Friday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
We make choices every day. Some simple, some difficult, some easy, some without much thought, some with much deliberation and prayer. Today’s readings speak to me about our choices, our free will, and what we do with those choices primarily as disciples of Jesus.
Our first reading from 1 Samuel (24:3-21) tells the story of David passing up the opportunity to kill Saul who had been “hunting” David intending to take his life. We read that Saul went into a cave to “relieve himself” not knowing that David and his men were there in the inmost recesses of the cave. At the urging of his servants, David snuck up so close to Saul that he was able to cut off a piece of Saul’s mantle (without Saul’s awareness); David’s servants believed God had delivered Saul into David’s hands, and indeed, we read that David considered killing him, but chose not to, even regretting he cut his mantle, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord's anointed…” When Saul left the cave unharmed, David came out as well and showed him the piece of mantle he had cut as proof that he was close enough to have taken Saul’s life if he had chosen. Instead, they were reconciled.
Today’s gospel passage from Mark (3:13-19) tells of Jesus summoning and appointing the twelve Apostles. Among those named is Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus. The gospel passage ends with that phrase, “and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.” This stood out to me. All twelve were called, all responded to that call, including Judas who later betrayed Jesus. He made the choice to respond to Jesus’ initial call and also made the choice to later turn away and betray Jesus.
Our call to discipleship isn’t just a one time call. We are continually faced with choices and opportunities to say “Yes” to Jesus’ call, or to ignore, turn away, or even betray him. Thankfully we are also given the chance to return to Jesus. The first Apostle named in today’s reading is “Simon, whom he named Peter” whom we also know turned away and denied Jesus repeatedly at the time of his arrest and crucifixion; the rest of the story is that Peter later regrets those choices, is given another chance to say “Yes,” and becomes “The Rock” of the church that Jesus called him to be.
What are we called to as disciples of Jesus? What choices are we making to respond to that call each and every day? Let us pray for one another in our choosing to answer God’s call faithfully and courageously. Every day. Amen.
—Eileen Miller