The first reading presents us with the story of Saul who seeks David to kill him because David’s fame has grown more than his. David’s popularity created so much anger, bitterness and jealousy inside Saul that he was after David’s life. Questions that may demand our individual responses are: Does the progress, achievement, or success of other people create bitterness and jealousy in me? What is my response to friends, relations and colleagues who have got more than I have? How do I handle jealousy when I see it making an entrance inside?

Saul and his men went to the camp to look for David, and as things turned out, David and his men found Saul sleeping and David’s men wanted to slay Saul since God had delivered him into their hands. David had every reason to slay Saul, after all Saul was in the camp to kill David, but instead restrained him because according to him, “for who can lay hands on the Lord’s anointed and remain unpunished.” The action of David calls us to reflect on our own attitude to people who are out to destroy us out of hatred or bitterness. David’s action teaches us to restrain from revenge of any hurt or injuries done to us. The example of David also brings to mind that God is always on the side of those who pay hatred with love. We equally learn from David’s action to leave judgment to God.

Jeremiah in the first reading of today invites the people to trust in God for there is no other way ofsurvival except through God. He calls them to recognize there is strength in the power of God. In everysituation, God remains our strength and when we trust in Him, He gives us the grace to survive anysituation no matter how challenging that may be. The metaphor Jeremiah uses to describe a personwho trusts completely in God is that of a tree planted beside the water and stretches out its roots to thestream. Since the roots of the plant stretch deep into the stream it means that such a tree would alwayssurvive any drought because its roots are deeply inserted into the stream. In the same way, anyonewho trusts in God would survive any challenging times because God would cover the person with Hisgrace. The one who trusts in humans is described as a barren bush in the desert that enjoys nochanging season but stands in a lava waste of salt and empty earth. Paul in the second readingreminds the Church at Corinth that our faith as Christians is rooted in the fact that Jesus Christ rosefrom the dead. If Jesus had not risen from the dead our preaching would have been in vain and thatwould have made us the most unfortunate people but since Christ died and rose from the dead, ourfocus should be to live with Him in heaven.

Today’s liturgy focuses on God’s call, which comes in different situations, circumstances and backgrounds. In each of the calls we heard today, there is the divine invitation to respond to God with openness the way we are and not as we think or as would want to be. Hence, the three readings and the three figures we encounter in today’s liturgy demonstrates that God does not consider our perceived unworthiness and sinfulness before He calls us. Our response should be to say “here I am and ready to do your will”. Our unworthiness does not constitute an obstacle to God as He does not look for our weakness, but rather to our desire to follow Him wherever He leads us.