Today's two readings challenge us to address two important questions in our lives, namely, "Do we know what is God's will for us?" and "What does it entail to do the will of God?"

In the first reading, King Saul thought that he had obeyed the voice of the Lord by offering holocausts and sacrifices. In the Gospel, the Pharisees, by fasting according to the rules and regulations of the established religion, deemed that they had obeyed the will of God. They even fasted twice a month.

So, to know or discern the will of God, we need to ask ourselves: "What is my relationship with God?" as this is the basis upon which God reveals His will for us. Then we enter into the process of waiting and listening to God's revelation. It may involve the 'letting go' of the old wine and garment as Jesus used the example of the new patch and new wine to illustrate the newness of the reality of the Kingdom.

In order to know God's will better, we need to discriminate the movements which are merely from ourselves or those prompted by some other spirits. Secondly to discriminate those movements which are prompted by the Holy Spirit and those from the other spirits.

Accompanied by 'prayer' we rely on the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the signs of the time. In this way we grow in discerning God's purpose in our lives.