First Reading: 1 Samuel 18:6-9; 19:1-7
When David and Saul approached
(on David's return after slaying the Philistine),
women came out from each of the cities of Israel to meet King Saul,
singing and dancing, with tambourines, joyful songs, and sistrums.
The women played and sang:
"Saul has slain his thousands,
and David his ten thousands."
Saul was very angry and resentful of the song, for he thought:
"They give David ten thousands, but only thousands to me.
All that remains for him is the kingship."
And from that day on, Saul was jealous of David.
Saul discussed his intention of killing David
with his son Jonathan and with all his servants.
But Saul's son Jonathan, who was very fond of David, told him:
"My father Saul is trying to kill you.
Therefore, please be on your guard tomorrow morning;
get out of sight and remain in hiding.
I, however, will go out and stand beside my father
in the countryside where you are, and will speak to him about you.
If I learn anything, I will let you know."
Jonathan then spoke well of David to his father Saul, saying to him:
"Let not your majesty sin against his servant David,
for he has committed no offense against you,
but has helped you very much by his deeds.
When he took his life in his hands and slew the Philistine,
and the Lord brought about a great victory
for all Israel through him,
you were glad to see it.
Why, then, should you become guilty of shedding innocent blood
by killing David without cause?"
Saul heeded Jonathan's plea and swore,
"As the Lord lives, he shall not be killed."
So Jonathan summoned David and repeated the whole conversation to him.
Jonathan then brought David to Saul, and David served him as before.
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 56:2-3, 9-10a, 10b-11, 12-13
R./ In God I trust; I shall not fear.
Have mercy on me, O God, for men trample upon me;
all the day they press their attack against me.
My adversaries trample upon me all the day;
yes, many fight against me.
R./ In God I trust; I shall not fear.
My wanderings you have counted;
my tears are stored in your flask;
are they not recorded in your book?
Then do my enemies turn back,
when I call upon you.
R./ In God I trust; I shall not fear.
Now I know that God is with me.
In God, in whose promise I glory,
in God I trust without fear;
what can flesh do against me?
R./ In God I trust; I shall not fear.
I am bound, O God, by vows to you;
your thank offerings I will fulfill.
For you have rescued me from death,
my feet, too, from stumbling;
that I may walk before God in the light of the living.
R./ In God I trust; I shall not fear.
Gospel Reading: Mark 3:1-6
Jesus withdrew toward the sea with his disciples.
A large number of people followed from Galilee and from Judea.
Hearing what he was doing,
a large number of people came to him also from Jerusalem,
from Idumea, from beyond the Jordan,
and from the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon.
He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd,
so that they would not crush him.
He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases
were pressing upon him to touch him.
And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him
and shout, "You are the Son of God."
He warned them sternly not to make him known.
The Measure You Use Will Be Used for You
Dear brothers and sisters, peace and all good.
Today, we see the bright side of King David. We see him humble and grateful, acknowledging that the Lord has made a great promise to his dynasty. He feels unworthy, yet he trusts in that divine promise, praying: “And may the house of your servant David be established before you.” As we know well enough, this wasn’t always the case with David, but here we see his heart in the right place.
In the Gospel, Christ says: “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
This is good advice for all of us. Today, we are invited to reflect on the responsibility that comes with having received God’s light—something David knew how to do in this moment. Jesus uses simple, everyday images to explain this: a lamp isn’t lit to be hidden, but to be placed high up so it can give light.
With this teaching, the Lord reminds us that faith is not a private treasure nor knowledge reserved for a few; it is a gift meant to be shared and put at the service of others. We are called to be, you might say, missionaries in our own homes.
Simply put, the light represents the Word of God and the message of the Kingdom. Whoever receives it in their heart is called to let it transform their life and, through that transformation, illuminate the path for others. It isn’t enough just to listen; we have to live what we hear. That is why Jesus insists: “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” In the biblical sense, “listening” means accepting with attention and responding with consistency—living as God wants, always trying to fulfill His will.
This passage also confronts us with a challenging warning: “The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.”
It is a fair warning. We know that on the last day, we will have to give an account of our actions. We know that God is not stingy, but He respects human freedom. The openness, commitment, and generosity with which we receive His Word determine the fruitfulness of our Christian life. Whoever closes themselves off ends up losing even the little they think they have; whoever opens themselves with humility receives in abundance.
It depends on each of us to choose how we want to live. We pray this every day in the Our Father: the forgiveness of our sins is closely tied to how we forgive those who have offended us.
This Gospel challenges us to review our attitude toward faith. We can ask ourselves a few questions to check how our journey is going:
Do we hide this gift of faith out of fear or comfort, or do we let it shine through concrete acts of love, justice, and service?
Are we strict with others but lax with ourselves?
To be disciples of Jesus implies living as burning lamps, capable of reflecting the light of the Kingdom in the middle of the world. Even when it’s hard.
Your brother in faith,
Alejandro, C.M.F.
Opening Prayer
God, our Father,
through your Son, Jesus Christ,
you brought healing to your people
and came to bind us to you
in a lasting covenant of love.
May we not only admire his saving power
but accept him in faith as our brother,
your Son, our Lord and Savior.
Make him the ground and meaning of our lives
and fill us with his Holy Spirit,
that we may build up among us
your kingdom and a community
of faith, hope, and love.
We ask you this through Christ, our Lord.
Liturgy of the Word
First Reading Introduction
David's victory over Goliath and the praise that the people give him become for Saul the reason to become very jealous of David. Saul's son Jonathan, a close friend of David, pleads for him and can temporarily refrain Saul from harming David.
Gospel Introduction
In the Gospel, Mark gives a summary of Jesus' ministry in Galilee. Yesterday, we heard how the Pharisees are blind to him and attack him on legal points; the crowds flock to him because of his healing power, not so much to be converted. The demons know who Jesus is, but, of course, they do not believe in him. Here, we have different attitudes, but no faith yet. This is why, perhaps, Mark imposes silence on the spirits. We offer this Eucharist together with Christ, our only Savior and Mediator, who always intercedes for us.
General Intercessions
– That today many find Jesus and deeply believe in him, we pray:
– That Jesus may touch the hearts of many and heal them from their selfishness, we pray:
– That all the Churches that claim Christ as their head may find unity in him, even if the road is long and difficult, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
God our Father,
we offer you the sacrifice of Jesus Christ,
your Son and our Lord,
and our only mediator.
May he intercede for us, your people,
and bind us forever to you
in a covenant of lasting friendship and fidelity,
that we may belong to you
as the people you have saved
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
God our Father, in this Eucharist
your Son, Jesus, has brought before you
our prayers, our good intentions,
and also our weakness, our hesitant faith.
Yet, we are sure you accept us
because of him, our only priest and mediator.
Make our faith and love grow,
that your Son may be the Lord of our lives,
your saving presence,
and we your faithful people,
now and for ever.
Blessing
Many have heard about Jesus and his message. Yet, some do not believe. The way we live should confirm our faith, even though faith is a free gift, a grace from God. May Almighty God give you faith, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
