>> A READING FROM THE FIRST BOOK OF SAMUEL. DAVID SPOKE TO SAUL: LET YOUR MAJESTY NOT LOSE COURAGE. I AM AT YOUR SERVICE TO GO AND FIGHT THIS PHILISTINE. BUT SAUL ANSWERED DAVID, YOU CANNOT GO UP AGAINST THIS PHILISTINE AND FIGHT WITH HIM, FOR YOU ARE ONLY A YOUTH, WHILE HE HAS BEEN A WARRIOR FROM HIS YOUTH. DAVID CONTINUED: THE LORD, WHO DELIVERED ME FROM THE CLAWS OF THE LION AND THE BEAR, WILL ALSO KEEP ME SAFE FROM THE CLUTCHES OF THIS PHILISTINE. SAUL ANSWERED DAVID, GO! THE LORD WILL BE WITH YOU. THEN, STAFF IN HAND, DAVID SELECTED FIVE SMOOTH STONES FROM THE WADI AND PUT THEM IN THE POCKET OF HIS SHEPHERD'S BAG. WITH HIS SLING ALSO READY TO HAND, HE APPROACHED THE PHILISTINE. WITH HIS SHIELD BEARER MARCHING BEFORE HIM, THE PHILISTINE ALSO ADVANCED CLOSER AND CLOSER TO DAVID. WHEN HE HAD SIZED DAVID UP, AND SEEN THAT HE WAS YOUTHFUL, AND RUDDY, AND HANDSOME IN APPEARANCE, THE PHILISTINE HELD DAVID IN CONTEMPT. THE PHILISTINE SAID TO DAVID, AM I A DOG THAT YOU COME AGAINST ME WITH A STAFF? THEN THE PHILISTINE CURSED DAVID BY HIS GODS AND SAID TO HIM, COME HERE TO ME, AND I WILL LEAVE YOUR FLESH FOR THE BIRDS OF THE AIR AND THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD. DAVID ANSWERED HIM: YOU COME AGAINST ME WITH SWORD AND SPEAR AND SCIMITAR, BUT I COME AGAINST YOU IN THE NAME OF THE LORD OF HOSTS, THE GOD OF THE ARMIES OF ISRAEL THAT YOU HAVE INSULTED. TODAY THE LORD SHALL DELIVER YOU INTO MY HAND; I WILL STRIKE YOU DOWN AND CUT OFF YOUR HEAD. THIS VERY DAY I WILL LEAVE YOUR CORPSE AND THE CORPSES OF THE PHILISTINE ARMY FOR THE BIRDS OF THE AIR AND THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD; THUS THE WHOLE LAND SHALL LEARN THAT ISRAEL HAS A GOD. ALL THIS MULTITUDE, TOO, SHALL LEARN THAT IT IS NOT BY SWORD OR SPEAR THAT THE LORD SAVES. FOR THE BATTLE IS THE LORD'S AND HE SHALL DELIVER YOU INTO OUR HANDS. THE PHILISTINE THEN MOVED TO MEET DAVID AT CLOSE QUARTERS, WHILE DAVID RAN QUICKLY TOWARD THE BATTLE LINE IN THE DIRECTION OF THE PHILISTINE. DAVID PUT HIS HAND INTO THE BAG AND TOOK OUT A STONE, HURLED IT WITH THE SLING, AND STRUCK THE PHILISTINE ON THE FOREHEAD. THE STONE EMBEDDED ITSELF IN HIS BROW, AND HE FELL PROSTRATE ON THE GROUND. THUS DAVID OVERCAME THE PHILISTINE WITH SLING AND STONE; HE STRUCK THE PHILISTINE MORTALLY, AND DID IT WITHOUT A SWORD. THEN DAVID RAN AND STOOD OVER HIM; WITH THE PHILISTINE'S OWN SWORD WHICH HE DREW FROM ITS SHEATH HE DISPATCHED HIM AND CUT OFF HIS HEAD. THE WORD OF THE LORD. >> THANKS BE TO GOD. >> BLESSED BE THE LORD, MY ROCK! >> BLESSED BE THE LORD, MY ROCK! >> BLESSED BE THE LORD, MY ROCK, WHO TRAINS MY HANDS FOR BATTLE, MY FINGERS FOR WAR. >> BLESSED BE THE LORD, MY ROCK! >> MY REFUGE AND MY FORTRESS, MY STRONGHOLD, MY DELIVERER, MY SHIELD, IN WHOM I TRUST, WHO SUBDUES MY PEOPLE UNDER ME. >> BLESSED BE THE LORD, MY ROCK! >> O GOD, I WILL SING A NEW SONG TO YOU; WITH A TEN STRINGED LYRE I WILL CHANT YOUR PRAISE, YOU WHO GIVE VICTORY TO KINGS, AND DELIVER DAVID, YOUR SERVANT FROM THE EVIL SWORD. >> BLESSED BE THE LORD, MY ROCK! (ORGAN) >> ♪ ALLELUIA ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA ♪ >> ♪ ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA ALLELUIA ♪ >> ♪ JESUS PREACHED THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM AND CURED EVERY DISEASE AMONG THE PEOPLE ♪ >> ♪ ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA ALLELUIA ♪ >> ♪ DOMINUS VOBISCUM ♪ >> ♪ ET CUM SPIRITU TUO ♪ >> ♪ LECTIO SANCTI EVANGELII SECUNDUM MARCUM ♪ >> ♪ GLORIA TIBI, DOMINE ♪ >> JESUS ENTERED THE SYNAGOGUE. THERE WAS A MAN THERE WHO HAD A WITHERED HAND. THEY WATCHED JESUS CLOSELY TO SEE IF HE WOULD CURE HIM ON THE SABBATH SO THAT THEY MIGHT ACCUSE HIM. HE SAID TO THE MAN WITH THE WITHERED HAND, COME UP HERE BEFORE US. THEN HE SAID TO THE PHARISEES, IS IT LAWFUL TO DO GOOD ON THE SABBATH RATHER THAN TO DO EVIL, TO SAVE LIFE RATHER THAN TO DESTROY IT? BUT THEY REMAINED SILENT. LOOKING AROUND AT THEM WITH ANGER AND GRIEVED AT THEIR HARDNESS OF HEART, JESUS SAID TO THE MAN, STRETCH OUT YOUR HAND. HE STRETCHED IT OUT AND HIS HAND WAS RESTORED. THE PHARISEES WENT OUT AND IMMEDIATELY TOOK COUNSEL WITH THE HERODIANS AGAINST HIM TO PUT HIM TO DEATH. ♪ VERBUM DOMINI ♪ >> ♪ LAUS TIBI, CHRISTE ♪ >> THIS PAST WEEKEND FATHER PASQUAL AND I WERE IN LAS VEGAS. WE WERE INVITED BY MEMBERS OF THE FILIPINO CATHOLIC COMMUNITY THERE TO CELEBRATE - - -. WHILE WE WERE THERE THEY GIVE US A LITTLE TOUR OF THE CITY. OF COURSE WHEN YOU GO TO LAS VEGAS AND WALKING TO SOME OF THE HOTELS AND CASINOS, THEY DO A LOT OF BETTING AND GAMBLING THERE. SEEING SOME OF THE BETTING OF THE SPORTING EVENTS LIKE FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL AND HORSES AND THINGS LIKE THAT YOU SEE LIKE THE ODDS OF THINGS. THEY BET ACCORDING TO THE EYES. WELL THIS TEAM IS FAVORED OVER THIS TEAM BY THIS MUCH OR THIS MUCH OR WHATEVER THIS PERCENTAGE. AND IT REMINDS ME OF TODAY'S 1ST READING. WE HAVE GOLIATH IS HUGE ENORMOUS GIANT. VERSUS THE SHEPHERD BOY DAVID. JUST BY THE APPEARANCE OF THINGS WE THINK WELL HEY IF I WAS GOING TO PLACE A BET I WOULD PUT IT ON GOLIATH. HERE IS A LARGER MAN. ONE SEASON THEN BATTLE. IN THE ARMY FIGHTING WARS A LONG TIME AND HERE IS A LITTLE GUY HERE. WHO IS A SHEPHERD. WHAT IS TO MAKE OF HIM? BUT, TODAY WE LEARNED OTHERWISE. GOD, HE DOES NOT LOOK AT APPEARANCES, HE LOOKS AT THE HEART. GOD IS ALWAYS WITH US. AS WE WALKED FORWARD WITH GOD DOING HIS WILL STRIVING, WE ARE OFTEN FACED WITH OVERWHELMING OBSTACLES. AND WE CAN FEEL THAT THE ODDS ARE AGAINST US. LOOK AT ALL THE EVIL IN THE WORLD. PERHAPS GOD OPENED THE DOOR FOR US. HOW AM I EVER GOING TO DO THAT? WELL THE LORD HAS A MESSAGE FOR US TODAY. BECAUSE WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR DAVID HERE, HE WOULD DO ALSO FOR US. SO HERE IS DAVID. DAVID WHO AGAIN WAS A LITTLE SHEPHERD MAN. IN CHARGE OF THE SHEEP. THIS BOY WHO HAD BEEN OUT IN THE FIELD FOR A LOT OF HIS YOUTH COLLECTING THE SHEEP AND THINGS LIKE THAT. ALL OF A SUDDEN, SAUL OR SAMUEL COMES ALONG AND SAYS AMONG THE SONS OF JESSE THERE IS TIME TO ANOINT A KING. WHO IS CHOSEN? DAVID. WHY? THE OTHER FELLOWS, HIS BROTHERS ARE A LOT BIGGER AND STRONGER AND MORE HANDSOME AND APPEAR SMARTER. BUT GOD CHOOSES DAVID. NOW DAVID IS ABOUT TO FIGHT WITH THIS PHILISTINE. GOLIATH. AND AS WE WERE SAYING GOLIATH HE IS WELL EXPERIENCED IN WARFARE. HE HAS A LOT OF VICTORIES. ALL VICTORIES PERHAPS. BUT DAVID AND IN THE APPEARANCE OF THINGS, IT LOOKS LIKE HE IS GOING TO BE OVERWHELMED AND DEFEATED. JUST AT THE APPEARANCE OF IT. BUT HE KNOWS HIMSELF. DAVID 1ST OF ALL KNOWS THAT HE IS A MAN OF GOD. THE BIBLE SAYS HE IS A MAN AFTER GOD'S OWN HEART. HE HAS FAITH. HE PRAYS OFTEN. HE MEDITATES ON THE LORD. AT THE SAME TIME HE IS A MAN OF FAITH 1ST OF ALL BUT HE IS ALSO PREPARE FOR THIS. SHEPHERDS IN THE BIBLE WERE ALWAYS LOOKED DOWN UPON. THEY WERE SEEN AS LOWER CLASS BECAUSE THEY WORKED WITH THE SHEEP. THE SHEEP WERE CONSIDERED TO BE VERY DUMB YOU KNOW. THIS WAS NOT A JOB OF HIGH STATUS. AND SO HERE IS DAVID A SHEPHERDS BOY. BUT SHEPHERDS IN THEMSELVES WERE VERY COURAGEOUS MEN. THEY WERE ALWAYS INTERESTED IN PROTECTING THEIR SHEEP. AND JUST LIKE JESUS TELLS US JESUS USES A LOT PARABLES AND ANALOGIES, HE IS THE GOOD SHEPHERD. HE SAID IF ONE RUNS AWAY THE SHEPHERD WILL ALWAYS GO AND LEAVE THE 99 AND GO AFTER THAT ONE. THAT WAS SOMETHING COMMON. SO DAVID WOULD MOST LIKELY HAVE DONE THIS. GONE AFTER THE LOST SHEEP. NOW THEY'RE GOING AFTER THE LOST SHEEP THEY WERE PROBABLY CONFRONTED WITH FIERCE ANIMALS. JESUS SPEAKS ABOUT WOLVES. ALWAYS THREATENING THE SHEEP. AT THE GATES TRYING TO ENTER IN. SO THEY WOULD HAVE TO FIGHT OFF THE WOLVES. LARGE ANIMALS. HERE IT SAYS THAT GOD HAS DELIVERED HIM FROM THE BEAR AND THE LION. THAT IS WHAT DAVID IS SAYING HERE. SO HE HAS FACED FIERCE ANIMALS. AND THEN AND NOW HE IS UP AGAINST GOLIATH. HE SAID WELL, GOD HAS DONE THIS FOR ME IN THE PAST AS A SHEPHERD BOY, AND DELIVERED ME, HE WILL DELIVER ME FROM THIS GIANT. DAVID BEING A YOUTH, KNOWING HOW TO DEFEND HIMSELF, YOU KNOW HE KNOWS THE SLINGSHOT VERY WELL. HE PRACTICED A LOT. HE DID A LOT OF TARGETING AND THINGS LIKE THAT. HE KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING. SO THERE HE IS. HE HAS FAITH IN GOD. HE GOES UP AGAINST THE GIANT. "I COME TO YOU IN THE NAME OF THE LORD." HE IS CONFIDENT. UNAFRAID. EVERYTHING HE HAS IS IN THE LORD. HE FACES THE GIANT. DEFEATS HIM. FOR US WE AS CHRISTIANS, CATHOLICS OUT THERE IN THE WORLD IT OFTEN SEEMS THAT EVERYTHING IS AGAINST US. THE WORLD HATES US, SO MUCH EVIL AROUND. AS I SAID EARLIER SOMETIMES GOD OPENS DOORS. WE FEEL LIKE WE ARE UNPREPARED. WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT WE ARE DOING. YOU SEE GOD IN MANY WAYS HAS PREPARED US. HE HAS GIVEN US 1ST AND FOREMOST HIS OWN POWER THROUGH HIS GRACE. THROUGH THE GRACE OF THE SACRAMENTS, BAPTISM, CONFIRMATION, THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES TO DWELL IN US. WE HAVE THE LIFE OF JESUS CHRIST IN US. BUT A LOT OF TIMES AS WE GO OUT IN DOING THE LORD'S WILL WE FORGET ABOUT THAT. WE FORGET ABOUT ALL THE GRACES HE HAS BESTOWED ON US. THAT WE WALK IN THE LIGHT OF JESUS CHRIST. HE IS AROUND US. HE IS WITH US. HE IS WITHIN US. HE IS ALWAYS THERE. SO WE DID NOT HAVE TO FEAR WHAT COMES OUR WAY. THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TO KNOW 1ST AND FOREMOST. THE GRACE THAT GOD IS GIVEN TO US. THEN WE OFTEN COME INTO SOMETHING YOU KNOW JUST LOOKING AT WHAT IS AROUND US AND WHAT GOD OPENS THE DOOR. WE HAVE A LITTLE FEAR. WE START TO DOUBT. GOD AND OURSELVES. WHERE DOES THIS FEAR COME FROM MANY TIMES? IT COMES FROM PERHAPS A LACK OF CONFIDENCE. A LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN GOD. LACK OF CONFIDENCE AND A LACK OF HUMILITY. YOU SEE MANY TIMES WHEN WE ARE GOING TO GO DO SOMETHING, WE ARE TOO CONCERNED ABOUT THE PEOPLE AROUND US. WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO THINK? YOU KNOW, OR HOW WE MEASURE UP TO THEM. THIS PERSON IS QUALIFIED THIS WAY AND THIS WAY AND LOOK AT THEM. GOD DOES NOT WANT YOU TO LOOK AT THEM AND THINK ABOUT THEM AND WHO IS WATCHING YOU OR HOW YOU MEASURE UP TO THEM. HE BROUGHT YOU TO THIS PLACE. FOR YOU TO DO A GREAT WORK. SO WE KEEP OUR EYES FOCUSED ON HIM. AND HIM ALONE. KNOWING THAT HE IS WITH US. KNOWING THAT HE WILL GUIDE US. THAT HE WILL GET US THROUGH WHATEVER WE NEED TO GO THROUGH. LIKE DAVID HERE, EVERY BODY, JUST IMAGINE HERE IS DAVID GOING UP AGAINST THIS GOLIATH HERE AND HE IS NOT WORRIED ABOUT WHAT EVERYBODY IS THINKING. YOU KNOW. BOTH SIDES. THERE LOOKING AT HIM PROBABLY LAUGHING. BUT HE KNOWS WHO HE IS. HE KNOWS WHAT HE CAN DO. HE TRUSTS IN THE LORD. HE SAYS THAT THE BATTLE BELONGS TO GOD. YOU SEE. WE START GETTING INTO FEAR AND DOUBT AND ALL OF THAT, WE FORGET THAT THE BATTLE BELONGS TO GOD. IT IS NOT OURS. GIVE IT TO HIM. THE BATTLE BELONGS TO THE LORD. SO AS WE GO FORWARD WALKING IN OUR LIVES WITH JESUS CHRIST THE LORD WE KNOW WE ARE GOING TO BE UP AGAINST, THE ODDS ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE AGAINST US. THE ODDS WERE AGAINST JESUS COMING INTO THE WORLD. HE IS GOD. HE IS MAN. HE ONLY COMES TO DO THE WILL OF THE FATHER. EVIL FALLS UPON YOU BUT EVIL NEVER DESTROYS HIM. IT NEVER BREAKS HIS LOVE FOR THE LORD. HE COMPLETES THE FATHER'S WILL BY COMING TO DIE FOR US. HE DOES WITH IT WAS SO MUCH LOVE. THE DEVIL THROWS EVERYTHING AT HIM. BUT JESUS REMAINS VIRTUOUS. HE LOVES UNTIL THE END. HE LOVES THE FATHER IS THE FATHER LOVES US. NOTHING DESTROYS HIM. IT MAKES HIM LOVE ALL THE MORE. AND WE HAVE TO GO TO JESUS. REMEMBER HE IS WITHIN US. IN HIM WE CAN DO ALL THINGS WHO STRENGTHENS US. SO DO NOT LET FEARS GET IN THE WAY. DO NOT LET DOUBTS GET IN WAY, GIVE IT TO GOD. THE BATTLE BELONGS TO HIM. REMEMBER WHAT HE IS GIVEN TO US. ST. JOHN'S SAYS, "GREATER IS HE WHO IS IN ME THAN IS WHO IS IN THE WORLD." WE ARE TEMPLES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. KNOW WHO YOU ARE. DAVID KNEW WHO HE WAS. DAVID YES DAVID THE SPIRIT OF GOD WAS WITH HIM. BUT THE SPIRIT OF GOD IS WITH US ALSO. HE IS WITHIN US. IT IS DIFFERENT BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED. SO WE CAN GO FORWARD. THE GRACE, THE TRUTH OF THE LORD. NOT FEARING. ONLY LOVING HIM. YES THE ODDS MAY BE AGAINST US. GOD JUST WANTS YOU TO DO YOUR BEST. THAT IS IT. HE WILL PROVIDE. HE WILL MAKE A WAY. WHERE THERE IS NO WAY. HE OPENS DOORS, HE CLOSES DOORS. HE JUST WANTS YOU TO TAKE A STEP FORWARD. DO NOT WORRY ABOUT FAILING. REMEMBER SAINT PETER. HE STEPPED OUT OF THE BOAT. HE KNEW THE WAVES. HE KNEW THINGS LIKE THAT BUT HE WAS READY TO GO. HE FAILED. HE SLIPPED. BUT THE LORD WAS RIGHT THERE TO PICK HIM UP. SO GO FORWARD IN GOD. KNOWING WHO YOU ARE IN HIM. WITH HUMILITY. TRUSTING THE LORD. KNOWING THAT WE CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH HIM WHO STRENGTHENS US. GOD ALWAYS PROVIDES. GIVE THE BATTLE TO HIM. GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
