Theme: Do we trust in God in our battles against the Goliaths of our lives?
Scripture reading: 1 Sam 17:32-33, 37, 40-51; Ps 143:1-2. 9-10; Mk. 3:1-6
We find today’s reading, David fights with Goliath, the Philistines. The scripture says that he was very large man and so his armours. The Israelites fled away at his arrival. He openly challenged Israelites to deal with him one to one. His challenge created a fear among the soldiers especially Saul. Goliath had already won the battle of mind. Saul who was logical option to fight against Goliath but he was scared for he waited fourty days to send someone to fight against Goliath.
David who had gone with the food supply for his three elder brothers, saw the fear of Israelites on the battle field. David courageously spoke to the soldiers to have confidence in God. But his brother Eliab rebuked him. When David made it clear that he wanted to fight against Goliath, Saul belittled David for his youthfulness. David reassured Saul that he was ready to fight against Goliath in the name of God. David had saving experience of God while keeping the sheep. God had helped him in rescuing sheep from the mouth of Lion and Bear. Once again on the battle field, Goliath belittled David. He cursed David by his gods and made fun of him. David responded Goliath with faith in God. David remained humble and firm in all his humiliations. He felt the presence of God with him on the battle ground. We know, at last; David killed Goliath with having any armours.
Jesus too faced many battles and Goliaths in His life. People belittled him by calling him the son of Joseph and Mary, son of Beelzebul, friend of sinners and tax collectors, drunkard, etc. Jesus chose to face them like David. Today’s Gospel says that Jesus knew that the Pharisees had kept close watch on him. He also knew that they were seeking to kill him. Yet Jesus chose to enter into the synagogue. He saw a man with withered hand. Jesus wanted to heal him but the goliath of his time plot against him. Jesus had many options: to run away by avoiding the situation or heal the man on the following day or just do it privately. But Jesus chose to deal with the Pharisees directly. He questioned their morality but they did not have the answer. Jesus realised the hardness of their hearts. At last Jesus cured the man with withered hand. Jesus won every battle in his life against his opponents.
David fought with Goliath with the help of God. Jesus who came to do the will of His Father also fought with his opponents of his time with grace of God. We too have so many goliaths in our lives. We can defeat them if we have trust in God. But do we have trust in God like David and Jesus to fight against the goliaths in our lives?
Fr. Alex D’Mello
