Friday 15^th January – Friday of week 1 of the year                                             

Reflection: 1 Samuel 8:4-7, 10-22               

TRUSTING GOD’S REIGN

“We want a king, so that we in our turn can be like the other nations.” This was the request of the Israelites today as they rejected God declaring: “our (new) king shall rule us and be our leader and fight our battles.” Most times we ourselves utter these words and reject the living God, we choose other gods – money, self-indulgence, pride, etc. to rule in us and lead us – because we are in darkness and our eyes have been blinded  (2 Cor. 4:3-4) from seeing the light of the gospel in Christ Jesus (John 1:4-5).

The consequences of such acts of rejection or of not seeing what God is doing are contained in the first reading of today (1 Samuel 8:10-22). Let us pray today like St. Paul that ‘may the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten the eyes of our minds, so that we can see what hope His call holds for us’ and so we may exclaim just like the Jews that we have never seen anything like this and declare like the Psalmist: “O Lord, who are the glory of my strength, by your favour our might is exalted.” Amen

PRAYER: Open the eyes of my heart, oh Lord, let me see and know You more. Amen. (Ephesians 1:17-20)

KNOW YOUR FAITH: CCC 277: God shows forth his almighty power by converting us from our sins and restoring us to his friendship by grace. “God, you show your almighty power above all in your mercy and forgiveness…”

HIDE A TREASURE: “For He has made known to us in all wisdom and insight, the mystery of His will, according to His purpose which He sets forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time”. Ephesians 1:9-10a RSV-CE

Today’s Readings: 1 Samuel 8: 4-7, 10-22; Psalm 89: 16-19; Mk 2: 1-12