knowing Jesus intellectually isn't the same as true faith,

and believers are called to a deep, persistent relationship with Him, actively seeking His will.

Recognizing Jesus trusting Him as Lord and Savior.

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

1 Samuel 18:6-9; 19:1-7

When they arrived after

David had slain the Philistine, the women came out from the cities of Israel to meet king Saul singing and dancing

with timbrels and musical instruments. They were merrily singing this song: "Saul has slain his thousands, and David, his tens of thousands."

Saul was very displeased with this song and said, "They have given tens of thousands to David but to me only thousands!

By now he has everything but the kingdom!" From then on, Saul became very distrustful of David. 

 

Saul told his son Jonathan and his servants of his intention to kill David.

But Jonathan, who liked David very much, said to David,

"My father Saul wants to kill you. Be on your guard tomorrow morning and hide yourself in a secret place.

I will go out and keep my father company in the countryside where you are and I will speak to him about you.

If I find out something, I will let you know." Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul and said, "

Let not the king sin against his servant David for he has not sinned against you.

On the contrary, what he has done has benefited you.

 

He risked his life in killing the Philistine and Yahweh brought about a great victory for Israel.

You yourself saw this and greatly rejoiced.

Why then sin against innocent blood and kill David without cause?" Saul heeded Jonathan's plea and swore,

"As Yahweh lives, he shall not be put to death." So Jonathan called David and told him all these things.

He then brought him to Saul and David was back in Saul's service as before.

 

Ps 56:2-3, 9-10a, 10b-11, 12-13

In God I trust; I shall not fear.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

Mark 3:7-12

Jesus and his disciples withdrew to the lakeside, and a large crowd from Galilee followed him.

A great number of people also came from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, Transjordan,

and from the region of Tyre and Sidon, for they had heard of all that he was doing.

 

Because of the crowd, Jesus told his disciples to have a boat ready for him,

to prevent the people from crushing him.

He healed so many that all who had diseases kept pressing toward him to touch him.

Even the people who had evil spirits,whenever they saw him,

they would fall down before him and cry out, "You are the Son of God."

But he warned them sternly not to tell anyone who he was.

 

Gospel Reflection ：

Not everyone who knows Jesus is a believer.

In the Gospel, we observe an increasing number of people following Jesus.

Some are curious, others are amazed, and others need healing and miracles.

Not everyone who follows Jesus has pure motives.

 

This reminds us that not everyone who knows Jesus is a believer;

some may also be devils. Let us allow God to transform our curiosity into fidelity

and our knowledge of Christ into a deeper trust in Him.

Let us pray for God's grace to help us purify our motives for coming to Him.

May this renewed faith make us relentlessly pursue Christ and His kingdom.