In All Things, Charity

January 20, 2026 Tuesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
Daily Readings: 1 Samuel 16:1-13; Mark 2:23–28
 

Children of God: Abiathar the high priest is a figure mentioned in the Old Testament narrative connected with King David. He was the son of Ahimelech and belonged to the priestly line at Nob. During a time of crisis, when David was fleeing from King Saul, Abiathar became associated with David’s survival and eventual rise to kingship. His name appears in stories where sacred law and human need collide.

The most well-known episode involving Abiathar is found when David, hungry and desperate, entered the house of God and was given the bread of the Presence, which according to the law was reserved only for priests. Abiathar later became high priest during David’s reign, and his life story reflects a period when religious rules existed, yet mercy and survival took precedence in moments of real human need.

Jesus recalls this episode involving David and Abiathar to address criticism directed at his disciples. As they pass through the grainfields on the sabbath, the disciples begin to pluck heads of grain, and this simple act becomes the center of controversy. 

What, then, are our inspirations for today as we listen to this exchange between Jesus and the religious authorities?

First, human need reveals the true purpose of God’s law.

Jesus reminds his listeners of what David did when he and his companions were in need and hungry. He entered the house of God during the time of Abiathar the high priest and ate the bread of the Presence, which was not lawful for anyone but the priests. Jesus uses this example to show that even sacred regulations were never meant to deny life.

By invoking this story, Jesus shifts the focus from strict legalism to compassion. When obedience to rules causes harm or ignores suffering, the original intention of God’s command is lost.

This challenges us to examine how we apply principles in daily life. Do our interpretations of rules help people live with dignity, or do they become tools of control? Jesus teaches that God’s law always bends toward mercy when life is at stake.

Second, authority in God’s kingdom is measured by service, not control.

Jesus makes a striking statement: “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath” (Mark 2:27). With this, he reorients authority. Sacred time exists to restore and protect human life, not to burden it with fear and guilt.

For us today, this means that faith should never become a system that forgets the people it is meant to serve. True authority, whether religious, moral, or social, reflects God’s care by placing human dignity at the center.

Children of God: We are invited today to move beyond rigid interpretations and rediscover the heart of God’s law. When rules forget people, faith becomes empty, but when mercy leads, God’s presence becomes real and life-giving.