God Cannot Be Deceived.

Homily for January 16, 2018.

“Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16, 7.

Having rejected Saul as king of Israel, God instructed Samuel to go to the House of Jesse and anoint a new King of Israel. On getting there, Jesse presented his sons one after the other to Samuel. They were all looking tall, handsome and well-built but none of them was God’s choice.

God is not so interested with our external looks and appearances or the things we do to get the attention of people. In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus and his disciples were hungry as they walked through a field where grains were planted, HE REFUSED TO PRETEND just make himself look good before anybody. Jesus was not so concerned about public opinion as much of he was concerned about God’s opinion.

Knowing fully well that plucking grains to eat on the Sabbath was not a sin but just a mere human regulation (a misinterpretation of the Sabbath rest), Jesus did what he knew to be right and ceased the occasion to teach the people about the Sabbath.

It takes trust on our part to serve God wholly with our heart rather than try to look good before others. It takes trust in God to seek God’s perfect recommendation rather than seek the recommendation of people.

We tend to become people pleasers rather than God-pleasers, we do things not because it is right but just because we want people to rate us high. This was the attitude Jesus condemned in the Pharisees and the very reason why God did not pay attention to the other sons of Jesse.

In fact, Jesse presented seven sons to Samuel, and God rejected all of them. Samuel asked, “Are these all you have?” It was only then they remembered David. Imagine, they knew something was happening, and none of them even bothered to call David in. He was so insignificant before their eyes but not before the eyes of God. He had won God’s favour and he would become the greatest king Israel ever had, so great that Jesus Christ himself would call himself SON OF DAVID.

Let us Pray: Lord Jesus, may my worship of you come from my heart. Amen.

*Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. (Tuesday of the 2^nd Week in Ordinary Time: Bible Study: 1 Samuel 16:1-13 and Mark 2:23-28).