Today’s Readings:
1 Samuel 15-16
Luke 20:27-47
Psalm 119:1-24
“Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to the Lord’s command? Obedience is better than sacrifice, to listen, better than the fat of rams.” 1 Samuel 15:22
The Lord made Saul king to rule the people Israel. He barely began his reign when his first testing comes, and he is found lacking in one essential ingredient to being a servant of God: obedience.
It may seem reasonable what Saul was doing, setting apart the best for God to offer as a sacrifice. But Saul learns an important lesson too late, that any sacrifice we could possibly offer to God counts for nothing unless accompanied with a heart that is obedient.
The word Obedience is derived from the Latin: obedire, which means, “to listen.” Our obedience requires us to listen with our minds and hearts, especially when it comes to knowing what God desires from us.
Let us practice today an attitude of listening to the Word of God, and as we go about our day, be mindful of what we do, and if it is pleasing to the Lord, or like Saul, are we ‘tweaking’ our obedience to justify some other motivation? Being mindful of these distinctions of the heart should be reflected upon in our examination of conscience at the end of each day, to see if our souls are being fashioned each day after the heart of God.
May God bless you.
Catholic Bible 365 