Ritual, Rebellion, Renewal (January 19, 2026)

"In our First Reading, we witness a tragic moment for King Saul. He tries to justify his disobedience by saying he saved the best lives...

"In our First Reading, we witness a tragic moment for King Saul. He tries to justify his disobedience by saying he saved the best livestock to offer as a sacrifice to God. But the prophet Samuel cuts through his excuses with a piercing truth: 'Obedience is better than sacrifice.'

Let us reflect on three words today starting with 'R': Ritual, Rebellion, and Renewal.

First, Ritual. We Catholics love our rituals—Mass, rosaries, novenas. These are beautiful and necessary. However, Saul thought that a grand Ritual could cover up a lack of obedience. We do the same when we go to Mass on Sunday but cheat our employees on Monday, or when we pray loudly but refuse to forgive our family.

This is what Scripture calls Rebellion. Samuel equates rebellion with the sin of divination. Why? Because when we disobey God to follow our own plan, we are essentially making ourselves our own gods. We are rebelling against the true King. God does not want our 'things'; He wants our wills. He wants our 'Yes.'

This brings us to Jesus in the Gospel calling for Renewal. He speaks of new wine and new wineskins. You cannot put the vibrant, explosive love of God into an old, dried-up, rigid way of thinking. We need a Renewal of the mind and heart.

Today, let us check our wineskins. Are we just going through the motions of Ritual while hiding a heart of Rebellion? Let us ask God for Renewal, so that our external worship matches our internal obedience."