💖 HOMILY - JANUARY 23 💖

First Reading - 1 Samuel 24:3-21

Gospel - Mark 3:13-19

There is a moment many people face, often quietly and unexpectedly, when they have the power to strike back, to protect themselves, or to secure their future by force. In those moments, the real question is not what we can do, but who we choose to be. Today’s readings speak to that decisive space where restraint becomes strength and trust becomes true authority.

The First Reading from 1 Samuel places David in exactly such a moment. Saul, who has relentlessly pursued him, lies vulnerable before him. From every human perspective, this is David’s chance. He could end the threat, justify his action, and secure his future. Yet David refuses. He recognizes that Saul, despite his failures, remains the Lord’s anointed. David chooses reverence over revenge, patience over power.

What makes this moment powerful is not weakness, but self-mastery. David trusts that God does not need violence to fulfill promises. He entrusts justice to God and frees himself from becoming what he fears. By sparing Saul, David shows that his heart is already shaped for kingship, not by force, but by faithfulness.

The Gospel from Mark reveals a different kind of authority, born from the same trust. Jesus goes up the mountain and calls those he wants. Before they are sent to preach or given authority, they are called to be with him. Relationship comes before mission. Presence comes before power.

This detail matters deeply. Jesus does not gather followers to dominate or control, but to share life, purpose, and responsibility. Authority flows from communion. The apostles are not chosen because they are perfect, but because they are willing to stay close and be formed. Their power will come not from status, but from intimacy with Christ.

Dear friends, true authority is never seized; it is received. David does not take the throne by force. The apostles do not claim their role by ambition. Both trust God’s timing and God’s way. Both accept restraint as part of obedience.

Many conflicts escalate because we feel justified in acting, defending, or proving ourselves. We fear that if we do not act now, we will lose our place or our future. Today’s word gently challenges that fear. God’s plans do not depend on our aggression. They unfold through trust, patience, and faithfulness.

It also challenges how we understand leadership and calling. Whether in family, ministry, or work, authority that comes from closeness to God brings life. Authority that comes from fear brings division. Jesus models leadership that calls, forms, and sends, not one that dominates or competes.

The invitation today is both demanding and freeing. Let go of the need to control outcomes. Resist the temptation to take shortcuts through force or resentment. Choose to trust God’s timing, even when it feels slow or risky. And like the apostles, make space to be with Christ before trying to act for him.

When we refuse to strike back like David, our hearts remain free. When we stay close to Christ like the apostles, our actions gain clarity. And when we trust that God is at work beyond our control, we discover that true authority is not about power over others, but faithfulness before God.