1st Week in Ordinary Time (II) : Saturday 17th January 2026

Samuel anointed Saul as the king of Israel because the Lord had chosen him to rule over the people of God. The Lord called Saul to this exalted role. In the same way, Jesus called Levi (Matthew), a tax collector, to follow Him, and put him among the exalted company of His Apostles, His twelve closest companions, to rule over the Church, the new people of God.

Each of us is also called by God to the exalted role of being His witnesses in the world, even though we are sinners. Jesus Himself says that He does not come to call the virtuous, but sinners (Mk 2:17). Just as Jesus ate with sinners and tax collectors, He also desires to sit down with us, sinners. He empowers us to be His effective witnesses in a world that does not welcome the marginalised. The tax collectors in the days of Jesus were the marginalised, because they were seen as betrayers to the Jewish people because they collected taxes for the Romans, the hated foreign power.

We are also called to the exalted role of apostles, that is, those who are sent to bring the Good News of the Kingdom of God to others who need this message; carry God’s message of love to the unloved, relief to those who are suffering, peace to the conflicted. We can do this because Jesus gives us the grace and strength to do so.

PRAYER:  Lord, help me be Your apostle of love to others.