Saturday, January 18, 2014. 

Today's Liturgical Reading by Daily Flash, Goa. 

Beginning of the Week of Prayer for Church Unity.

First Reading : 1 Samuel 9:1-4, 17-19, 10:1; Second Reading : Psalms 20[21]:2-7; Gospel : Mark 2:13-17. [Please share today's Gospel.] 

First Reading : 1 Samuel 9:1-4, 17-19, 10:1 

Saul Chosen to Be King

There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish son of Abiel son of Zeror son of Becorath son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite, a man of wealth. He had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he; he stood head and shoulders above everyone else.

Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, had strayed. So Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the boys with you; go and look for the donkeys.” He passed through the hill country of Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find them. And they passed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then he passed through the land of Benjamin, but they did not find them.

When Samuel saw Saul, the Lord told him, “Here is the man of whom I spoke to you. He it is who shall rule over my people.” Then Saul approached Samuel inside the gate, and said, “Tell me, please, where is the house of the seer?” Samuel answered Saul, “I am the seer; go up before me to the shrine, for today you shall eat with me, and in the morning I will let you go and will tell you all that is on your mind.

Samuel took a vial of oil and poured it on his head, and kissed him; he said, “The Lord has anointed you ruler over his people Israel. You shall reign over the people of the Lord and you will save them from the hand of their enemies all around. Now this shall be the sign to you that the Lord has anointed you ruler over his heritage:

Second Reading : Psalms 20:2-7

May he send you help from the sanctuary,

and give you support from Zion.

May he remember all your offerings,

and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices.

May he grant you your heart’s desire,

and fulfill all your plans.

May we shout for joy over your victory,

and in the name of our God set up our banners.

May the Lord fulfill all your petitions.

Now I know that the Lord will help his anointed;

he will answer him from his holy heaven

with mighty victories by his right hand.

Some take pride in chariots, and some in horses,

but our pride is in the name of the Lord our God.

Gospel : Mark 2:13-17

Jesus Calls Levi

Jesus went out again beside the sea; the whole crowd gathered around him, and he taught them. As he was walking along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed him.

And as he sat at dinner in Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were also sittingwith Jesus and his disciples—for there were many who followed him. When the scribes of the Pharisees saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard this, he said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.”

Focus : "I have come to call not the righteous but sinners" (Mark 2:17) 

Fruit : This Christian Unity Week, let us make an effort to strike up a sincere friendship with one person alienated from the Church or society.