THE WORD BECAME FLESH

Thursday in the Second Week in Ordinary time, 2022

1Sam 18:6-9; 19:1-7

Ps 56

Mark 3:7-12

Memorial of St Fabian

Why kill the innocent?

Dear friends in Christ, sometimes people do what they can, to preserve themselves, at the expense of others, thereby sinning the innocent. There are on the other side, those who fight to save the innocent ones in the society, those who put their lives on the line to defend the weak and the oppressed, those who have made their voices, that of the voiceless, and sometimes get punished or even killed for such.

First reading (1 Samuel 18:6-9;19:1-7)

This selection is a follow-up, to the victory of David over Goliath the Philistine. He took away the shame of Israel and restored their confidence in the power of God to save his people. Saul and all Israel had rejoiced at this victory, but it turned into a case of jealousy, when the women began to praise David, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousand For this, Saul became determined to kill David to preserve his throne as king. 

David had innocently gone to battle to defend his nation, now the ruler of the nation is after his life— what an irony. This is however still happening today.  While some are putting their lives on the line for their nation, there are those wasting the resources of the same nation.

On the side of David however, was Jonathan—Saul’s son, he told David about his father’s plan; and also tried to convince his father not to harm David, who had put his life on the line for the nation, by fighting Goliath. We must praise all those, who act like this Jonathan in our world. Those who take up the cases of the voiceless and shout till they get heard, by the world that pretends to be deaf to the truth. The voices of authentic clergymen, lawyers, political analysts, journalists, activists, and simple men and women, who detest the unjust treatment of the innocent and have made the fight for their freedom and emancipation their own, sometimes walking the streets in protest. 

Life is sacred and we must all defend and protect it. Our faith calls us to bring liberty and freedom to the captive and oppressed, to set prisoners free, and proclaim the Lord’s year of favor. Help break the silence. Speak for the voiceless, till the world listens.

Let us pray: Lord, give us the courage to speak out in the face of the injustice that has been going on for too long in our world. Force the powerful to listen to the cries of the oppressed and marginalized of the world so that peace and joy will reign. Amen. 

+Remain blessed