Monday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
As a child growing up, I remember that being obedient was more than just doing what my parents told me to do. It was an action that demonstrated my love, trust, and dependence on their guidance for me and my life. To disobey was to assert that I knew better than them what was best for me in a prideful and oppositional manner. I can still recall telling the priest in the confessional that I was sorry for my sins, but especially for the sin of disobedience. As a parent, I have experienced from the other side of the relationship the disappointment when my children have gone against my requests. Because I love my children so deeply, I believe that I know what is in their best interest (although as an imperfect parent I do not always know what is best!) I experience a sadness or loss when they choose to go against my will.
The readings today talk about obedience in our relationship with God. In the first reading today, God tells Saul that obedience to Him and His will is what He desires. “Does the Lord so delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obedience to the command of the Lord?”( 1 Sam 15:22) Saul had been told by God to put the Amalekites under a “ban of destruction”, but Saul decided to collect the spoils of the war and offer them as a sacrifice to the Lord. In a prideful way, Saul decided to do what he thought was best, instead of listening and obeying God’s commands. God tells Saul that “Obedience is better than sacrifice and submission than the fat of rams.”(1 Sam 15: 22) Saul is reminded that the best way to worship and praise God is by submission to His ways. Saul’s disobedience was a sign of his rejection of God’s guidance and because of his pride, God “rejected him” as ruler.
The gospel reading also speaks about obedience. Some of the people, who were familiar with Jesus and His disciples, objected to the fact that they did not fast like the disciples of John the Baptist and the Pharisees. Jesus responds with a story explaining the importance of putting new wine into new wineskins. “Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins and both the wine and skins are ruined.” (Mark 2:22) The disciples of John and the Pharisees fasted because they were following the law. Jesus explains that His disciples have a new way of living- obedience to Him. Jesus calls his disciples to follow Him as a way of worship and praise. Similar to the first reading, Jesus implies that it is not the action of fasting that God (He) desires, but the submission and faith of His disciples that they demonstrate by the way they follow Him. This is a new way of living- living lives in obedience to the person of God in Jesus-not merely being obedient to the laws. Because this is a new way of living, Jesus’ disciples need to be transformed into new creations. Jesus offers this through baptism and the power of the His Spirit. His disciples then can be the “new wine in the new wineskins” as they obey Him through their thoughts, words, and deeds.
Today, let us spend time reflecting on God’s will for us. Since God is our Father, let us recognize His great love for us and His desire to provide what is best for us. With that in mind, let us seek to always obey Him and thereby illustrate our love, trust, and dependence on His guiding Hand. By following Jesus and being obedient as He was to His Father’s will for Him, may we give God glory and praise. May the Holy Spirit guide us always that we may be obedient children and walk in His ways.
Marylynn Herchline