Opening Prayer

God of mercy and compassion,
you call weak people, sinful as they are,
to give shape to your dreams
about people and their world
and to be instruments of salvation.
Give us trust, not in our own strength,
but in the power of your love,
which can do through us and with us
what we ourselves are incapable of.
We thank you for calling us
out of our frailty and alienation
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Liturgy of the Word

First Reading Introduction

God has his own plans and standards, which are often at variance with our human wisdom. For example, he calls sinners - limited, deficient people - and they are good enough for him to do God's work, even to be entrusted with a special mission. Saul is taken from an insignificant tribe of God's people. He responds at first, but fails later.

First Reading: 1 Sm 9:1–4, 17–19; 10:1

There was a stalwart man from Benjamin named Kish, who was
the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a
Benjaminite. He had a son named Saul, who was a handsome
young man. There was no other child of Israel more handsome
than Saul; he stood head and shoulders above the people.
Now the asses of Saul’s father, Kish, had wandered off. Kish
said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you and go
out and hunt for the asses.” Accordingly they went through
the hill country of Ephraim, and through the land of Shalishah.

Not finding them there, they continued through the land of
Shaalim without success. They also went through the land of
Benjamin, but they failed to find the animals.

When Samuel caught sight of Saul, the LORD assured him,
“This is the man of whom I told you; he is to govern my
people.”

Saul met Samuel in the gateway and said, “Please tell me
where the seer lives.” Samuel answered Saul: “I am the seer.
Go up ahead of me to the high place and eat with me today. In
the morning, before dismissing you, I will tell you whatever
you wish.”

Then, from a flask he had with him, Samuel poured oil on
Saul’s head; he also kissed him, saying: “The LORD anoints
you commander over his heritage. You are to govern the LORD’s
people Israel, and to save them from the grasp of their enemies
roundabout.

“This will be the sign for you that the LORD has anointed
you commander over his heritage.”

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 21:2 –3, 4 –5, 6–7

R/  Lord, in your strength the king is glad.

O LORD, in your strength the king is glad;
in your victory how greatly he rejoices!
You have granted him his heart’s desire;
you refused not the wish of his lips.
R/  Lord, in your strength the king is glad.

For you welcomed him with goodly blessings,
you placed on his head a crown of pure gold.
He asked life of you: you gave him
length of days forever and ever.
R/  Lord, in your strength the king is glad.

Great is his glory in your victory;
majesty and splendor you conferred upon him.
For you made him a blessing forever;
you gladdened him with the joy of your face.
R/  Lord, in your strength the king is glad.

Gospel Introduction:

Matthew is a typical sinner, a tax collector, one who was not only exploiting his own people but a traitor to them as a collaborator with the Romans. But he responds to Jesus’ call and becomes an apostle and martyr, faithful to the end.

Gospel Reading: Mk 2:13-17

When Jesus went out again beside the lake, a crowd came to him and he taught them. As he walked along, he saw a tax collector sitting in his office. This was Levi, the son of Alpheus. Jesus said to him, "Follow me." And Levi got up and followed him.

And it so happened that while Jesus was eating in Levi's house, tax collectors and sinners were sitting with him and his disciples for there were indeed many of them. But there were also teachers of the Law of the Pharisees' party, among those who followed Jesus, and when they saw him eating with sinners and tax collectors, they said to his disciples, "Why! He eats with tax collectors and sinners!"

Jesus heard them and answered, "Healthy people don't need a doctor, but sick people do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners."