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JANUARY

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WEDDING HOMILY

1)Jeremiah 31:31-32a, 33-34a

2)1 John 3:18-24

3)John 15:12-16

FOCUS:By living a Christ-like love that is based on self-gift, faith, and sacrifice, a marriage can be heavenly.

The readings for our celebration today are perfect. We have to be deliberate when we talk about love, though, to appreciate the full picture that the Scriptures paint for us. There are three lessons in our readings about love that are simple and profound: total gift, belief in Jesus, and sacrifice.

In the first reading, the prophet Jeremiah givesone of the greatest oracles in the Old Testament. The new covenant he sees will not be like the old ones. God willbe completelyIsrael’s, and Israel willwholly belong to God. In marriage, the husband and wife do the same, saying to each other, I am wholly yours.

This extraordinary unionof persons brings with it joy and suffering. The joys you experience together will be greater than anything either of you could experience on your own. The other side of the coin is that weaknesses, flaws, and failures are part of the deal just as much as the good things. Suffering is not easy.Nevertheless, a loving self-gift has to be the foundation for every marriage.

How is this foundation possible? A total gift of self doesn’t sound so bad on a beautiful day like this, but the future will also bring difficult days. Saint John’s words serve as advice on how to build and maintain this foundation. First, enactyour love for one another. Don’t just profess love with words, but live it in deed. This is a maxim that sounds easy but is challenging to live out. It comes back to the question of how do we act on love, in complete self-gift? Saint John’s answer is to have faith in Jesus Christ. Within a life of faith,we have the grace to follow the commandment to love one another.

The final lesson, from the Gospel reading, is the capstone to the first two lessons: Love one another as I love you, Jesus says. He loves us completely; He gave himself wholly to us on the cross and in the Eucharist. Jesus not only revealed the loving heart of the Father through words, but also through his deeds. The sacrificial nature of a marriage love puts the other person first. Spouses sacrifice for each other in both the small, daily ways and in the larger ways.

Taking these lessons to heart is an encouragement to excellence. Live a Christ-like love and start heaven while on earth.

* * *

FUNERAL HOMILY

1)2 Maccabees 12:43-46

2)Philippians 3:20-21

3)John 17:24-26

FOCUS:Christ’s promise of eternal life inspires us to both pray forthe dead and prepare for our own death.

It’s healing for us to recall and celebrate our happy memories of N. on this day. It’s fitting that we give thanks for the gift of his/her time here on earth. It is even more fitting that we participate in this holy Mass to pray for the repose of N’s soul.

We heard in the first reading how Judas Maccabeus’ soldiers paid for an animal sacrifice to atone for the sins of their fallen comrades, but we have an infinitely greater sacrifice to offer for the healing of our [brother’s/sister’s] soul: the sacrifice of Jesus made present to us in the Eucharist.

Gathering to offer Mass for our beloved dead is a bold statement that we can do more for them than remembering and celebrating, because their life continues beyond death. As a Church, we’re in communion with our brothers and sisters in heaven, who assist us by their prayers, and those who are still being purified for heaven in purgatory, whom we can assist by our prayers and sacrifices. And like the offering for those Jewish soldiers, this Mass is a sign of faith that one day the fallen [will] rise again, to be glorified in body and soul by our risen Savior. We have every right to mourn this present separation, but even in grief, we’re here to take a stand for hope.

This hope in the face of death is what binds us as Christians. Today’s Gospel is taken from the prayer Jesus prayed for his followers at the Last Supper, the night before his own death. He consoles the disciples and us by pouring out his greatest desire to the Father: That where I am they also may be with me…that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them.

What greater love could there be than the love of God the Father for his only Son? This is the love that we were made to take part in. Our creator desires not only to be with us but to be in us, to share an intimacy deeper than any we could experience in this life, though we can get a first taste of it right here in holy Communion.

As we remember and pray for N., we know that the bitter reality of death is defeated by the promise of eternal life.Through God’s mercy, may N. soonenter intohis/herglory. And may we, too, when the time comes, join him/her, and all who have gone before us, in singing God’s praises in the new and heavenly Jerusalem.

* * * *

YEAR B

WEEKDAYS I

Friday, January 1, 2021THE OCTAVE DAY

(Lec. 18)OF THE NATIVITY

1)Numbers 6:22-27OF THE LORD;

2)Galatians 4:4-7SOLEMNITY OF MARY,

3)Luke 2:16-21THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD

(Holyday of Obligation)

Gospel related: CCC 527, 2599

FOCUS:We honor Mary as the Holy Mother of God.

Today’s Solemnity marks the end of one calendar year and the beginning of another.It is fitting that we celebrate the Holy Mother this day, for in her giving birth to Jesus she brought forth into humanity the one who would end the reign of sin and establish God’s kingdom on earth. As Paul writes to the Galatians in today’s second reading, Jesus was born of a woman and a womb just as we were, like us in all things but sin. As sons and daughters of God by adoption, not only are we able to call God “Abba” or “Father,” we may also rightly refer to the Blessed Mother as our mother as well.

By the third century, there were arguments about the divinity of Christ and the role that Mary plays in the story of salvation. This celebration of Mary being the Mother of God is the fruit of the Church’s efforts to clarify doctrine and end these disputes.

Nestorius, the Patriarch of Constantinople in the fifth century, held that Mary was the mother of Jesus’ humanity and not his divinity. He thought there were two separate persons – one human, one divine – in the Incarnate Christ. That is, he denied the one Person of Christ, who has two natures: fully human and fully divine.

Jesus is God, and Mary is the mother of Jesus, therefore Mary is the Mother of God.To deny the holiness of Mary and her rightful place as Mother of God is to downplay the divinity and perfection of her Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ. It also overemphasizes his humanity. And so we celebrate the wondrous love God has for us by honoring the woman he chose to carry and give birth to his Son.

We also honor Mary because Jesus did, and he instructed us to do the same. He honored her wishes at Cana when she requested that he perform his first miracle, turning water into wine. On the cross, he offered the disciple, John, to be Mary’s son, honoring her through the provision of care John would provide after Jesus left the earth.

When the shepherds adored and praised at the Christ-child’s crib, Mary pondered these things in her heart, marveling at the favor God had shown in choosing her above all others to be the mother of his Son. As we begin this new year and we contemplate our resolutions, let us be resolved to imitate Mary, our mother, in devotion to God. In that way, the Lord will bless us and keep us, making his face to shine upon us and giving us peace.

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Saturday, January 2, 2021CHRISTMAS WEEKDAY

(Lec. 205)(OBL MEM

1)1 John 2:22-28Saints Basil the Great

2)John 1:19-28and Gregory Nazianzen,

Bishops and Doctors

of the Church)

Gospel related: CCC 575, 613, 719

FOCUS:We are all called to share the love and truth of God in different ways.

Two saints we celebrate today, Basil the Great and Gregory of Nazianzen, would probably appreciate these readings for Mass. Who is the liar?Whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ … whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well.

Saint Basil and Saint Gregory were friends and bishops who lived in the fourth century, and are Doctors of the Church. Together, they were instrumental in defining a fundamental aspect of our faith: the doctrine of the Trinity. Specifically, they refuted a common and dangerous heresy called Arianism, which denied the divinity of Christ, by teaching and proclaiming that Jesus was both fully God and fully human.

Truly, Saints Basil and Gregory are an example of confessing that Jesus, the Son of God, is Lord.

John the Baptist is another who had no difficulty professing the truth about Jesus Christ. He was the first to identify Jesus as the Lamb of God (cf., John 1:29). John was sent to prepare others ahead of Christ. He could have falsely claimed he was the Messiah or Elijah, but as we heard today, he remained steadfast in his mission of preparing others for Jesus.

We are also called to share the truth of Christ with others, and to point the way to Christ. Each one of us has our own mission, and that may include teaching children about the love of God, sharing with a friend how Jesus has made a difference in our lives, or offering to pray with someone during a difficult time.

If, by our words and actions, we proclaim that we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Savior of the world, we can be assured that God will notice. As Saint John said, then you will remain in the Son and in the Father. But we cannot keep the grace and truth we have received to ourselves; no, we must share it.

As we approach the Eucharistic table, let us each consider how we can take what we receive – Jesus himself, body, blood, soul, and divinity – and bring him out into the world with us. And may the Holy Spirit strengthen us to share the love of God with all those in our lives, and guide us to interactions with those who most need to hear of Jesus’ redeeming love.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 3, 2021THE EPIPHANY

(Lec. 20)OF THE LORD

1)Isaiah 60:1-6

2)Ephesians 3:2-3a, 5-6

3)Matthew 2:1-12

Gospel related: CCC 439, 486, 528, 724

FOCUS:We are coheirs to the promises of God.

Matthew’s Gospel provides a fair amount of information about Jesus’ life. His first chapter begins our Christmas season, as we read his genealogy account at the Christmas Vigil Mass.

This genealogy links Jesus to the patriarchs – as the fulfillment of the great promise of one to come, the Messiah. Matthew structured the genealogy into three blocks of figures that correspond to epochs of Israel’s history: From Abraham to David, from David to the exile in Babylon, and from the exile in Babylon to the Christ (1:17).

Today’s feast of the Epiphany is a major event in Jesus’ life story, and in our own salvation history. The magi, men from the east – that is, not from the Israelite people – followed the star to find … the newborn king of the Jews! What a startling thing. They knew something profound had happened in the world, even if it had not been part of their own heritage to expect such a thing. Yet, they were overjoyed at seeing the star, and upon finding Jesus, they prostrated themselves and did him homage. To this baby they offer gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, and we see the connection to what is foretold in today’s first reading. Rise up in splendor! Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you … All from Sheba shall come bearing gold and frankincense, and proclaiming the praises of the Lord.

It is also in this moment of God leading non-Israelites to seek out this baby and acknowledge his reign that we see the connection to us: The Son of God has come for all people, Jews and Gentiles alike.

Saint Paul explains this in our second reading today, saying, the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus. The light of Christ beckons all, and all are welcome to follow it to where Christ may be found. For those of us baptized into this light, we – like the magi – bring gifts, in this case the gifts of our lives and our faith. We offer our very selves for Christ in honor of his kingship, priesthood, and sacrifice. And we are to go out into the world that still needs that light, and direct others to it.

The feast of Epiphany reminds us that the glory of the Lord indeed shines upon us. Jesus has come into the world. We should all bow and do him homage.

* * *

Monday, January 4, 2021CHRISTMAS WEEKDAY

(Lec. 212)(OBL MEM

1)1 John 3:22–4:6Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton,

2)Matthew 4:12-17, 23-25Religious)


FOCUS:Jesus remains in us and heals us of darkness.

Let’s think back to the last few days and try to recall the strongest emotions we have experienced. How often do we feel overwhelmed by the challenges we confront? The chaotic world in whichwe live can make us feel hopeless, and we can be tempted at times to expect this darkness to overpower the dawn.

And yet, after every night, the dawn always comes. Sometimes shrouded in clouds, sometimes bright and hopeful. God’s faithfulness in bringing the sun across our horizon is also on display in our readings today.

Echoing the words of the prophet Isaiah, Matthew’s Gospel rings out the promise:

The people who sit in darkness

have seen a great light,

on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death

light has arisen.

In today’s Gospel, as Jesus begins his public ministry, we see the light of the world pierce the darkness of sickness, of pain, of emotional and spiritual battles. Jesus cured every disease and illness among the people. We see, from the first moments of his public work, that Jesus is the fulfillment of all of the promises of the Old Testament. God’s revelation through all of salvation history has promised the dawn that is Jesus, the Christ.

Today, we are invited to bring the darkness in our lives here to this altar. We are invited to bring it to Christ, who is the light, so that we, too, can be healed. For, as our first reading promises:You belong to God, children, and you have conquered them,for the one who is in youis greater than the one who is in the world.

When the dawn breaks over the horizon, the night cannot remain. Jesus, who is the light, is closer to us than our very breath – he is in you! We belong to him and he longs to heal us of all darkness. May our “amen” to the gift of this Eucharist open our hearts to his light.

* * *

Tuesday, January 5, 2021CHRISTMAS WEEKDAY

(Lec. 213)(OBL MEM

1)1 John 4:7-10USA: Saint John Neumann,

2)Mark 6:34-44Bishop)

Gospel related: CCC 472

FOCUS:God’s gifts are visible signs of his presence among us.

As we continue to celebrate the Christmas season, hopefully we have all experienced the joys of giving and receiving gifts this year. There is a unique level of joy in giving and receiving unexpected gifts, especially if those unexpected gifts are very meaningful and generous. Gifts are usually visible signs of love – they are more than words alone.

Jesus is the ultimate giver of unexpected, visible gifts. The Gospels are full of divine surprises – moments when Jesus manifests the power and love of God in surprisingly miraculous ways. Jesus’ miracles had a visible quality to them – healing the sick, casting out demons, and raising the dead. In the case of the feeding of the five thousand, we might imagine that Jesus experienced great joy from giving such anabundant gift. And we can envision those who received this surprising gift being pleased with this visible communication of Jesus’ abundant love and care for them.

As Catholics, we continue to experience the visible gifts of Jesus in multiple ways every day. First, the gift of creation speaks to us of God’s own beauty and his unlimited creativity. This is especially seen in the uniqueness of each human life. Second, the gift of the Church is the visible presence of the body of Christ in the world. It is truly a testimony of God’s faithfulness and the power of the Holy Spirit that the Church has endured through the millennia as she has.

Third, we hear and see and encounter Jesus most profoundly through the sacred Scriptures and the Blessed Sacrament. This is one reason why the celebration of the Mass is the greatest of God’s gifts in this life. Jesus himself is fully present in body, blood, soul, and divinity under the appearance of bread and wine.

God himself has shown us that his love is not merely an invisible reality. Heis visibly present to us in his creation, his Church, his signs and wonders, and his sacraments. And one day, all these gifts will give way to the gift of eternal life, where we will truly see God face to face.

* * *

Wednesday, January 6, 2021CHRISTMAS WEEKDAY

(Lec. 214)(Opt. Mem.

1)1 John 4:11-18USA: Saint André Bessette,

2)Mark 6:45-52Religious)

Gospel related: CCC 2602CSDC 453

FOCUS:We have beengiven the gift of God’s love and the command to share it with others.

As we look around in most places, the signs of Christmas have been packed away and the world has moved on. But not for the Church!We did not celebrate the birth of Christ in all its splendor and glory, only to push it to the curb with our Christmas trees and move on as though it never happened. It is a beginning, not an end; a birth, not a death. It is to become a way of life, not a story buried in history.

Today’s readings are rich in meaning and understanding of what that life needs to look like and how it is to be lived. John tells us, Beloved, if God so loved us, we also must love one another. We are presented with a blueprint for how we are to live as Christians. In loving, we find the foundation of Christian life. John also assures us that believing in God’s love and extending it to others frees us from fear of punishment. It is in loving, John tells us, that God remains in us, and we in him.

We see this love in today’s Gospel.TheApostles are sent on ahead to their boat while Jesus goes off by himself to pray. Later, when the wind begins to toss the boat about, and the disciples are distressed, he walks out to them on the stormy sea and climbs in the boat with them.Do not be afraid, Jesus tells them, and we hear again that there is nothing to fear when we are with him. He does not leave us to face our trials alone.

And so, this Christmas season, the birth of Christ lives on. We are called to live in Christ’s love and to share it with others. We are promised freedom from fear as long as we stay in the embrace of God. Our lives take on this meaning of Christmas and spread it beyond the single day and out into our world. Though they are not wrapped in bows and colorful paper, we have been given two wonderful gifts – freedom and love. And we have been commissioned to share those gifts with each other.

* * *

Thursday, January 7, 2021CHRISTMAS WEEKDAY

(Lec. 215)(Opt. Mem.

1)1 John 4:19–5:4Saint Raymond of Penyafort,

2)Luke 4:14-22aPriest)

Gospel related: CCC 436, 544, 695, 715, 1168, 1286 CSDC 28

FOCUS:True freedom in Christ comes when we know Jesus for who he is.

Jesus was in the power of the Spirit. He taught in synagogues and his words filled the hearts of his listeners.He was praised by all,including by those in Nazareth where he grew up. And in today’s Gospel, after reading a prophetic passage from Isaiah, Jesus tells those in the synagogue with him, Today this Scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing.

Jesus fulfilled all of the prophecies that were in Isaiah’s scroll, but in God’s way. He wasn’t anointed with oil out of a horn like King David, the prophets, or the priests. But the Holy Spirit came down upon Jesus at his baptism in the Jordan, as testified by John the Baptist. Jesus proclaimed liberty to all of us captives; our chains today, however, are sin and death, not iron. He brought sight to the blind during his earthly ministry, but also brings light to the world for all of us who are in darkness.

When things are difficult, it can be tough to see how Jesus’ fulfillment of God’s promises is bringing grace to our lives. We can easily take Jesus for granted in our own way. In essence, we say to Jesus, “that’s not what the Messiah should be,”and try to cram him into boxes and categories of our own convenience. To understand all ofthis, we need the Holy Spirit. The Spirit will help us see that God’s ways are not our ways. Between God and us, only one is perfect… and it’s not us.

Let us open wide the doors of our hearts for Jesus to dwell inside us. It is only then that we will have true freedom, and know Jesus for who he truly is.

(Saint Raymond of Penyafort (1175-1275) – A civil and canon lawyer, Saint Raymond of Penyafort was a Spanish Dominican friar, and is known as the “Father of Canon Law.” He compiled a collection of canonical laws that remained a major part of Church law until 1917. He also wrote a guide on penance for confessors. At age 63 he was elected the master general of the Dominicans, succeeding Saint Dominic.)

* * *

Friday, January 8, 2021CHRISTMAS WEEKDAY

(Lec. 216)

1)1 John 5:5-13

2)Luke 5:12-16


FOCUS:Accepting the will of God is rooted in our union with him.

Who among us has not pleaded with the Lord for help? In today’s Gospel, we find a leper who pleads with Jesus to be cured of his leprosy. In his desperation, the leper addresses Jesus, whom he calls Lord, with a powerful statement of faith and trust: If you wish, you can make me clean. The leper expresses not only his faith that it is within Jesus’ power to heal him, but also his acceptance of whatever Jesus wills for him.

Pleading with the Lord for help is not hard for us to do. Especially when we find our own efforts have not yielded good results and we are running out of options.Even those of us who are not particularly devout find ourselves calling out to the Lord for help. Accepting the Lord’s answer is not as easy to do – that is, unless the answer conforms to our own will.

But the Word of God didn’t become incarnate to be our fixer or to do our will. As the first reading reminds us, the Word of God became flesh that we might have eternal life and that we might possess Christ himself in our hearts. This means that our lives in Christ unfold and are lived in the context of eternal life, and that the greatest gift God has given us is the gift of possessing Christ. Therefore, if we possess Christ, then we should grow in his likeness. And what is that model that Christ has set forth for us? To accept the will of God, even in the face of death, loss, and suffering.

A great challenge, to be sure. But fortunately, the Lord has not left us helpless. On the contrary. The Lord has given us the sacraments to help us continue to encounter Christ and grow in his likeness. As we prepare to receive Christ himself in the Eucharist, let us pray for deeper faith that we may always accept the will of God.

* * *

Saturday, January 9, 2021CHRISTMAS WEEKDAY

(Lec. 217)

1)1 John 5:14-21

2)John 3:22-30


FOCUS:In all things done for the sake of God’s glory, if we ask the Lord to help us, he will.

He must increase; I must decrease. These words by John the Baptist in today’s Gospel signify his place in relationship to Christ in the world. He has been the best man – standing and listening for the bridegroom’s voice, and rejoicing greatly in hearing it; and he has heralded that bridegroom as the Lamb of God.

This joy of mine has been made complete, John says. And while we know that he will soon be imprisoned and executed, nothing ever robs him of that complete joy. What a gift that is – a gift that can come only from heaven and the grace of the Holy Spirit.

It is a gift that is available to us here and now, and in every moment of our lives, if we, too, live by the adage: He must increase; I must decrease. It seems counterintuitive to think that we might be able to attain that same, irrepressible joy by following John’s example, especially in our modern, complicated world. But what seems implausible is not – for we have confidence that if we ask anything according to [God’s] will, he hears us.

Simply put, what it means is for us to get out of our own way – to get out of Christ’s way in his working through us. Our baptismal vocation is “holiness”: striving to be as closely conformed as possible to Jesus Christ in thought, word, and deed. We testify to Christ as John the Baptist did, pointing with our lives toward truth and goodness. But we cannot do that ourselves: We need the grace of God to help us make the right choices. Therefore, in all things done for the sake of God’s glory, if we ask the Lord to help us, he will.

We belong to God … and we are in the one who is true, in his Son, Jesus Christ. He perfects us. He sanctifies us. His grace is the source of our life and being. How could we not want as much of Christ within us as possible? For in him is our salvation and our joy.

* * *

SUNDAY, JANUARY 10, 2021THE BAPTISM


1)Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7- FEAST

2)Acts 10:34-38

3)Mark 1:7-11


FOCUS:Baptism cleanses and prepares us for life in Christ through the action of the Holy Spirit.

Today in our Gospel reading, John the Baptist states in relation to Jesus:One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.This is the scriptural foundation of our Christian baptism.

John was a humble man. He knew that he was not the Messiah, but he also knew that he was called to prepare the way for him.He baptized the people in water, so that Jesus could fully baptize them with fire and the Holy Spirit.

The Church is born in baptism. In baptism, we are forgiven for all sins: original(and actual in the case of an adult catechumen). We are adopted into the family of God, and given sanctifying grace to live and grow in holiness. We are marked as Christ’s own forever, andcalled to a life of holiness.

The tremendous blessing of this sacrament includes its grafting of each one of us to Christ, and its outpouring of the Holy Spirit into us such that we are then disposed to receive additional graces and blessings throughout our lives. These graces assist us in our journey to our final goal– union with Christ in eternity. Baptism cleanses and prepares us for life in Christ through the action of the Holy Spirit.

The calling and dignity given to us in baptism is not lost even if we turn away from the grace and blessings. This is why we never “re-baptize” someone who has fallen away and then returns to the Church. While baptism does not guarantee that a person will go to heaven after they die, it does mark them for Christ in a way that cannot be erased.

John prepared people with water baptism. Jesus gave them life and the Holy Spirit. Our baptism is the first step in our lives as People of God. We are cleansed and marked, so that we can be filled with the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit and be used for God’s glory. It is the beginning of our journey with, and to, Christ. It is the foundation of the other sacraments we receive, and it is by this sacrament thatwe participate in the full life of the Church. Our goal is to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Only in baptism do we receive the grace that makes that journey possible.

* * *

Monday, January 11, 2021MONDAY OF

(Lec. 305)FIRST WEEK

1)Hebrews 1:1-6IN ORDINARY TIME

2)Mark 1:14-20

Gospel related: CCC 541, 787, 1423, 1427 CSDC 49

FOCUS:Jesus calls us to leave everything behind and to follow him.

Let us think for a moment about the inconceivable, drastic, and miraculously generous sending, by God, of his very own Son. The Letter to the Hebrews explains the grandeur of this plan, and how the presence of the Son far exceeds the partial and various communication of God through our ancestors. Unlike the numerous Old Testament prophets, Jesus was fully human and fully divine, the heir of all things, the creator and sustainer of the entire world.

The presence and dwelling of the divine among them stirred the hearts of those he encountered. Picture the scene in today’s Gospel: Jesus is out and about, proclaiming the Gospel, and calling all to repent and believe. Walking along the picturesque Sea of Galilee, it takes no more than a quick description of the mission at hand from Jesus – I will make you fishers of men – and Simon and Andrew are hooked. They abandon their nets – their very livelihood, take note! – and follow Jesus.

And then it happens again. Jesus calls to James and John, brothers who are mending fishing nets in a boat, with their father. Upon hearing Jesus calling out to them, they leave behind not only their livelihood, but their father.

What is going on here? Jesus is not a fellow fisherman, recruiting the sets of brothers for a new business enterprise. No, he is a complete stranger, with a completely new enterprise in mind. His words, his mission, and his very being, are so compelling that the brothers are willing to give up that which they hold most dear in response to a simple invitation to “follow me.”

These words from God’s very Son call to us too – today. God who first created in our hearts a desire to know and love him now dwells among and within us. May our hearts always quicken in response to the invitation to leave behind anything that hinders us, so that we can continue what Jesus began: building the kingdom of God on earth.

* * *

Tuesday, January 12, 2021TUESDAY OF



2)Mark 1:21-28


FOCUS:Jesus is the Son of God and Son of Man, and his words have power.

In the Gospel today, we see Jesus teaching in the synagogue. Though what he teaches is not revealed, it is clear his words have power over those who hear him. Even before he casts out the unclean spirit, Mark describes how Jesus’ listeners are astonished at his teaching; they are amazed at his authority.

Even more astonishing is Jesus’ encounter with the man with an unclean spirit. The spirit claims to know Jesus, calling him the Holy One of God. Even this spirit recognized and feared the power of Jesus.

To understand this encounter, it is helpful to know the prevailing ideas about spirits at the time. People believed that knowing the exact name of a spirit would grant one mastery over that spirit. Rather than a profession of faith in Jesus, the spirit is feeling threatened and trying to maintain control over its subject. Jesus rebukes the spirit, demanding it to be quiet and come out, and the spirit immediately departs. He does not even touch the man, thus confirming the power and authority of his words alone. Witnessing this power compels the people to spread the news of what they have seen and heard.

We, too, have seen, and heard the power of Christ. With the grace of humility we can allow him to have that power – borne of love and mercy – in our own lives. Our spirit can strive for holiness, profess our belief in Jesus Christ, and ask for the courage and fortitude to spread the news of what we have seen and heard.

The psalmist cries out, and the author of Hebrews repeats, What is man that you should be mindful of him, or the son of man that you should care for him? We know who we are: We are sons and daughters of the Most High God, made in his image and likeness, and called to relationship with him here on earth and for eternity in his kingdom. Thus did God take on our human nature, calling us brothers and sisters, so that through his suffering, and by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.

We are redeemed by the power of Jesus’ words, and his sacrificial death. O Lord, our Lord, how glorious is your name over all the earth!

* * *

Wednesday, January 13, 2021WEDNESDAY OF



2)Mark 1:29-39(Opt. Mem.

Saint Hilary,

Bishop and Doctor

of the Church)


FOCUS:Christ has suffered with us. He heals us. And in the Eucharist, he saves us.

In these early days of Ordinary Time, we are not far removed from our celebration of Christmas. The liturgical season of Christmas is marked by the Incarnation, where God the Son humbles himself to take human form in order to redeem us. We now bring this extraordinary mystery with us into Ordinary Time, a lengthy season that is ordered to the purpose of personal conversion through our hearing about, and participating in, the everyday life of Jesus.

In our first reading, the author writes to the Hebrew community about the mystery of the Incarnation. He reflects on the humility of Christ who takes on our human nature, while remaining fully God. Because of this, he has a deep solidarity with us. Jesus’ humanity is not a reason to discredit him, but rather, it is what makes him the true Messiah: Because he himself was tested through what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested. Jesus is not distant to us, but within and among us. He understands us more than we know.

We see this understanding in Mark’s Gospel passage today. Jesus brings healing to Simon’s mother-in-law, but also to many more. From that episode, many seek him out to find healing from illness or demons. They recognize his divine power, and are drawn to his compassionate authority. Simon tells Jesus that everyone is looking for him. We can certainly understand why. Here is a man who understands the fragility of the human condition, and can bring healing to the sufferings we encounter. Jesus’ early ministry, marked by these miracles and teachings, leads to the spread of his message throughout the entire region where he lived.

(Saint Hilary, Bishop and Doctor (310-365) – Hilary was the Bishop of Poitiers and is a Doctor of the Church. He wrote important works on the Arian controversy. He is believed to be the first to bring Greek doctrine to the Western Church, and is the first writer of hymns. Saint Abra of Poitiers, a nun known for her charity, was his daughter. )Inspired by today’s readings, we remember the power of Jesus as Messiah, the Son of God who was both fully divine and fully human. We know that Christ has suffered with us. He heals us. And in the Eucharist, he saves us.

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Thursday, January 14, 2021THURSDAY OF



2)Mark 1:40-45


FOCUS:We place our trust in God’s saving power and act on it in faith.

Today’s readings show the beauty of trusting in God’s saving power, and acting on that faith. The author of Hebrews reminds his community that the Israelites of the Exodus, despite many miraculous proofs of the Lord’s loving care, often tested and contended with both Moses and God.

By contrast, the leper in the Gospel reading has a strong, confident faith in the power and ability of Jesus. He kneels before him and begs, saying, if you wish, you can make me clean. Jesus recognizes the man’s faith and humility, and he heals him immediately. And as today’s psalmist bewails the people’s disobedience to Moses, so Jesus tells the leper to offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed.

Jesus also tells the man – and tells him sternly – not to tell anyone about his healing. Now we see that the man, who was so humbly trusting, is not so humbly obedient! Perhaps he thought Jesus was being too modest; perhaps he thought the command unreasonable. In any case, he disobeyed, and Jesus, not he, suffered the consequence: It was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places.

We may think it incredible that the Israelites could have doubted God’s power and love after so much proof. But has the Lord not given us far greater proof, in the life, passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus? We have the benefits of the Church, founded on the Rock, the sacraments, countless miracles, and yet we, too, so often fail to trust and obey. We find plenty of excuses for disobedience. “That command applied in other times and places, but not here and now,” we might say. We claim we have extenuating circumstances. Or we think that the loving, compassionate Jesus in whom we believe would not demand such a sacrifice.

And how can we say that, about sacrifice, to the one who sacrificed all? Let us examine our actions, attitudes, and motives, and discover where we fail in trust and in obedience. Let us bring to the Eucharist a humble, contrite heart that the Lord will not spurn.

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Friday, January 15, 2021FRIDAY OF


1)Hebrews 4:1-5, 11IN ORDINARY TIME

2)Mark 2:1-12

Gospel related: CCC 430, 473, 574, 5889, 1421, 1441, 1484, 1502, 1503, 2616

FOCUS:We bring each other to God’s healing.

It is truly a blessing to have friends or family rally around us to help us through a difficult time. And to what lengths would we go to bring our child or parent radical healing? Today we hear about four people who go to extraordinary lengths to bring a paralyzed man to Jesus. The crowds had so filledthe place where Jesus was staying that this most desperate group found a way to hoist their friend up to – and then down through – the roof of the home where Jesus was staying.

This paralyzed person obtains healing from Christ, but he has access to it through the support of his community. It is a beautiful testament to the fact that we are not meant to struggle through life all alone. Life is not meant to be a one-player game. Though many live by the motto that people should “pull themselves up by the bootstraps,” there is a point at which self-reliance becomes a false idol.

We are meant to rely on God. God, in his generosity and mercy, uses those around us to bring us consolation and strength. We may receive consolation through the innocent giggles of a child. We may receive healing through the listening ear of a best friend. We may receive mercy through meal deliveries from concerned neighbors. The list of God’s providence is infinite. And yet, God does not typically force-feed us the grace we need. Rather, God calls for our own humility and cooperation. The paralyzed person needed Jesus’ help, but could not get there on his own. And so he was raised up over the crowd of people with great effort from his friends.

God will provide what we need. Sometimes, we need to summon the grace to stay back and hoist another to the front of the line. But also, we need to find the humility to reach out from our brokenness to receive the helping hands the Lord sends to us. Let us now approach the Eucharistic table with the humility to receive the grace that we need so that we may be holy bread for one another.

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Saturday, January 16, 2021SATURDAY OF



2)Mark 2:13-17(Saturday in honor

of BVM)

Gospel related: CCC 545, 574, 1484, 1503

FOCUS:Jesus calls all of us to discipleship, where the journey is difficult but the reward is eternal.

What would it have been like to encounter Jesus while he walked on earth? Clearly it was life-changing, for Levi [Matthew] dropped everything to join the company of Apostles.

It’s very tempting to think of Matthew’s response as a universal template. On paper, it sounds easy and obvious to follow Jesus. Jesus calls, we follow, end of story. Yet discipleship has a cost. Matthew gave up a stable job, possibly his home, and his considerable wealth.

If discipleship is undertaken with a whole heart, following Jesus is anything but easy. The Gospels have many stories of disciples choosing to follow Jesus, but also stories of those who refused, or faltered along the way. For example, the material cost was too much for the rich young man (cf., Mark 10:17-27). Others left Jesus after hearing him teach about himself as the bread of life (cf., John 6:25-69). And Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus after journeying with him throughout his ministry (cf., Matthew 26:14-16).

Our times are different, but human nature is not. Like the rich young man, Jesus asks us to give up the ways of the world that run contrary to the Gospel. Jesus asks us to trust him, as Matthew did.

Jesus calls disciples to him every day – he asks in ways large and small for us to turn toward him. The call goes out to all of us, even though he’s not walking around on earth the same way he did back then. The most important question of all is: What is our response?

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SUNDAY, JANUARY 17, 2021SECOND SUNDAY

(Lec. 65)IN ORDINARY TIME

1)1 Samuel 3:3b-10, 19

2)1 Corinthians 6:13c-15a, 17-20

3)John 1:35-42


FOCUS:In every generation, God calls people to hear his voice and announce it to the world.

Samuel is the first in a long line of prophets in biblical Israel. He lived in the 11th century B.C., at a time when the Ark of the Covenant was kept in a tabernacle at Shiloh. Dedicated to the Lord’s service by his parents, the boy Samuel had been living at the shrine since he was a toddler.

In today’s reading, Samuel hears a voice calling to him in the night and thinks it is Eli, but it turns out that God is calling him. Eli tells Samuel to answer the Lord, so that God may give him whatever message he intends.

Samuel does as Eli instructs, and the Scriptures go on to say that, Samuel grew up, and the Lord was with him, not permitting any word of his to be without effect. As a prophet, his role was not so much to predict the future but to speak God’s word to the people and to offer advice to Israel’s first two kings.

Saint Paul also spoke God’s word to his people. Today we heard part of his message to the Corinthians, reminding them that The body … is not for immorality, but for the Lord. The Church in Corinth was dealing with several cases of public immorality, and they wrote to the Apostle seeking advice. He reminds them, and us, that the body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. It is these very bodies that God will transform and raise on the Last Day. So we should treat them with the dignity they deserve.

In the Gospel today, two followers of John the Baptist, including Andrew, hear John refer to Jesus as the Lamb of God. And so they leave John and follow Jesus. As Samuel was led to God’s voice by Eli’s directions, so, too, are Andrew and the other disciple led to Jesus by John’s words.

When he sees them, Jesus asks them, What are you looking for? Their response is simply to ask where he is staying and he invites them to come, and you will see. The evangelist tells us thatthey stayed with him that day. We don’t know what transpired during their time together, but it was enough to lead Andrew to go and tell his brother Simon, We have found the Messiah. He, too, goes to Jesus. When Jesus meets Simon he gives him the name Cephas, which is translated Peter.

As God called Samuel and as Jesus called his disciples, so have we been called. We are temples of the Holy Spirit, made for the Lord. Here we take the Lord into our bodies, so that we might become more like him, and that we might ourselves be prophets of the Good News of our Lord.

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Monday, January 18, 2021MONDAY OF

(Lec. 311)SECOND WEEK


2)Mark 2:18-22


FOCUS:Jesus reconciled us to God, establishing a covenant based not on righteous action but relational love.

A common occurrence in the Gospels is Jesus’ frustration with the self-righteous attitude of the Pharisees. They believed that their adherence to the law, evident in acts such as fasting, made them right with God. Similarly, the followers of John the Baptist were known for their strict discipline in attempts to prepare for the Messiah. It’s no wonder, then, that these two groups were affronted by Jesus’ seemingly indulgent behavior, and so they ask: “Why do your disciples not fast?”

Jesus – himself a faithful Jew well-accustomed to the law – inaugurates a new covenant for God’s people. Today’s reading from the Letter to the Hebrews helps us understand this new covenant. For generations upon generations, God gave the Israelites a high priest to offer sacrifice for sins. These high priests served as the representative before God, helping to repair the broken human-divine relationship caused by sin. But true reconciliation with God would not come with those high priests, but only with the Most High.

Jesus, the perfect high priest, makes complete the reconciliation between God and God’s people, for he is without sin; he is God himself. By sacrificing himself on the cross, Jesus is the culmination of every high priest who has come before him. In short, Jesus is the joyful fulfillment of God’s salvific plan.

So, can the wedding guests fast? They could, in theory, yet to do so would be a complete misunderstanding of the time at hand. The current moment is not a time of fasting but of celebration. Like a groom who finally receives his bride, Jesus and his followers are keen to rejoice; their patient waiting and disciplined actions over the years have paid off.

And just as a marriage results in a new relationship for the bride and groom, so Jesus has ushered in a new relationship between God and God’s people. This is a relationship based not on self-righteous discipline, as the Pharisees and John’s disciples were accustomed to, but on mutual love.

We have been made new by the blood of Jesus, welcomed into a relationship of love with God. While disciplined actions are still important, may we always prioritize this love first and foremost, for we are God’s bride, and our groom is Love itself.

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2)Mark 2:23-28

Gospel related: CCC 544, 581, 582, 2167, 2173 CSDC 261

FOCUS:The Sabbath is a gift to humankind, the meaning of which Christ renews.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus defends his disciples picking grain, reminding the Pharisees of the time King David fed himself and his companions. The Sabbath originated with God’s rest from the work of creation on the seventh day. Later, God’s liberation of his people from slavery at the Exodus is also commemorated on the Sabbath. This special day of rest is not meant to burden people, but to remind them of God’s goodness. Thus, the sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.

That is why, Jesus says, the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath. For all things fall under him and are subject to him, as the Word of God made flesh. He is not the ultimate lawgiver, but the fulfillment of the law God already gave. In his presence among us, he casts away any other – and therefore inferior – sacrificial offering or attempts at righteousness based on performance. God’s mercy and just judgment is pure gift. Jesus has won salvation for us; we do not have to earn it in such a sanctimonious manner as his opponents believed.

In our modern world, we may need a reminder that the Sabbath is given for our sake. We may live such that even Sundays include a long to-do list that needs checking off. It can be easy to feel like our obligation to attend Mass on Sunday is therefore just one more item on that list, rather than an opportunity to give praise and thanks to God for everything. If this is the case, we may need to recover Sabbath rest.

Our individual practices may differ, but we can each find a way to make our Sundays look different from the rest of the week. Serving our community, spending time with our families, turning off our devices, or refraining from unnecessary chores and purchases are just a few ways that can help us remember that the Sabbath was made for us. May we each find one way this week to remind ourselves that the goal of all our work is to celebrate eternal rest with God.

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1)Hebrews 7:1-3, 15-17IN ORDINARY TIME


Saint Fabian,

Pope and Martyr;

Saint Sebastian,

Martyr)


FOCUS:Our Sabbath is marked by the one pure sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who restores and heals us.

Today’s Gospel passage is really a delightful one to explore.

First, the entire scene takes place with only one person speaking: Jesus. The man with the withered hand does not ask, and yet he is healed. The Pharisees do not say a word, and yet Jesus directly addresses their accusatory stance and malicious intent. As onlookers of this encounter, we see the divine nature of Christ manifested in his healing power, and in his knowledge of the forces arrayed against him.

Second, this particular story takes place both in a synagogue and on the Sabbath. These two circumstantial elements draw our attention to the Pharisees’ scrupulous attention to the law. As often happens in the Gospels, Jesus is facing a trap from his enemies – to ignore the man who needs him or to violate the rules of the Sabbath in a synagogue. We, as listeners, are reminded that much of the opposition Jesus faced was due to the failure of so many to see him as the fulfillment of the law, and to the fearful nature of those who felt threatened by him.

Finally, this passage contains the only verse in the New Testament that directly ascribes the word for anger to Jesus. It arises after he asks his enemies to truly consider the question at hand. Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it? When they respond with disappointing silence, Jesus looks at them with anger and is grieved at their hardness of heart. We who hear this are edified by the visceral response of the one true God, who took on our human nature in order to save us, as he advocates for us with a fierce and all-encompassing love.

The answer to the question Jesus asked, of course, is “yes.” Our Sabbath is marked by the one pure sacrifice of Jesus Christ, fully divine and fully human, who restores us just as he restored the withered hand of the man in today’s Gospel. Through the grace of Christ present, we take delight in the Good News that has been told to us.

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1)Hebrews 7:25–8:6IN ORDINARY TIME

2)Mark 3:7-12(OBL MEM

Saint Agnes,

Virgin and Martyr)


FOCUS:We can confidently entrust the daily events and problems of our lives to Jesus, who intercedes for us.

The first reading today tells us that Jesus is always able to save those who approach God through him. This is because

Jesus is the high priest, the mediator between the human family and God. Like the high priests of Moses’ time, Jesus is fully human and understands the human experience. Like us, Jesus likely would have faced doubts, frustrations, sickness, sorrows, weariness, and disappointment – as well as joys, successes, and the love of family and friends.

But unlike those ancient high priests, Jesus is also fully divine, has never sinned, and can intercede to God on our behalf without offering any other sacrifice. He has already made the ultimate sacrifice – his life and every last drop of his blood during his excruciating and unjust death on the cross. In his saving act, he removes any barriers to the Father and becomes our mediator and healer.

The crowds in today’s Gospel believe in his powers. They came to Jesus with only a desire to touch him and thus be healed. They trusted that the very power of God, coming through Jesus, would heal them – and they were not disappointed! In fact, they came in such great numbers that he was concerned they would crush him.

We, too, can approach Jesus in faith and trust. When we’re overwhelmed by work, life, the state of the world, Jesus is there. We can be confident that he is able and willing to help us and that he desires to be with us in our troubles.

In just a few moments, we will have the opportunity to touch Jesus in a very unique and particular way, in the sacrament of the Eucharist. We come to him with trust that our very act of touching him – of taking him into our bodies – will give us the grace and healing we need to get through the struggles of our daily lives and to serve him at each moment as his loving and trusting disciples.

* * *

NOTE: For the Day of Prayer, any readings from the Lectionary for Mass Supplement, the Mass “For Giving Thanks to God for the Gift of Human Life,” nos. 947A-947E, or the Lectionary for Mass (vol. IV), the Mass “For Peace and Justice,” nos. 887-891




2)Mark 3:13-19(USA: Day of Prayer

for the Legal Protection

of Unborn Children)

Gospel related: CCC 551, 552, 765, 787, 858, 1577, 1673

FOCUS:I will conclude a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.

Having returned to Ordinary Time, we continue to give thanks for and reflect upon the great mystery of the Incarnation. We know that in the newborn Christ, God has fulfilled and renewed for the final time the covenant that he once made with Israel and that is recalled today in our first reading.

Throughout the Old Testament, we see how Israel failed to keep this agreement, often falling into idolatry or trusting in the ways of this world. Again and again, the Lord would intervene and give them a second and indeed a third chance, renewing that covenant only to find that Israel’s adherence was again short-lived.

Hence the promise of the ultimate renewal – a new covenant – one not merely written in stone but on the human heart. This new covenant is one not just of laws and regulations, but of relationships: A covenant that would unite God with his people “in a bond of love so tight that it can never be undone” (Eucharistic Prayer for Reconciliation I).

That ultimate covenant is found in Christ. Here, as we heard in the Alleluia verse, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. So in Christ each of us is called, anointed, and sent to share the Good News with others. It is this “called and sent” identity that we see in today’s Gospel.

Although we have just celebrated his birth, the scene in today’s Scripture is early in Jesus’ ministry, where he is appointing those who will minister with him, to go forth and preach, and have authority to drive out demons. The Lord has indeed concluded his covenant with the houses of Israel and Judah. And so we worship here today, as co-heirs of this covenant. We leave here, transformed by grace, each of us with our own part to play in the Church’s public witness to the Gospel.

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1)Hebrews 9:2-3; 11-14IN ORDINARY TIME


USA: Saint Vincent,

Deacon and Martyr;

USA: Saint Marianne Cope,

Virgin;

Saturday in honor

of BVM)

FOCUS:Let them say of us that we are out of our minds.

We’ve all probably heard or used the expression: “He is out of his mind.” For example, “If the doctor thinks I am going to give up my evening glass of red wine, he is out of his mind.” Or, “If my boss thinks I can finish this project by the end of the week, she is out of her mind.” Perhaps we have even responded to some of God’s calling to us, and asking of us things that challenge and stretch us by saying to him, “You must be out of your mind!”

We wouldn’t be the first! In today’s Gospel, Jesus’ own relatives use these very words, as given in this particular translation, accusing him of being out of his mind. Essentially what they are saying is, he is “beside himself,” or in a sense, “standing outside of himself.”

He has just begun his public ministry by choosing the Twelve Apostles. He is just getting started and already some of his own family members question his decisions, choices, and actions.

The problem arises when we think that “being out of our mind” is necessarily, or always, a bad thing. Sometimes it takes that level of intensity and passion to accomplish a good. Sometimes it means taking risks and abandoning security and comforts in order to find true freedom in who and what God is calling us to be. And at one very specific time in human history, it meant the great high priest passing through the greater and more perfect tabernacle … [and entering] once for all into the sanctuary,not with the blood of goats and calves but with his own Blood,thus obtaining eternal redemption.

Some may describe those of us with faith as “being out of our minds” if they want, but following in Jesus’ footsteps is what we have been created to do. Conforming our hearts and minds to Christ is what each of us is compelled to do by virtue of our baptism. May God grant us the grace to remain resolute in our efforts.

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SUNDAY, JANUARY 24, 2021THIRD SUNDAY


1)Jonah 3:1-5, 10

2)1 Corinthians 7:29-31

3)Mark 1:14-20


FOCUS:Live each day preparing for eternity.

Given these last several months, we don’t need a prophet to tell us that this world won’t last forever. As Saint Paul reminds us, the world in its present form is passing away. Jesus may return any moment at the end of time, but if it’s not during our lifetime, each of us will one day die. If we have repented, continuously seeking God’s forgiveness for our sins, believed in the Gospel, and done our best to follow Jesus, then, God willing, we will see the kingdom of God, where we will enjoy eternal life.

If heaven is the goal, how should we behave? Today’s readings offer a few practical suggestions.

The Ninevites teach us that we should acknowledge our own sinfulness, repent, and seek forgiveness. This is important not only because it is right and just, but also because it is an exercise in humility. The glossary of the catechism defines humility as “The virtue by which a Christian acknowledges that God is the author of all good. Humility avoids inordinate ambition or pride, and provides the foundation for turning to God in prayer (2559).” Therefore, humility can help us grow in holiness.

Saint Paul tells us, essentially, to act in the opposite way as one would expect. We can take this to mean we should keep our focus not on the things and events of this world, but rather on heaven. We need to live each day knowing that we are preparing our souls to, hopefully, live in heaven with Jesus and all the saints and angels.

Finally, we see in the Gospel that Jesus tells us simply to repent and believe in the Gospel. He invites the first disciples, Simon and Andrew, to follow him. They do, and likewise with James and John. We learn from this Gospel that faith includes actively following Christ, even if that means leaving the good things of this world behind. Self-sacrifice is never easy, but following Christ is the most important thing we can possibly do in this life.

Therefore, let us ask the Eucharistic Lord we are about to receive to help us always remember to keep our eyes fixed on heaven, because this world in its present form is passing away.

* * *

Monday, January 25, 2021THE CONVERSION

(Lec. 519)OF SAINT PAUL THE APOSTLE

1)Acts 22:3-16- FEAST

or Acts 9:1-22

2)Mark 16:15-18

Gospel related: CCC 161, 183, 434, 670, 699, 888 977, 1223, 1253, 1256, 1257, 1673

FOCUS:The conversion of Saint Paul changed the world.

Today, the Church celebrates the conversion of Saint Paul, which is an important story in the history of the early Church. In fact, the story is so significant that it is told twice in the Acts of the Apostles; once in chapter 9, and again in chapter 22. It has all the elements of a great movie, filled with suspense, action, miracles, and redemption. Paul was literally and figuratively blind to the truth until the Spirit healed him. He was transformed from one of Christ’s biggest persecutors to one of his most ardent defenders.

Paul’s encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus was life-changing, not just for Paul, but for us as well. He played a crucial role in the spread of Christianity in the early Church. By most accounts, 13 of the 27 books in the New Testament have been attributed to Paul. His epistles bear the roots of the theology, worship, and customs we practice today. His influence is pervasive in its impact on our Church throughout its history.

In its simplest terms, Paul preaches that God sent his Son to redeem us. That he was crucified and resurrected. That he will come again. And that those who believe and follow Jesus will live with him forever.

Today, as we celebrate the conversion of Saint Paul, it might be a good time for us to reflect on our own entrance into the faith. It is not likely to be as dramatic as Paul’s, but it is equally as life-changing as his was. Perhaps we came to the faith as an adult and can trace our roots back to certain events in our lives. Maybe we have been a part of this faith since infancy and have more to say about what we have done in the faith, than coming to the faith.

All of us, even “Cradle Catholics,” have had to make the choice on our own as adults to embrace our beliefs or to abandon them. The fact that we are here makes clear our choice. What is it that keeps us here? What does God want of us? How can we be better Christians? How can we, like Paul, play a role in bringing the Gospel to others? Answering these questions will keep us headed in the right direction. It will keep our focus on our life in Christ and move us closer to eternal life, our ultimate goal.

* * *


(Lec. 520)THIRD WEEK

1)2 Timothy 1:1-8IN ORDINARY TIME

or Titus 1:1-5(OBL MEM

(Lec. 318)Saints Timothy and Titus,

2)Mark 3:31-35Bishops)


FOCUS:Who are our brothers and sisters?

Family is a simple term that we all understand. It most commonly refers to people who are related by blood or adoption – brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, nieces, nephews. Today’s readings, however, ask us to look at family from a slightly different point of view.

In today’s Gospel from Mark, we find Jesus teaching in a house to a tightly-packed group of followers when he’s told that his mother and brothers are outside, asking for him. And he answers with a question that at first glance seems a bit odd: Who are my mother and my brothers? He then looks around the room at everyone squeezed into the house and proclaims them (whoever does the will of God) his mother and brother and sister.

Saint Paul alludes today to the same spiritual family in the opening of his second letter to his friend, Timothy. His affection for Timothy is prominent, as Paul calls him my dear child. Paul writes that he prays for Timothy constantly, and adds, I yearn to see you again.

What drives Paul, scholars say, is Paul’s anticipation of his impending death at the hands of the Romans. He is in prison, and though it was not the first time he was imprisoned, Paul’s perspective was that of many a dying person – a longing to see a loved one, just one more time. Paul was a mentor to Timothy and held him close to his heart like a son. He was indeed a family member because Timothy was one who [did] the will of God.

So, let us look around. This is our family. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. Let’s pray for one another with the filial love Saint Paul displayed for Timothy.

* * *





Saint Angela Merici,

Virgin)


FOCUS:The Lord continues to sow his love in our hearts.

We worship an extravagant God. Think of the lavishness of creation: the majestic beauty of mountains capped in snow, or the dramatic beauty of the Northern Lights on a dark night. Think of the extravagance of God’s love, incarnated in his Son, Jesus. Jesus, whose own extravagant love and power kept the wine flowing at the wedding at Cana, and who offered such a feast in loaves and fishes that even after thousands were fed, there were baskets of leftovers.

This is the Lord we encounter in today’s readings. Christ is the priest who offered one sacrifice for sins, and took his seat forever at the right hand of God. In this he has feely sacrificed himself, once and for all, so that all who follow him may be made perfect forever. He is the one whom Jeremiah prophesies will establish the covenant; the one whose total self-gift fulfills God’s gracious promise: Their sins and their evildoing I will remember no more, God says.

This forgiving and forgetful nature of God is echoed in the parable of the sower. In the Gospel, Jesus speaks of the sower who scatters seed among rocks, thorns, soil, and even on the path. Is the sower careless or sloppy? No, the sower scatters seed as fully and freely as possible, forgiving and forgetful of the shortcomings of the ground. He is willingly extravagant for the sake of seed that may survive to bear fruit.

(Saint Angela Merici (1474-1540) – Angela Merici founded the Company of St. Ursula in 1535 in Italy. It was the first group of lay women dedicated to educating girls. The Order of Ursulines arose from this, which was an order of religious women who established sites for learning and worship throughout the world. She was canonized in 1807.)We may take for granted the magnificent beauty of God’s creation; we may fail to notice and appreciate it. Just so, we may take for granted the extravagance of God’s gracious love and mercy, but this does not make it other than what it is: freely given, forgetful of our sins, fully redeeming. What greater love is there than this? This is the love that inspires us to grow, despite the birds and thorns that threaten to choke and steal. God knows there are obstacles, temptations, and Satan, himself, in our path. Yet our Lord keeps sowing his love in our hearts, writing his law in our minds, and remembering no more when we fail and fall short.

* * *





Saint Thomas Aquinas,

Priest and Doctor

of the Church)

FOCUS:God calls us to imitate his generosity.

In today’s Gospel from Mark, we hear an example of Gospel arithmetic when Jesus says: The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you, and still more will be given to you. We measure things all the time: How much laundry soap do I put in for this load? How much gas do I need to make my drive? When we measure, we strive for accuracy: We don’t want so little laundry soap that our clothes aren’t clean, or so much that bubbles overflow the machine. We strive for accuracy with known quantities, and in our daily-life math, that works well.

The Gospel math we hear today, however, follows different rules. Jesus says that we will receive the measure that we measure out. This is an exhortation to generosity in our faith: However much faith the Lord has granted us, we must use it fully. Yet when we are generous, God does not return our generosity equally, but with a superabundance of grace. He calls us to generosity, yet teaches us that he gives more than can ever be measured.

Today is the feast of Saint Thomas Aquinas, the “angelic doctor” who did much to increase the Church’s understanding of the mysteries of God. A holy genius, Saint Thomas had a mind for measuring and a heart for God. Using both, he wrote the great Summa Theologica, an unfinished work that explores the wisdom of Church teachings on God, Christ, and the sacraments. Toward the end of his life, Saint Thomas received a mystical vision of God. After this, he stopped writing, saying that his work was like straw compared to the glory he had seen. The great mind of Saint Thomas understood more about God than perhaps anyone, and he learned that God's goodness exceeds all our measurements.

We each have been given a measure of faith which has brought us here, and with which God calls us to be generous. As we approach this Eucharistic table, let us bring all that we have and pray that the Lord may still increase the grace he gives so that we will know and love him more and more.

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2)Mark 4:26-34


FOCUS:God’s greatness is beyond all human understanding.

Today’s parables help us to marvel over God’s creative genius. The farmer scatters seeds upon the ground, and somehow they take root, sprout, mature, and provide grain to harvest. Jesus also presents the tiny mustard seed. It seems so insignificant as a seed, but as a full-grown plant it is substantial enough to provide shelter for birds. How is this an analogy for the kingdom of God? Because the Word going forth, in and through Jesus, and from the mouths of all of his disciples – including each one of us – are the seeds that grow into the fullness of a Holy Spirit-led Church.

We, too, may feel that we are tiny seeds, with many needs, but little to offer those around us. We might believe that making a grandiose mark on the world is a task relegated to the exceptionally gifted, or maybe more cynically, the exceptionally vain. But as George Bailey learns in the movie, It’s a Wonderful Life, all of his seemingly small choices for love and for sacrifice for others snowballed into deeply meaningful blessings for individuals and his entire community. And he gets to see, even painfully, how his small acts of habitual self-giving were life-changing for others.

So let us consider the seeds that we have been given to scatter. Seeds of joy may begin with a simple smile or compliment that triggers a domino effect of positivity. Seeds of mercy might look like forgiveness of a debt that is the boost someone needs to become self-sufficient or to have a conversion of the heart and soul. Seeds of compassion could be sharing a meal, clothes, a listening ear, or a hug with someone in need. May we hold fast to our faith in God’s awesome creativity, that the humble gestures of love and sacrifice that we offer each day will be transformed into radiant glory for the Kingdom.

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2)Mark 4:35-41(Saturday in honor

of BVM)

FOCUS:By placing our hope in a reality beyond this life, we can face our earthly trials with peace and trust in God.

Jesus doesn’t rebuke the disciples for waking him from his boat nap. Rather, it’s their terror that betrays their lack of faith. They worry that Jesus has stopped caring about them because things have gotten rough.

Our Lord wants us to call on him whenever we’re struggling. It’s perfectly legitimate to pray for an end to our suffering if God wills it – Jesus did so himself in the Garden of Gethsemane (cf., Lk 22:42). Sometimes, as in this Gospel, he responds to our prayers by taking away the struggle or making it easier. But all of us will face times like Gethsemane when God allows that suffering to continue. Whether we receive the answer we seek or not, whether we understand it or not, he expects us to come to him with faith that he loves us and will provide what we need.

The author of Hebrews knows how hard it is to develop this kind of trusting faith, so he gives us examples from the Old Testament to encourage us. For all the blessings that Abraham and others received because of their faith, they did not receive what had been promised. We have received the gifts of the new covenant they were waiting for, and by faith we know that we’re a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). But that new creation hasn’t been fully realized yet, and won’t be realized this side of death.

So in this life we strive for holiness and do our part to build the kingdom of God. Our lives and this world matter, and the Lord cares what happens to us in it. But we’re still strangers and aliens on earth, and when we put all our hope in these passing things, the storms that take them away only cause us fear and doubt. Faith doesn’t stop the storms from coming, it turns them into reminders that we’re meant to be seeking a homeland beyond this world.

Those who understand this are confident in God’s providence at all times, and are able to see him at work even through their suffering. If we can keep eternity in mind, we’ll become more peaceful and joyful in the present.

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SUNDAY, JANUARY 31, 2021FOURTH SUNDAY


1)Deuteronomy 18:15-20

2)1 Corinthians 7:32-35

3)Mark 1:21-28


FOCUS:May we always be attentive to the voice of God.

Too often, we define a prophet as one who sees into the future – a forecaster, or a psychic. But the biblical meaning of this role is someone who interprets the divine will. The prophet delivers God’s message to his/her contemporaries and advocates for adherence to God’s plan.

In the first reading, we encounter Moses, God’s prophet who did marvelous deeds in fulfillment of God’s will – leading the Israelites out of Egypt, giving them God’s commandments, and leading them to the brink of the Promised Land. Moses relays God’s message of another, far greater prophet: I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their kin, and will put my words into his mouth; he shall tell them all that I command him. Further, God would hold accountable those who will not listen to his words.

And God did, indeed, send the greatest prophet of all – his Only Begotten Son. In Hebrew, the word for this anointed one is “Messiah.” In Greek, it translates as the “Christ.” The angels confirmed the arrival of this Messiah in their message to the shepherds on the night of Jesus’ birth. The Father confirmed the anointing of Jesus at his baptism in the Jordan and again at his Transfiguration. When Jesus preached, he revealed what the Father wanted him to reveal. Whenever Jesus spoke or performed healings, he did so in harmony with God’s will: “His works and words will manifest him as ‘the Holy One of God’” (CCC 438).

In today’s Gospel, we read of one such instance. When Jesus was teaching in the synagogue at Capernaum, the people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. And that authority was further manifested when he drove out the unclean spirit from a man. The people were even more astounded that even the unclean spirits had obeyed him. The Church, too, continues to act publicly and authoritatively in the name of Christ. She exists to proclaim the Gospel message. In the name of Jesus, she calls down God’s protection against evil in the rites of initiation.

What is the lesson for us in all of this? Perhaps the clue can be found in today’s psalm response: If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts (Psalm 95:7-8). We are constantly being bombarded with messages, with voices: from marketers and politicians; from friends and foes; from those who spew hate and from those who seek peace; from voices who want us to satisfy our own interests and from those who seek the common good.

Let us listen to God’s prophets. Let us focus on those who have God’s words in their mouths. This will take prayer and discernment, but it is possible with God’s grace. In the midst of all the noise, may we always be attentive to the voice of God.

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FEBRUARY

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YEAR B

WEEKDAYS I

Monday, February 1, 2021MONDAY OF

(Lec. 323)FOURTH WEEK


2)Mark 5:1-20

FOCUS:Whatever binds us, Christ can free us.

In the Letter to the Hebrews, several prominent Old Testament figures are mentioned: Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, and Samuel. Some of them won great victories. Some suffered terribly. All had faith, but that faith did not protect them from harm, it only meant they did not suffer in vain. Their example wasmeant to strengthen the faith of the early Christians to bravely face the persecutions they were experiencing.

Today’s Gospel includes a story that also would have helped the faith of the early Christians. It is a great tale of liberation: a man –possessed, shunned, suffering, and self-harming – is released from the prison of his torment. Through the simple allowance of the unclean spirits’ request (to leave the man and enter the swine), Jesus has cured the man. No exotic rituals took place, no fancy promises were made, no bargains struck. A request for deliverance was made, and the Lord granted it.

The early Christians probably desired deliverance from their persecution. They likely also prayed to be freed from any sin that remained in them. These Scriptures would have reminded them that the promise of a future was theirs. Any suffering they endured was not in vain: Christ had come, and Christ would come again.

The same message is meant for us. Whatever chains bind us, whatever suffering we endure, whatever negativity we encounter – through others or from our own selves –Christ is who can free us. Like the unclean spirit, we should desire this freedom – and we need to ask for it. Christ will answer.

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2021THE PRESENTATION


1)Malachi 3:1-4 - FEAST

2)Hebrews 2:14-18

3)Luke 2:22-40 or 2:22-32

Gospel related: CCC149, 529, 575, 583, 587, 618, 695, 711, 713

FOCUS:Faithfulness to the Lord leads to receiving a greater measure of God’s graces.

Today is the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, and it is worth notingthat, when Mary and Joseph brought the infant Jesus to Jerusalem, they were, for once, doing the usual and ordinary thing: fulfilling the requirement of the Mosaic law. That is, unlike the Annunciation, Joseph’s dream regarding taking Mary into his home, and the post-birth flight to Egypt, Mary and Joseph received no overt, personal directive from God, or visit by an angel,before carrying out their presentation of Jesus.In their faithfulness to and love for God, they consecratedJesus to the Lord as a matter of course, following a time of ritual purity.

That they did so in the temple is somewhat unusual, for it was not a requirement. But doing so meant that they encountered two of those praying for and awaiting the consolation of Israel, in the persons of Simeon and Anna.

Simeon and Anna were both prophets, and in seeing the Christ-child, they each recognized that theybeheld the salvation of Israel, and each spoke about the child.

Scripture says that Joseph and Mary were amazed at what was said about Jesus. They did not expect to receive these incredible prophecies in the midst of simply fulfilling the law. God was able to bless Joseph and Mary in this particular waybecause of their choice to present Jesus in the temple.

Sometimes the blessings of God precede our choices to followhim and, at other times, the blessings of God flow from our choices to follow him. Many of us were likely baptized as infants. We were brought to the church by our parents, and initiated into the family of God because of our parents’ choice on our behalf. They spoke for us, before we could speak for ourselves, out of love and devotion to God.Our parents’ choice to have each of us baptized allowed us to be adopted into the Body of Christ, and to be given the gift of faith. The blessings of baptism and the grace we received preceded and informed our free choice to follow the Lord.

However, as we grew older in the faith, we grew in the necessity of freely choosing, for ourselves,to follow God. We have taken the gift of faith and made it our own. In choosing to be present at Mass today, for example, we do so out of faithfulness to and love for God. Because of this, God will be able to bless and strengthen us in the Eucharist. This is very profound! The choices that we make in faithfulness to God have incredible significance. These choices give God an open door for his presence to fill our hearts and his will to be accomplished. While our choices for God can seem small and ordinary, they can lead to extraordinary graces and encounters with Jesus Christ.

Mary and Joseph’s lives with Christ are meant to inspire and guide our own cooperation with the Lord. Let us pray that we imitate their ordinary example of simple obedience and, by doing so, open the door wide to God’s grace.

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Wednesday, February 3, 2021WEDNESDAY OF




Saint Blaise,

Bishop and Martyr;

Saint Ansgar,

Bishop)

Gospel related: CCC500, 699, 2610 CSDC 259

FOCUS:Turning moments of temptation and struggle into moments of strength and Godly peace.

As we continue to hear from the Letter to the Hebrews, the writer moves to the thorny questions of our own individual struggles with sin and how we deal with the reality of suffering in our lives. We are never alone in those struggles, but always have the support and comfort of a great cloud of witnesses – the saints “who give us their companionship, lend us courage by their example and sustain us by their prayers”(see Prefaces I and II of Saints).

Yet while we have this saintly support, we also must recognize that we, too, have to play our part. How? First of all, by resisting the temptation to sin, and second, in the way we respond to those struggles when they do inevitably come along – by seeing them as opportunities to grow in holiness and trust in the Lord.

The Letter to the Hebrews was written at a time when many of the early converts to the new faith were struggling to remain faithful. In the face of much persecution, many considered turning back to Judaism and rejecting Christ and his offer of grace and salvation. So the issue was a real one – the struggle that offered either life or death.

And that struggle continues even to this day. Many who have heard the Gospel continue to turn away and seek alternative ways of living and believing. So the words of today’s reading are as valid for us as they were in the first century.

No one can ever truly escape temptation and suffering in this life – and while we do not reach out and search for them – they inevitably come along. But what we do with them speaks volumes about who we are in Christ. We can simply see them as total negatives or we can, as the writer reminds us, see them as opportunities to grow in faith. Let us strive to treat struggles as moments of discipline, painful and yet strengthening – moments that will pass but can bring with them a deeper sense of peace, holiness, and grace.

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Thursday, February 4, 2021THURSDAY OF



2)Mark 6:7-13

Gospel related: CCC765, 1506, 1511, 1673

FOCUS:Let us walk trustingly in the way that Jesus shows us.

It’s a good thing we don’t ever think of Jesus as a CEO. First, because it would be wildly, theologically inaccurate, but also because it would not be a good success story,as far as CEOs go. Let’s look at today’s Gospel.Jesus gives instructions to the Twelve before sending them out, two by two. Amazingly, he expects the Twelve to go out with very little: no money or food, and not even an extra set of clothes. They can have their sandals and a walking stick.

There will be no reserving and expensing hotel rooms. Instead, as they journey throughout the towns and villages, and as they go about doing God’s work of healing, they are to rely fully on the hospitality of those to whom they are sent. They are expected to trust in the goodness of the people they meet, and ultimately in God’s providence. A CEO who operated this way would probably have complaints from human resources, government oversight, very few shareholders, and soon very few employees!

Thankfully, we are not a human institution led by a CEO, but a divine institution sustained, prospered, and upheld through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Humans may administer the temporal aspects of the divine, but everything we are and do is through the grace and providence of God. That’s the message of the Gospel today.

Let’s shift the focus from what the Twelve are not to take, to what God gives.Jesus reinforces the fact that everything we need and have comes from God. Through Scripture and prayer, Jesus gives us the same lessons he gave his Apostles. In our own spiritual journey, we are called to rely upon God and upon others as we go about doing the work of God’s kingdom. In whatever circumstance we find ourselves, if we listen to God and depend on him, we can accomplish what he asks of us.

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Friday, February 5, 2021FRIDAY OF




Saint Agatha,

Virgin and Martyr)

Gospel related: CCC523

FOCUS:The Lord is my helper, and I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?

In our reading from the Letter to the Hebrews, the author encourages his readers to remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.

The faith we imitate is one that shows hospitality to a new neighbor; that supports just prison reforms; that honors our marriage vows. It is a faith that ensures that Christianlove continues, as the author of Hebrews instructs. We are able to do this because, as this same author says, God will never forsake you or abandon you.

God’s love, God’s strength, and God’s grace dwell within us, and thus we have the courage and ability to live inimitation of that profound faith. We can follow the leaders of old, and the leaders of today, who are committed to walk in the footsteps of Jesus. No leader is ever perfect in living out this high ideal. There are leaders among us, though,who strive to put Christ first. These are the men and women we seek out for guidance and direction.

We also draw guidance from the saints of the Church – saints such as Saint Agatha whom we honor today. Rather than deny her faith, she suffered martyrdom at the age of 20. So notable were her actions that her name appears in the first Eucharistic Prayer of the Church.

The author of Hebrews also recalls the message of Psalms 27 and118: The Lord is my helper, and I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me? To have the courage and confidence to walk in Jesus’ footsteps today, let this be our prayer as well. For God is our helper. We will notbe afraid. Therefore, what can anyone do to us?

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Saturday, February 6, 2021SATURDAY OF




Saint Paul Miki

and Companions,

Martyrs)

FOCUS:Come away … and rest awhil

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