, indeed, his responsibilities as king.  That storyline triggers this question: What are our priorities this January day?  Two weeks into the new year, I suspect some, many or all of our New Year’s resolutions are tarnished, broken or forgotten!  Did those resolutions speak, in fact, to our priorities?

In my January 1st homily I referenced the series of historically altering events that shaped and defined the last decade: 9/11, Enron, the war on terror, the clergy scandals, Blackberries, Ipods, Twittering and texting, to mention a few.  These events challenged us and set the context in which we live, work, play, pray and learn.  It is in such an environment that we have to establish our priorities.

Undoubtedly we face challenges and difficulties, but at the start of a new year, we can focus on the good things that have happened in our lives: improved health, a marriage, the birth of a child or grandchild, graduation, or an improved relationship with God.  These are things we can reflect upon and allow them to temper some of the misfortunes we also experience.

Whether we are looking back, looking ahead or looking where we presently stand, the most important elements in our life are relationships with others, with family and with God.  These to me are the priorities around which we can craft an attitude for a new year.

No doubt many have experienced the effects of the downturn in the economy, the shrinking job market and the growing ranks of the uninsured.  But if we are people of faith—a person of faith—we believe that God’s plan is at work in our lives—mysterious as that plan may be.  God speaks in ways we may not understand or even detect; God challenges us in multiple ways—His ways! And in that we are called into a relationship closer than that of the people of Israel (mentioned in the first reading) and closer than those who knew and questioned Jesus in today’s Gospel. 

The priorities for 2010 are to maintain a close relationship to God and to one another.  Should that come about, you can re-make these broken resolutions and with new resolve, celebrate New Year’s every day.

Supplementary Reading

FISHERS OF MEN

Come after me and I will make you fishers of men. – Mark 1:17

T he Bukas Loob Sa Diyos-Gawad Kalinga ministry (BLD-GK) members were awake at the crack of dawn on a rainy Sunday for the two-hour drive to Cabiao, Nueva Ecija. They were eager to conduct a basic Bible seminar.

It was the first time for most of the participants to hold a Bible. At the far end of the packed room, a frail-looking man in his mid-50s was visibly struggling with the first exercise. I immediately approached him. I saw the pain in his eyes as he struggled to write down the titles of the different books of the Bible. He got stuck with “Exodo“ and lagged far behind the rest of the class.

I soon realized what his problem was. He could barely write and was patiently copying from the blackboard, one letter at a time. But it did not stop him from actively participating and listening intently all day long.

It was almost dark and it was pouring when we left the Fr. Lehman’s BLD-GK village. My husband, Raul, and I were tired, sweaty and smelly. But our hearts were full of joy and love. We had done our part in spreading the Gospel, at least for that day. --- Mari Sison-Garcia (mari_sison_garcia@yahoo.com)

REFLECTION:

Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the Lord looks into the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7)