FRIDAY, FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Memorial of St Joseph Vaz
1 Sm 8: 4-7. 10-22 Ps 89: 16-19 Mk 2: 1-12
THE KING WE TRULY NEED
Buddha, in his second Noble Truth teaches that, “Desire is the root cause of sorrow.” That saying comes alive in today’s first reading. The Israelites were not content with what God had given them. Though God had provided wise judges to guide them, they longed for something more: a king, so that they could be “like all the nations.” Their desire was not wrong in itself; after all, God had already promised Abraham that kings would come from his line. The problem lay in why they wanted one: not to serve God better, but to resemble the world around them.
We often fall into the same trap. When we see others enjoying blessings we lack, our hearts begin to crave what they have. In the process, we forget that true joy comes not from imitation, but from living out God’s unique plan for us. Through Samuel, God warned the Israelites about the consequences of their choice. The king would take their sons for his army, their daughters for his household, their land for his gain, and burden them with heavy taxes. These words came true under David and Solomon and their reigns, though glorious, ended in division, sin, and exile. Every king had his own weaknesses that led the nation to suffer. Still, God allowed it, respecting their freedom, while reminding them that any earthly ruler was merely His viceroy.
But history longed for a different kind of king, a king after God’s own heart. In Jesus, that longing was fulfilled. Unlike earthly rulers, He came not to be served but to serve. He conquers not by sword or power, but by mercy and love. His kingdom is not of this world, yet it transforms this world from within. Today’s Gospel shows this King forgiving sins and healing the paralyzed, a power no human king could claim. In Jesus, we meet the only ruler who truly sets us free. Let us, then, stop chasing what others have and desire the One who alone satisfies every heart. Let Him reign in us, for only when Jesus is our King do we find peace that no desire can steal.
Response: I will sing forever of your mercies, O Lord.
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