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| “The Anointing of David” by Jan Victors, c. 1640’s |
Commentary:
Reading I: 1 Samuel 16:1-13
Commentary on 1 Sm 16:1-13
As the story of Samuel the Seer continues (we are still not calling him a prophet), we find him deeply troubled over God’s decision to remove Saul as King of Israel. God sends Samuel to the house of Jesse in Bethlehem to anoint the next king, whom God has now found.
After going through all of Jesse’s sons, the Lord finally instructs Samuel to anoint the youngest, David, who is not present but tending the sheep. This anointing is the first of three David will receive. The other two will come after the death of Saul.
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 89:20, 21-22, 27-28
R. (21a) I have found David, my servant.
Commentary on Ps 89:20, 21-22, 27-28
Psalm 89 is lament of the community. These strophes, however, are a hymn of praise celebrating the identification of King David as king of Israel. The song alludes to his future role as a champion in battle.
CCC: Ps 89 709
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Gospel: Mark 2:23-28
Commentary on Mk 2:23-28
In this passage from St. Mark’s Gospel, the Lord has another conflict with the Pharisees over laws they have implemented. In this case, the laws are about doing no work on the Sabbath. The disciples of Jesus were hungry, and as a result gathered and ate grain on the Sabbath. Strictly speaking, this was labor (Leviticus 24:9) and that is what the Pharisees were objecting to.
Jesus responded by reminding them (the Pharisees) about a story from the first book of Samuel (1 Samuel 21:2-7). In that story restrictions, not included in Mosaic Law, but established by men, were relaxed at need. The example can be seen as a link between Jesus’ own genealogy (coming from the line of David) and his mission as Savior, the Anointed One, the Messiah. It also teaches a more pragmatic lesson about the Sabbath being created for man, and not as the rules of Pharisaic law had restricted it.
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Reflection:
Jesus is once again taking issue with the overly restrictive interpretation of Mosaic Law practiced by the Pharisees in the passage from St. Mark’s Gospel heard today. He challenges their notion that, in order to please God, one must abstain from tasks labeled as “work” under the Law, even if those tasks fell into the category of sustaining a person’s life. The Lord makes his famous statement: “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.” Unfortunately, in secular society the idea of the sabbath has been almost completely lost.
There was a time, and not that long ago, when our sabbath, Sunday, was seen as the Lord’s Day, a day of rest. The predominately Christian society of the West saw the day as one set aside for going to Mass and leisure time spent with family and friends. It was seen as the appropriate way to keep the commandment: “'Take care to keep holy the sabbath day as the LORD, your God, commanded you” (Deuteronomy 5:12ff), and: "Remember to keep holy the sabbath day” (Exodus 20:8). As with many of the secular expressions of our faith, this one has fallen prey to the idea that Sunday was a great day to make money and holiness has nothing to do with it.
For the most part we have lost our reverence for the day. We have accepted that when we need to work on Sunday, we work. The time set aside to give thanks to God for his creation has been, for the most part, abandoned as an anachronism. This should be seen as a lapse of discipline for those of us who see our faith as guiding us, rather than us guiding our faith.
While the Pharisees took the idea of making the sabbath a day only for God to the minutest detail, we are still bound to give our Father the obedience he asks for. We, as a people of faith, should do our very best to keep the sabbath as the Lord’s day, and not simply another day of commerce or labor. Granted, the secular world no longer respects the idea of “a day of rest in honor of the Lord.” That is the reason for the Vigil Mass. However, we should do our best to keep the day holy. While the sabbath was made for man, it is still a day when man must respect God’s will.
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