OBEDIENCE IS A HOLOCAUST


MONDAY, SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME  

1 Sam 15:3,16-23; Ps 50:8-9,17-17,21,23; Mk 2:18-22

Obedience is better than Sacrifice

We can never completely comprehend the importance of obedience for the work of salvation that God intends to accomplish in each of us. We can illustrate the importance using the connection between a general and his soldiers. The strength of the army rests on the connection and cohesion between the General and the army. This connection and cohesion are concretely given in the willingness of each soldier to obey the instructions of the General. By this willingness, the general inspires each of his soldiers to carry out his plan and strategy. Each soldier may not know the complete plan of the general, but as long as he trusts the general and willingly carries out his commands, the army will act as an unbreakable unit to achieve victory in any warfare. Obedience, therefore, enables God to dwell in each of his creatures to achieve the purpose for which he made each of them. Thus, apart from the goodness which is attached to our human nature as made by God, the moral goodness of a man arises from his ability to follow rational reasoning in his actions. Religious and spiritual goodness arise from our ability to follow God’s word in all things.

As we noted on God’s choice of Saul to be the first king of Israel, the choice was not based on the physical qualities of Saul, namely, his tall and handsome stature. God must have chosen him based on his prompt obedience to his father’s request for him to go seek the missing she-donkeys, and his discretion to seek out Samuel, the seer or prophet, for help. These indicate a wise and teachable heart. The passage from 1 Samuel narrates the incident of God’s rejection of Samuel as king of Israel. Saul’s words give us a window into Saul’s structural defect. Though he was a giant externally, he was diminutive in his mindset. “Small as you may be in your own eyes, are you not head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord has anointed you, king over Israel.” The basis of the rejection confirms our stated reason for choosing him in the first place, namely, obedience. “Is the pleasure of the Lord in holocausts and sacrifices or in obedience to the voice of the Lord? Yes, obedience is better than sacrifice, submissiveness better than the fat of rams.” Saul disobeyed God in order to impress the people.

Saul completely undermined his relationship with God, who crowned him king. The kingship belongs ultimately to God, and he chooses the one to wear the crown in his place. To be successful, the chosen king must pay consistent attention to the word of God, which directs him on how to relate to and govern the people of God. This is the central lesson in the preaching of the Son of Man. His only desire and what constituted his baptism was to accomplish the will of the Father. All who are called to the company of Jesus must learn this lesson and imbibe the culture of trust in the Father. We must follow the Spirit of God to accomplish God’s will, and not popular trends or practices. Our Lord’s answer to those who accused his disciples of not joining the general fasting confirms this. “Jesus replied, Surely the bridegroom’s attendants would never think of fasting while the bridegroom is still with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they could not think of fasting. But the time will come for the bridegroom to be taken away from them, and then, on that day, they will fast.” Our focus as Christians must be on Jesus Christ, our General and Master. It is by knowing his will and doing it that we proclaim God’s salvation to the people. He is our wisdom, righteousness, and salvation.

Let us pray: Almighty ever-living God, who govern all things, both in heaven and on earth, mercifully hear the pleading of your people and bestow your peace on our times. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

BECOMING A DEPENDABLE FRIEND

Image
FRIDAY, SEVENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME Eccl 6:5-17; Ps 119:12,16,18,27,34-35; Mk 10:1-12 Making and being a Good Friend The usefulness of a faithful friend is the subject discussed in the passage of Sirach we are considering. From the qualities that make a good friend, we understand that faithfulness depends on the perfection we attain in the formative school of wisdom. The first lesson we learn in nature is faithfulness. The quality of faithfulness is so closely aligned with nature that we consider nature and faithfulness synonyms. The faithfulness of nature, and subsequently of wisdom, is hinted at when we read that wisdom stands at her post/gate daily to beckon the passers-by to turn in and partake of her table. Everything that God made participates in this faithfulness of wisdom in the sense that each remains faithful to his will without failing or leading our minds astray. First, Sirach admonishes us on friendliness to people in general: “A kindly turn of speech multiplies a ...
Read more

The offsprings of the Old man and the New Man

Image
Monday, fifth week of lent/2024 Reflection from Friar Nicholas Okeke, OP Offsprings of Old man and New Man To be able to live the new life within the new Covenant in Jesus Christ, the old life must come to an end. The distinctive difference between the old man and the new man is the focus of desires. The old man and all who live by him have their desires focussed on the satisfaction of self. On the other hand, the new man and those living by him desires only to fulfil God's holy will. Thus, the old man and his offspring obey the law of sin and death. Living for self alone breeds sins, and sin causes death. So, the old man and all living by him are dead and harbingers of death to others. They are adept at manipulating the Law of God to perpetuate their interest and selfish desires. An example of this skill is the treatment the two old judges of Israel in Babylon meted out to Susanna, wife of Joachim, employing the Law of Moses as given in the first reading. “Two elderly men had ...
Read more

WE CANNOT ENTER INTO HEAVEN WITHOUT FAITH

Image
OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL Reflection from Friar Nicholas Okeke, OP  Isa 7:1-9; Ps 48:2-8; Mt 11:20-24 If you do not stand by Me, you will not stand at all The Lord Jesus Christ takes up the issue of rejecting or ignoring the Gospel message when it comes to us in the gospel reading today. The word of God contains all the blessings of heaven which God had given us in Christ before the beginning of the world. Hence, a rejection or refusal to accept or listen to the Gospel message is a rejection of all the heavenly blessings we have received in Jesus Christ. These divine blessings have import for our lives here on earth. While still dwelling here on earth, those who believe in the word of God already possess the heavenly inheritance God will fully manifest to us when we exit this mortal tent. By faith, we enter into the eternal kingdom and the promised inheritance. The importance of faith for our reception of the heavenly blessings here on earth is illustrated in the first reading...
Read more