January 2010 - Bible Diary
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BIBLE DIARY 2010
Liturgical Readings and Reflections
| January 2010 |
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January ♦ February ♦ March ♦ April ♦ May ♦ June ♦ July
August ♦ September ♦ October ♦ November ♦ December
Mary, Mother of God
►1st Reading: Num 6:22–27
Then Yahweh spoke to Moses saying, “Speak to Aaron and his sons and say to them: This is how you shall bless the people of Israel; you shall say:
May Yahweh bless you and keep you!
May Yahweh let his face shine on you, and be gracious to you!
May Yahweh look kindly on you, and give you his peace!
In that way shall they put my name on the people of Israel and I will bless them.”
►2nd Reading: Gal 4:4–7
But when the fullness of time came, God sent his Son. He came born of woman and subject to the Law, in order to redeem the subjects of the Law, that we might receive adoption as children of God. And because you are children, God has sent into your hearts the Spirit of his Son which cries out: Abba! that is, Father!
You yourself are no longer a slave but a son or daughter, and yours is the inheritance by God’s grace.
►Gospel: Lk 2:16–21
The shepherds came hurriedly and found Mary and Joseph with the baby lying in the manger. On seeing this they related what they had been told about the child, and all were astonished on hearing the shepherds.
As for Mary, she treasured all these messages and continually pondered over them.
The shepherds then returned giving glory and praise to God for all they had heard and seen, just as the angels had told them.
On the eighth day the circumcision of the baby had to be performed; he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.
REFLECTION
“When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another,
Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place,
which the Lord has made known to us’.”
The presence of God in life
is far more common than we think.
The problem is, unlike the shepherds,
we fail to pursue the Word God sends to us
through the people and events of life,
through the impulses of conscience and heart.
Before Epiphany
Basil the Great and Gregory of Nazianzen
►1st Reading: 1 Jn 2:22–28
Who is the liar?
The one who denies that Jesus is the Christ.
This is an antichrist, who denies both the Father and the Son. The one who denies the Son is without the Father, and those who acknowledge the Son also have the Father.
Let what you heard from the beginning remain in you. If what you heard from the beginning remains in you, you, too, will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise he himself gave us: eternal life.
I write this to you thinking of those who try to lead you astray.
You received from him an anointing, and it remains in you, so you do not need someone to teach you. His anointing teaches you all things, it speaks the truth and does not lie to you; so remain in him, and keep what he has taught you.
And now, my children, live in him, so that when he appears in his glory, we may be confident and not ashamed before him when he comes.
►Gospel: Jn 1:19–28
This was the testimony of John when the Jews sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?” John recognized the truth and did not deny it. He said, “I am not the Messiah.”
And they asked him, “Then who are you? Elijah?” He answered, “I am not.” They said, “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” Then they said to him, “Tell us who you are, so that we can give some answer to those who sent us. How do you see yourself?” And John said, quoting the prophet Isaiah, “I am the voice crying out in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord.”
Those who had been sent were Pharisees; so they put a further question to John: “Then why are you baptizing if you are not the Messiah, or Elijah, or the Prophet?” John answered, “I baptize you with water, but among you stands one whom you do not know; although he comes after me, I am not worthy to untie the strap of his sandal.”
This happened in Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
REFLECTION
“When the Jews sent priests and Levites to ask him, ‘Who are you?’
John confessed, “‘I am not the Messiah.”
Accepting who we really are
instead of pretending to be
who and what we are not
is the first step
to becoming the best
of what God wants us to be.
Epiphany of the Lord
►1st Reading: Is 60:1–6
Arise, Jerusalem, shine, for your light has come.
The Glory of Yahweh rises upon you.
Night still covers the earth and gloomy clouds veil the peoples, but Yahweh now rises and over you his glory appears.
Nations will come to your light and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
Lift up your eyes round about and see: they are all gathered and come to you, your sons from afar, your daughters tenderly carried.
This sight will make your face radiant, your heart throbbing and full; the riches of the sea will be turned to you, the wealth of the nations will come to you.
A flood of camels will cover you, caravans from Midian and Ephah.
Those from Sheba will come, bringing with them gold and incense, all singing in praise of Yahweh.
►2nd Reading: Eph 3:2–3a, 5-6
Brothers and sisters, you may have heard of the graces God bestowed on me for your sake. By a revelation he gave me the knowledge of his mysterious design, as I have explained in a few words.
This mystery was not made known to past generations but only now, through revelations given to holy apostles and prophets. Now the non-Jewish people share the Inheritance; in Christ Jesus the non-Jews are incorporated and are to enjoy the Promise.
►Gospel: Mt 2:1-12
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, in Judea, during the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem. They asked, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw the rising of his star in the east and have come to honor him.”
When Herod heard this he was greatly disturbed and with him all Jerusalem. He immediately called a meeting of all high-ranking priests and the scribes, and asked them where the Messiah was to be born.
“In the town of Bethlehem in Judea,” they told him, “for this is what the prophet wrote: And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, you are by no means the least among the clans of Judah, for from you will come a leader, the one who is to shepherd my people Israel.”
Then Herod secretly called the wise men and asked them the precise time the star appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem with the instruction, “Go and get precise information about the child. As soon as you have found him, report to me, so that I too may go and honor him.”
After the meeting with the king, they set out. The star that they had seen in the East went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. The wise men were overjoyed on seeing the star again. They went into the house and when they saw the child with Mary his mother, they knelt and worshiped him. They opened their bags and offered him their gifts of gold, incense and myrrh.
In a dream they were warned not to go back to Herod, so they returned to their home country by another way.
REFLECTION
“He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.
He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light.”
Whatever gifts we’ve been given,
we’ve been given
so that a world lost in darkness might see
the goodness of God through us.
To use a personal gift for any other reason
is to waste it.
After Epiphany
John Neumann
►1st Reading: 1 Jn 3:22–4:6
Then whatever we ask we shall receive, since we keep his commands and do what pleases him.
His command is that we believe in the Name of his Son Jesus Christ and that we love one another, as he has commanded us.
Whoever keeps his commands remains in God and God in him. It is by the Spirit God has given us that we know he lives in us.
My beloved, do not trust every inspiration. Test the spirits to see whether they come from God, because many false prophets are now in the world.
How will you recognize the spirit of God? Any spirit recognizing Jesus as the Christ who has taken our flesh is of God. But any spirit that does not recognize Jesus is not from God, it is the spirit of the antichrist. You have heard of his coming and even now he is in the world.
You, my dear children, are of God and you have already overcome these people, because the one who is in you is more powerful than he who is in the world.
They are of the world and the world inspires them and those of the world listen to them.
We are of God and those who know God listen to us, but those who are not of God ignore us. This is how we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error as well.
►Gospel: Mt 4:12–17, 23–25
When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. He left Nazareth and went to settle down in Capernaum, a town by the lake of Galilee, at the border of Zebulun and Naphtali.
In this way the word of the prophet Isaiah was fulfilled: Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali crossed by the Road of the Sea, and you who live by the Jordan, Galilee, land of pagans, listen: The people who lived in darkness have seen a great light; on those who live in the land of the shadow of death, a light has shone.
From that time on Jesus began to proclaim his message, “Change your ways: the kingdom of heaven is near.”
Jesus went around all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom, and curing all kinds of sickness and disease among the people.
The news about him spread through the whole of Syria, and the people brought all their sick to him, and all those who suffered: the possessed, the deranged, the paralyzed, and he healed them all. Large crowds followed him from Galilee and the Ten Cities, from Jerusalem, Judea, and from across the Jordan.
REFLECTION
“When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them, ‘What are you looking for?’
They said to him, ‘Rabbi, where are you staying?’
He said to them, ‘Come and see.’
They came and saw where he was staying and they remained
with him that day.”
Life is an invitation to “Come and see”
where Jesus is for us
as we move out of one stage into another –
and then to stay in that place
and go on growing spiritually all our lives.
After Epiphany
John Neumann
►1st Reading: 1 Jn 4:7–10
My dear friends, let us love one another for love comes from God. Everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
Those who do not love have not known God, for God is love.
How did the love of God appear among us? God sent his only Son into this world that we might have life through him.
This is love: not that we loved God but that he first loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
►Gospel: Mk 6:34–44
As Jesus went ashore he saw a large crowd, and he had compassion on them for they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began a long teaching session with them.
It was now getting late, so his disciples came to him and said, “This is a lonely place and it is now late. You should send the people away and let them go to the farms and villages around here to buy themselves something to eat.”
Jesus replied, “You yourselves give them something to eat.” They answered, “If we are to give them food, we must go and buy two hundred silver coins’ worth of bread.” But Jesus said, “You have some loaves: how many? Go and see.” The disciples found out and said, “There are five loaves and two fish.”
Then he told them to have the people sit down together in groups on the green grass. This they did in groups of hundreds and fifties. And Jesus took the five loaves and the two fish and, raising his eyes to heaven, he pronounced a blessing, broke the loaves and handed them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them.
They all ate and everyone had enough. The disciples gathered up what was left and filled twelve baskets with broken pieces of bread and fish. Five thousand men had eaten there.
REFLECTION
“‘How much bread do you have?’” Jesus said.
And they told him, ‘five loaves and two fishes....’”
And everyone ate and had enough.”
It is not how much we have
in life that count.
What counts is how we multiply it
by giving it away.
After Epiphany
Bl. André Bessette
►1st Reading: 1 Jn 4:11–18
Dear friends, if such has been the love of God, we, too, must love one another. No one has ever seen God, but if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love comes to its perfection in us. How may we know that we live in God and he in us? Because God has given us his Spirit.
We ourselves have seen and declare that the Father sent his Son to save the world. Those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God remains in them and they in God.
We have known the love of God and have believed in it. God is love. The one who lives in love, lives in God and God in him.
When do we know that we have reached a perfect love? When in this world, we are like him in everything, and expect with confidence the Day of Judgment.
There is no fear in love. Perfect love drives away fear, for fear has to do with punishment; those who fear do not know perfect love.
►Gospel: Mk 6:45–52
After the five thousand men were satiated, Jesus obliged his disciples to get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, towards Bethsaida, while he himself sent the crowd away. And having sent the people off, he went by himself to the hillside to pray.
When evening came, the boat was far out on the lake while he was alone on the land. Jesus saw his disciples straining at the oars, for the wind was against them, and before daybreak he came to them walking on the lake; and he was going to pass them by.
When they saw him walking on the lake, they thought it was a ghost and cried out; for they all saw him and were terrified. But at once he called to them, “Courage! It’s me; don’t be afraid.” Then Jesus got into the boat with them and the wind died down. They were completely astonished, for they had not really grasped the fact of the loaves; their minds were dull.
REFLECTION
“Then he got into the boat with them and the wind died down.”
Jesus did not come to spare us
the challenges of life.
Jesus came to be with us in them
so that when, like the disciples,
we find ourselves straining against the tide
we, too, can come to see life differently.
After Epiphany
Raymond of Peñafort
►1st Reading: 1 Jn 4:19—5:4
So let us love one another, since God loved us first.
If you say, “I love God,” while you hate your brother or sister, you are a liar. How can you love God whom you do not see, if you do not love your brother whom you see? We received from him this commandment: let those who love God also love their brothers.
All those who believe that Jesus is the Anointed, are born of God; whoever loves the Father, loves the Son. How may we know that we love the children of God? If we love God and fulfill his commands, for God’s love requires us to keep his commands. In fact, his commandments are not a burden because all those born of God overcome the world. And the victory which overcomes the world is our faith.
►Gospel: Lk 4:14–22
Jesus acted with the power of the Spirit, and on his return to Galilee the news about him spread throughout all that territory. He began teaching in the synagogues of the Jews and everyone praised him.
When Jesus came to Nazareth where he had been brought up, he entered the synagogue on the Sabbath as he usually did. He stood up to read and they handed him the book of the prophet Isaiah.
Jesus then unrolled the scroll and found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. He has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and new sight to the blind; to free the oppressed and announce the Lord’s year of mercy.”
Jesus then rolled up the scroll, gave it to the attendant and sat down, while the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he said to them, “Today these prophetic words come true even as you listen.”
All agreed with him and were lost in wonder, while he kept on speaking of the grace of God. Nevertheless they asked, “Who is this but Joseph’s son?”
REFLECTION
“Jesus went all over Galilee, teaching in the synagogues, preaching the Good News
about the Kingdom and healing people who had all kinds of disease and sickness.”
Two things must go together in life
if we are truly disciples of Jesus:
We must proclaim
God’s love for the world
and we ourselves must do good to everyone.
One without the other is only half the Christian life.
After Epiphany
►1st Reading: 1 Jn 5:5–13
Who has overcome the world? The one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
Jesus Christ was acknowledged through water, but also through blood.
Not only water but water and blood.
And the Spirit, too, witnesses to him for the Spirit is truth.
There are then three testimonies: the Spirit, the water and the blood, and these three witnesses agree.
If we accept human testimony, with greater reason must we accept that of God, given in favor of his Son. If you believe in the Son of God, you have God’s testimony in you.
But those who do not believe make God a liar, since they do not believe his words when he witnesses to his Son.
What has God said? That he has granted us eternal life and this life is in his Son. The one who has the Son has life, the one who do not have the Son of God do not have life.
I write you, then, all these things that you may know that you have eternal life, all you who believe in the Name of the Son of God.
►Gospel: Lk 5:12–16
One day in another town, a man came to Jesus covered with leprosy. On seeing him he bowed down to the ground, and said, “Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean.”
Stretching out his hand, Jesus touched the man and said, “Yes, I want it. Be clean.” In an instant the leprosy left him. Then Jesus instructed him, “Tell this to no one. But go and show yourself to the priest. Make an offering for your healing, as Moses prescribed; that should be a proof to the people.”
But the news about Jesus spread all the more, and large crowds came to him to listen and be healed of their sickness. As for Jesus, he would often withdraw to solitary places and pray.
REFLECTION
“Lord, if you want to, you can make me clean”
We are all a means of blessing for one another.
You have to want to be a blessing, of course. And who knows?
Maybe the problem is not that we don’t see the blessings around us.
It may be that we fail to ourselves as blessings.
And so we are not.
After Epiphany
►1st Reading: 1 Jn 5:14–21
Through him we are fully confident that whatever we ask, according to his will, he will grant us. If we know that he hears us whenever we ask, we know that we already have what we asked of him. If you see your brother committing sin, a sin which does not lead to death, pray for him, and God will give life to your brother. I speak, of course, of the sin which does not lead to death. There is also a sin that leads to death; I do not speak of praying about this. Every kind of wrongdoing is sin, but not all sin leads to death.
We know that those born of God do not sin, but the one who was born of God protects them and the evil one does not touch them. We know that we belong to God, while the whole world lies in evil. We know that the Son of God has come and has given us power to know the truth. We are in him who is true, his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. My dear children, keep yourselves from idols.
►Gospel: Jn 3:22–30
Jesus went into the territory of Judea with his disciples. He stayed there with them and baptized. John was also baptizing in Aenon near Salim where water was plentiful; people came to him and were baptized. This happened before John was put in prison.
Now John’s disciples had been questioned by a Jew about spiritual cleansing, so they came to him and said, “Rabbi, the one who was with you across the Jordan, and about whom you spoke favorably, is now baptizing and all are going to him.”
John answered, “No one can take on anything except what has been given him from heaven. You yourselves are my witnesses that I said: ‘I am not the Christ but I have been sent before him.’ Only the bridegroom has the bride; but the friend of the bridegroom stands by and listens, and rejoices to hear the bridegroom’s voice. My joy is now full. It is necessary that he increase but that I decrease.”
REFLECTION
“It is necessary that he increase but that I decrease”
The important thing is to stay in the waiting itself,
to concentrate on internal preparation for important moments
more than on the external trappings that go with them.
Otherwise we will become so immersed in our fantasy
of them that we will never really be ready for the thing itself.
Baptism of the Lord
►1st Reading: Is 40:1–5, 9–11
Be comforted, my people,
be strengthened, says your God.
Speak to the heart of Jerusalem, proclaim to her
that her time of bondage is at an end,
that her guilt has been paid for,
that from the hand of Yahweh
she has received double punishment
for all her iniquity.
A voice cries,
“In the wilderness prepare the way for Yahweh.
Make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Every valley will be raised up;
every mountain and hill will be laid low.
The stumbling blocks shall become level
and the rugged places smooth.
The glory of Yahweh will be revealed,
and all mortals together will see it;
for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken.”
Go up onto the high mountain, messenger of Zion,
lift up your voice with strength,
fear not to cry aloud when you tell Jerusalem
and announce to the cities of Judah:
Here is your God!
Here comes your God with might;
his strong arm rules for him;
his reward is with him,
and here before him is his booty.
Like a shepherd he tends his flock:
he gathers the lambs in his arms,
he carries them in his bosom,
gently leading those that are with young.
►2nd Reading: Tit 2:11–14, 3:4–7
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, teaching us to reject an irreligious way of life and worldly greed, and to live in this world as responsible persons, upright and serving God, while we await our blessed hope – the glorious manifestation of our great God and Savior Christ Jesus. He gave himself for us, to redeem us from every evil and to purify a people he wanted to be his own and dedicated to what is good.
But God our Savior revealed his eminent goodness and love for humankind and saved us, not because of good deeds we may have done but for the sake of his own mercy, to the water of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit poured over us through Christ Jesus our Savior, so that having been justified of his grace we should become heirs in hope of eternal life.
►Gospel: Lk 3:15–16, 21–22
The people were wondering about John’s identity, “Could he be the Messiah?” Then John answered them, “I baptize you with water, but the one who is coming will do much more: He will baptize you with Holy Spirit and fire. As for me, I am not worthy to untie his sandal.”
Now, with all the people who came to be baptized, Jesus too was baptized. Then, while he was praying, the heavens opened: the Holy Spirit came down upon him in the bodily form of a dove and a voice from heaven was heard, “You are my Son, this day I have begotten you.”
REFLECTION
“The one who comes will baptize you with fire and the Spirit.”
Fire and the Spirit–
courage in the face of life’s challenges to faith
and the wisdom to live it with depth and reflection –
are what make our baptisms real
and our souls true.
1st Week in Ordinary Time
►1st Reading: 1 S 1:1–8
There was a man from Ramathaim, in the hills of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah. He was son of Tohu, son of Jeroham, of the clan of Zuph. He had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had children but Hannah had none.
Every year Elkanah went to worship and to sacrifice to Yahweh of hosts at Shiloh. The priests there were the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phineas. Whenever Elkanah offered sacrifice, he gave portions to his wife, Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. To Hannah, however, he gave the more delightful portion because he loved her more, although she had no child. Yet Hannah’s rival used to tease her for being barren.
So it happened every year when they went to Yahweh’s house. Peninnah irritated Hannah and she would weep and refuse to eat. Once Elkanah, her husband, asked her, “Hannah, why do you weep instead of eating? Why are you sad? Are you not better off with me than with many sons?”
►Gospel: Mk 1:14–20
After John was arrested, Jesus went into Galilee and began preaching the Good News of God. He said, “The time has come; the kingdom of God is at hand. Change your ways and believe the Good News.”
As Jesus was walking along the shore of Lake Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net in the lake, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” At once, they left their nets and followed him. Jesus went a little farther on and saw James and John, the sons of Zebedee; they were in their boat mending their nets. Immediately, Jesus called them and they followed him, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men.
REFLECTION
“As Jesus walked along the shore of the Lake of Galilee, he saw two fishermen,
Simon and his brother Andrew, catching fish with a net. Jesus said to them,
‘Come with me and I’ll make you catchers from people.’”
There is nothing we can do in life–
computer technology, medicine, business,
parenting, finance, fishing–
that is not meant to be used
for the building up of the Kingdom of God.
We are given gifts to become gifts to the world.
1st Week in Ordinary Time
►1st Reading: 1 S 1:9–20
After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah stood up not far from Eli, the priest: his seat was beside the doorpost of Yahweh’s house. Deeply distressed she wept and prayed to Yahweh and made this vow, “O Yahweh of hosts, if only you will have compassion on your maidservant and give me a son, I will put him in your service for as long as he lives and no razor shall touch his head.”
As she prayed before Yahweh, Eli observed the movement of her lips. Hannah was praying silently; she moved her lips but uttered no sound and Eli thought Hannah was drunk. He, therefore, said to her: “For how long will you be drunk? Let your drunkenness pass.” But Hannah answered: “No, my lord, I am a woman in great distress, not drunk. I have not drunk wine or strong drink, but I am pouring out my soul before Yahweh. Do not take me for a bad woman. I was so afflicted that my prayer flowed continuously.” Then Eli said, “Go in peace and may the God of Israel grant you what you asked for.” Hannah answered, “Let your maidservant deserve your kindness.” Then she left the temple and when she was at table, she seemed a different woman.
Elkanah rose early in the morning and worshiped before Yahweh with his wives. Then they went back home to Ramah. When Elkanah slept with his wife, Hannah, Yahweh took compassion on her, and she became pregnant. She gave birth to a son and called him Samuel because she said: “I have asked Yahweh to give him to me.”
►Gospel: Mk 1:21–28
Jesus and his disciples went into the town of Capernaum and Jesus began to teach in the synagogue during the Sabbath assemblies. The people were astonished at the way he taught, for he spoke as one having authority and not like the teachers of the Law.
It happened that a man with an evil spirit was in their synagogue and he shouted, “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: You are the Holy One of God.” Then Jesus faced him and said with authority, “Be silent and come out of this man!” The evil spirit shook the man violently and, with a loud shriek, came out of him. All the people were astonished and they wondered, “What is this? With what authority he preaches! He even orders evil spirits and they obey him!” And Jesus’ fame spread throughout all the country of Galilee.
REFLECTION
“The people who heard him were amazed at the way
he taught for he wasn’t like the teachers of the Law, he taught with authority.”
Authority comes from being what we talk about.
It is one thing to know the Law.
It is entirely another to embody the spirit of it
rather than simply to insist on keeping its rules.
Jesus breathed the very spirit of the Law–
love, mercy, justice, peace–
and so must we.
1st Week in Ordinary Time
Hilary
►1st Reading: 1 S 3:1–10, 19–20
The boy Samuel ministered to Yahweh under Eli’s care in a time in which the word of Yahweh was rarely heard; visions were not seen.
One night Eli was lying down in his room, half blind as he was. The lamp of God was still lighted and Samuel also lay in the house of Yahweh near the ark of God. Then Yahweh called, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel answered, “I am here!” and ran to Eli saying, “I am here, did you not call me?” But Eli said, “I did not call, go back to sleep.” So he went and lay down.
Then Yahweh called again, “Samuel!” and Samuel stood up and went to Eli saying, “You called me; I am here.” But Eli answered, “I did not call you, my son. Go back to sleep.”
Samuel did not yet know Yahweh and the word of Yahweh had not yet been revealed to him. But Yahweh called Samuel for the third time and, as he went again to Eli saying, “I am here for you have called me,” Eli realized that it was Yahweh calling the boy. So he said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you again, answer: “Speak, Yahweh, your servant listens.”
Then Yahweh came and stood there calling as he did before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel answered, “Speak, for your servant listens.”
Samuel grew; Yahweh was with him and made all his words become true. All Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, knew that Samuel was really Yahweh’s prophet….
►Gospel: Mk 1:29–39
As soon as Jesus and his disciples left the synagogue, Jesus went to the home of Simon and Andrew with James and John. As Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with fever, they immediately told him about her. Jesus went to her and taking her by the hand, raised her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. That evening at sundown, people brought to Jesus all the sick and those who had evil spirits: the whole town was pressing around the door. Jesus healed many who had various diseases, and drove out many demons; but he did not let them speak, for they knew who he was.
Very early in the morning, before daylight, Jesus went off to a lonely place where he prayed. Simon and the others went out, too, searching for him; and when they found him they said, “Everyone is looking for you.” Then Jesus answered, “Let’s go to the nearby villages so that I may preach there too; for that is why I came.”
So Jesus set out to preach in all the synagogues throughout Galilee; he also cast out demons.
REFLECTION
“‘Everyone is looking for you’, the disciples said. But Jesus answered them,
‘We must go on to the other villages around here. I have to preach in them also,
for that is why I came.’”
Jesus’ words are clear:
We are not made for our own nations
or families or cities alone.
We must live in such a way that all people
see the Word of God come to life in us.
We are born to be a blessing to the world.
1st Week in Ordinary Time
►1st Reading: 1 S 4:1–11
At that time Samuel was a prophet of Israel. The Israelites went out to battle against the Philistines. They encamped at Ebenezer, while the Philistines encamped at Aphek. The Philistines then drew up in battle formation. They attacked Israel and after a fierce struggle, Israel was defeated, leaving about four thousand men dead on the battlefield. When the troops retreated to their camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why has Yahweh allowed us to be defeated by the Philistines? Let us take the ark of God from Shiloh and bring it here so that Yahweh may be with us and save us from our enemies.” So the people sent messengers to Shiloh to take the ark of Yahweh who is seated on the cherubim. Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, accompanied the ark.
As soon as the ark of Yahweh entered the camp, the Israelites began to cheer so loudly that the earth resounded. The Philistines heard the shouting and asked, “What does this loud shout in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” And they were told that the ark of Yahweh had been brought to the camp.
The Philistines were overcome with fear. They exclaimed, “A god has come into the camp. Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before. Woe to us! Who can save us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all sorts of plagues—and in the desert. Take courage and conduct yourselves like men, O Philistines, lest you become slaves to the Hebrews the way they have been slaves to you. Be manly and fight.”
So the Philistines fought and Israel was defeated. Everyone fled to his home. It was a disastrous defeat; thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel were killed. The ark of God was captured and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.
►Gospel: Mk 1:40–45
A leper came to Jesus and begged him, “If you so will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” The leprosy left the man at once and he was made clean. As Jesus sent the man away, he sternly warned him, “Don’t tell anyone about this, but go and show yourself to the priest and for the cleansing bring the offering ordered by Moses; in this way you will make your declaration.”
However, as soon as the man went out, he began spreading the news everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter any town. But even though he stayed in the rural areas, people came to him from everywhere.
REFLECTION
“A man suffering from a dreaded skin disease came to Jesus,
knelt down and begged him for help. ‘“If you want to’, he said, ‘you can make me clean’.
Jesus was filled with pity. He reached out and touched him.
‘I do want to’, he said, “he answered. “Be clean.”
When we reach out and touch the lives
of those who need us–
the hungry, the lonely, the sick, the poor–
when we risk our own security for theirs, as Jesus did,
we become the healers Jesus wants us to be.
1st Week in Ordinary Time
►1st Reading: 1 S 8:4–7, 10–22a
Because of this, all the chiefs of Israel gathered together and went to Samuel in Ramah. They said to him, “You are already old and your sons are not following your ways. Give us a king to rule over us as in all the other nations.”
Samuel was very displeased with what they said, “Give us a king to rule us,” and he prayed to Yahweh. And Yahweh told him, “Give to this people all that they ask for.
So Samuel answered those who were asking him for a king, and he told them all that Yahweh said to him, “Look, these will be the demands of your king: he will take your sons and assign them to his chariot and his horses and have them run before his chariot. Some he will assign as commanders over a thousand men and commanders over fifty. Others will till his ground and reap his harvest, make his implements of war and the equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters as well to prepare perfumes, to cook and to bake for him. He will take the best of your fields, your vineyards and your olive orchards and give them to his officials. He will take a tenth portion of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. He will take your menservants and maidservants, the best of your cattle and your asses for his own work. He will take the tenth of your flocks and you yourselves will become his slaves. When these things happen, you will cry out because of the king whom you have chosen for yourselves. But by then, Yahweh will not answer you.”
The people paid no attention to all that Samuel said. They insisted, “No! We want a king to govern us as in all the other nations. Our king shall govern us, lead us and go ahead of us in our battles.” Upon hearing all that his people said, Samuel repeated it to Yahweh. But Yahweh said to him, “Listen to them and give them a king.” Samuel then said to the Israelites, “Go back, all of you, to your own cities.”
►Gospel: Mk 2:1–12
Jesus returned to Capernaum. As the news spread that he was at home, so many people gathered that there was no longer room even outside the door. While Jesus was preaching the Word to them, some people brought a paralyzed man to him. The four men who carried him couldn’t get near Jesus because of the crowd, so they opened the roof above the room where Jesus was and, through the hole, lowered the man on his mat. When Jesus saw the faith of these people, he said to the paralytic, “My son, your sins are forgiven.” Now, some teachers of the Law who were sitting there wondered within themselves, “How can he speak like this insulting God? Who can forgive sins except God?” At once Jesus knew through his spirit what they were thinking and asked, “Why do you wonder? Is it easier to say to this paralyzed man: ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say: ‘Rise, take up your mat and walk?’ But now you shall know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” And he said to the paralytic, “Stand up, take up your mat and go home.” The man rose and, in the sight of all those people, he took up his mat and went out. All of them were astonished and praised God saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”
REFLECTION
“‘This is blasphemy, the teachers of the Law said.
‘God is the only one who can forgive sins.‘
And Jesus said, ‘Which is easier: to say ‘Your sins are forgiven you’
or ‘Take up your mat and walk’....I‘ll prove to you that the Son of Man
has authority on earth to forgive sins.” And he said ‘Take up your mat and walk’
and the man got up and walked.”
Jesus discovers here, as we have,
that there are some people
who, no matter what you do, will criticize you for it,
no matter the service you give.
But Jesus shows us what to do in those cases: Go on.
Do what must be done
regardless who tries to stop you from doing it.
1st Week in Ordinary Time
►1st Reading: 1 S 9:1–4, 17–19, 10:1
There was a man from the tribe of Benjamin whose name was Kish. He was the son of Abiel, son of Zeror, son of Becorath, son of Aphiah, a valiant Benjaminite. Kish had a son named Saul, a handsome young man who had no equal among the Israelites, for he was a head taller than any of them.
It happened that the asses of Kish were lost. So he said to his son Saul, “Take one of the boys with you and go look for the asses.” They went all over the hill country of Ephraim and the land of Shali-shah but did not find them. They passed through the land of Sha-alim and the land of Benjamin, but the asses were nowhere to be found.
So, when Samuel saw Saul, Yahweh told him, “Here is the man I spoke to you about! He shall rule over my people.”
Saul approached Samuel in the gateway and said, “Tell me, where is the house of the seer?” Samuel answered Saul, “I am the seer. Go up ahead of me to the high place, for today you shall eat with me. In the morning, before you leave, I will tell you all that is in your heart.
Then Samuel took a vial of ‑oil and poured it on Saul’s head. And kissing Saul, Samuel said, “Yahweh has anointed you to rule over and to lead his people Israel. And this will be Yahweh’s sign to you that he has anointed you. ”
►Gospel: 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.”
REFLECTION
”Jesus heard them and answered: ‘People who are well do not need a doctor,
but only those who are sick. I have not come to call respectable people,
but outcasts.’”
The question posed by this gospel
is a hard one:
Who do we seek out, befriend, pay attention to in life?
Most of the world do not need us;
they can take care of themselves.
But many people do.
We have an obligation to seek these people out.
2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time
►1st Reading: Is 62:1–5
For Zion’s sake I will not hold my peace,
for Jerusalem I will not keep silent,
until her holiness shines like the dawn
and her salvation flames like a burning torch.
The nations will see your holiness
and all the kings your glory.
You will be called by a new name
which the mouth of Yahweh will reveal.
You will be a crown of glory
in the hand of Yahweh,
a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
No longer will you be named Forsaken;
no longer will your land be called
Abandoned;
but you will be called My Delight
and your land Espoused.
For Yahweh delights in you
and will make your land his spouse.
As a young man marries a virgin,
so will your builder marry you;
and as a bridegroom rejoices in his bride,
so will your God rejoice in you.
►2nd Reading: 1 Cor 12:4–11
There is diversity of gifts, but the Spirit is the same. There is diversity of ministries, but the Lord is the same. There is diversity of works, but the same God works in all.
The Spirit reveals his presence in each one with a gift that is also a service. One is to speak with wisdom, through the Spirit. Another teaches according to the same Spirit. To another is given faith, in which the Spirit acts; to another the gift of healing, and it is the same Spirit. Another works miracles, another is a prophet, another recognizes what comes from the good or evil spirit; another speaks in tongues, and still another interprets what has been said in tongues. And all of this is the work of the one and only Spirit, who gives to each one as he so desires.
►Gospel: Jn 2:1–11
Three days later there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus was also invited to the wedding with his disciples. When all the wine provided for the celebration had been served and they had run out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” Jesus replied, “Woman, what concern is that to you and me? My hour has not yet come.”
However his mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
Nearby were six stone water jars meant for the ritual washing as practiced by the Jews; each jar could hold twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them to the brim. hen Jesus said, “Now draw some out and take it to the steward.” So they did.
The steward tasted the water that had become wine, without knowing from where it had come; for only the servants who had drawn the water knew. So, he called the bridegroom to tell him, “Everyone serves the best wine first and when people have drunk enough, he serves that which is ordinary. Instead you have kept the best wine until the end.”
This miraculous sign was the first, and Jesus performed it at Cana in Galilee. In this way he let his Glory appear and his disciples believed in him.
REFLECTION
“Jesus said, ‘My time has not yet come.’
But Jesus’ mother then told the servants,
‘Do whatever he tells you.’”
We always have an excuse
for not doing what needs to be done:
It’s not time, it’s not safe, it’s not smart,
it’s not socially acceptable.
But once we are conscious of the situation,
Jesus shows us, we must do it
whether we think we’re ready or not.
Feast of Sto. Niño
►1st Reading: Is 9:1–6
The people who walk in darkness have seen a great light. A light has dawned on those who live in the land of the shadow of death.
You have enlarged the nation; you have increased their joy. They rejoice before you, as people rejoice at harvest time as they rejoice in dividing the spoil.
For the yoke of their burden, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressors, you have broken it as on the day of Midian.
Every warrior’s boot that tramped in war, every cloak rolled in blood, will be thrown out for burning, will serve as fuel for the fire.
For a child is born to us, a son is given us; the royal ornament is laid upon his shoulder, and his name is proclaimed: “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
To the increase of his powerful rule in peace, there will be no end. Vast will be his dominion, he will reign on David’s throne and over all his kingdom, to establish and uphold it with justice and righteousness from this time onward and forever.
The zealous love of Yahweh Sabaoth will do this.
►2nd Reading: Eph 1:3–6, 15–18
Blessed be God, the Father of Christ Jesus our Lord, who in Christ has blessed us from heaven with every spiritual blessing.
God chose us in Christ before the creation of the world to be holy and without sin in his presence.
From eternity he destined us in love to be his adopted sons and daughters through Christ Jesus, thus fulfilling his free and generous will.
This goal suited him: that his loving-kindness which he granted us in his Beloved might finally receive all glory and praise.
I have been told of your faith and your affection towards all the believers, so I always give thanks to God, remembering you in my prayers.
May the God of Christ Jesus our Lord, the Father of Glory, reveal himself to you and give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation, that you may know him.
May he enlighten your inner vision, that you may appreciate the things we hope for, since we were called by God.
May you know how great is the inheritance, the glory, God sets apart for his saints.
►Gospel: Mk 10:13–16
People were bringing their little children to him to have him touch them, and the disciples rebuked them for this.
When Jesus noticed it, he was very angry and said, “Let the children come to me and don’t stop them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.” Then he took the children in his arms and laying his hands on them, blessed them.
REFLECTION
“Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive
the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it”
We are all a means of blessing for one another.
You have to want to be a blessing, of course. And who knows?
Maybe the problem is not that we don’t see the blessings around us.
It may be that we fail to see ourselves as blessings.
And so we aren’t.
2nd Week in Ordinary Time
►1st Reading: 1 S 15:16–23
Samuel then told Saul, “Enough! Let me tell you what Yahweh said to me last night.” Saul replied, “Please tell me.” So Samuel went on and said, “Though you had no confidence in yourself, you became chief of the tribes of Israel, for Yahweh wanted to anoint you king over Israel. Then he sent you with this command, ‘Go. Completely crush the Amalekite offenders, engaging them in battle until they are destroyed.’ Why then did you not obey the voice of Yah-weh but instead swooped down on the spoil, doing what was evil in his sight?” To this, Saul replied, “I have obeyed the voice of Yahweh and have carried out the mission for which he sent me. I have captured Agag, king of Amalek and completely destroyed the Amalekites. If my men spared the best sheep and oxen from among those to be destroyed, it was in order to sacrifice them to Yahweh, your God, in Gilgal.” Samuel then said,
“Does Yahweh take as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obedience to his command? Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission better than the fat of rams. Rebellion is like the sin of divination, and stubbornness like holding onto idols. Since you have rejected the word of Yahweh, he too has rejected you as king.”
►Gospel: Mk 2:18–22
One day, when the disciples of John the Baptist and the Pharisees were fasting, some people asked Jesus, “Why is it that both the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but yours do not?” Jesus answered, “How can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. But the day will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them and on that day they will fast.
“No one sews a piece of new cloth on an old coat, because the new patch will shrink and tear away from the old cloth, making a worse tear. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins, for the wine would burst the skins and then both the wine and the skins would be lost. But new wine, new skins!”
REFLECTION
“Jesus answered, ‘Do you expect the guests at a wedding party to go without food?’
Of course not. As long as the bridegroom is with them they will not do that.
But the day will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them and then they will fast.’”
Life is a thing of twists and turns.
Sometimes it’s wonderful;
sometimes it’s hard.
The holy thing is to recognize both parts of life.
We are not meant to be dour.
We are meant to enjoy life
We are expected to find God in everything.
2nd Week in Ordinary Time
►1st Reading: 1 S 16:1–13
Yahweh asked Samuel, “How long will you be grieving over Saul whom I have rejected as king of Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way to Jesse the Bethlehemite for I have chosen my king from among his sons.”
Samuel asked, “How can I go? If Saul hears of this, he will kill me!” Yahweh replied, “Take a heifer with you and‑say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to Yahweh.’ Invite Jesse to the sacrifice and I will let you know what to do next. You shall anoint for me the one I point out to you.”
Samuel did what Yahweh com-manded and left for Bethlehem. When he appeared, the elders of the city came to him asking, fearfully, “Do you bring us peace?” Samuel replied, “I come in peace; I am here to sacrifice to Yahweh. Cleanse yourselves and join me in the sacrifice.” He also had Jesse and his sons cleansed and invited them to the sacrifice.
As they came, Samuel looked at Eliab the older and thought, “This must be Yahweh’s anointed.” But Yahweh told Samuel, “Do not judge by his looks or his stature for I have rejected him. Yahweh does not judge as man judges; humans see with the eyes; Yahweh sees the heart.”
Jesse called his son Abinadab and presented him to Samuel who said, “Yahweh has not chosen this one either.” Jesse presented Sham--mah and Samuel said, “Nor has Yah-weh chosen this one.” Jesse presented seven of his sons to Samuel who said, “Yahweh has chosen none of them. But are all your sons here?” Jesse replied, “There is still the youngest, tending the flock just now.” Samuel said to him, “Send for him and bring him to me; we shall not sit down to eat until he arrives.” So Jesse sent for his‑youngest son and brought him to Samuel. He was a handsome lad with ruddy complexion and beautiful eyes. And Yahweh spoke, “Go, anoint him for he is the one.” Samuel then took the horn of oil and anointed him in his brothers’ presence. From that day onwards, Yahweh’s Spirit took hold of David. Then Samuel left for Ramah.
►Gospel: Mk 2:23–28
One sabbath he was walking through grainfields. As his disciples walked along with him, they began to pick the heads of grain and crush them in their hands. Then the Pharisees said to Jesus, “Look! they are doing what is forbidden on the sabbath!” And he said to them, “Have you never read what David did in his time of need, when he and his men were very hungry? He went into the house of God when Abiathar was High Priest and ate the bread of offering, which only the priests are allowed to eat, and he also gave some to the men who were with him.” Then Jesus said to them, “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath. So the Son of Man is master even of the sabbath.”
REFLECTION
“Jesus was walking through some wheat fields on a sabbath.
As his disciples walked along with him, they began to pick the heads of wheat.
“So the Pharisees said to Jesus, ‘Look it is against our law for your disciples
to do that on the sabbath.’”
When we make laws and rituals
more important than the needs of human beings,
we miss the meaning of life completely.
We forget who Jesus was
and what he came to teach us.
Most of all, we miss the meaning
of real holiness.
2nd Week in Ordinary Time
Fabian / Sebastian
►1st Reading: 1 S 17:32–33, 37, 40–51
David said to Saul, “Let no one be discouraged on account of this Philistine, for your servant will engage him in battle.” Saul told David, “You cannot fight with this Philistine for you are still young, whereas this man has been a warrior from his youth.”
David continued, “Yahweh, who delivered me from the paws of lions and bears, will deliver me from the hands of the Philistine.”
Saul then told David, “Go and may Yahweh be with you!”
David got rid of all this armor, took his staff, picked up five smooth stones from the brook and dropped them inside his shepherd’s bag. And with his sling in hand, he drew near to the Philistine.
The Philistine moved forward, closing in on David, his shield-bearer in front of him. When he saw that David was only a lad, (he was of fresh complexion and handsome) he despised him and said, “Am I a dog that you should approach me with a stick?” Cursing David by his gods, ‑he continued, “Come and I will give your flesh to the birds of the sky and the beasts of the field!”
David answered the Philistine, “You have come against me with sword, spear and javelin, but I come against you with Yahweh, the God of the armies of Israel whom you have defied. Yahweh will deliver you this day into my hands and I will strike you down and cut off your head. I will give the corpses of the Philistine army today to the birds of the sky and the wild beasts of the earth, and all the earth shall know that there is a God of Israel. All the people ga-thered here shall know that Yahweh saves not by sword or spear; the battle belongs to Yahweh, and he will deliver you into our hands.”
No sooner had the Philistine moved to attack him, than David rushed to the battleground. Putting his hand into his bag, he took out a stone, slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead; it penetrated his forehead and he fell on his face to the ground. David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, felling him without using a sword. He rushed forward, stood over him, took the Philistine’s sword and slew him by cutting off his head.
When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they scattered in all directions.
►Gospel: Mk 3:1–6
Jesus entered the synagogue. A man who had a paralyzed hand was there and some people watched Jesus: Would he heal the man on the sabbath? If he did they could accuse him.
Jesus said to the man with the paralyzed hand, “Stand here in the center.” Then he asked them, “What does the Law allow us to do on the sabbath? To do good or to do harm? To save life or to kill?” But they were silent.
Then Jesus looked around at them with anger and deep sadness because they had closed their minds. And he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out and his hand was healed. But as soon as the Pharisees left, they met with Herod’s supporters, looking for a way to destroy Jesus.
REFLECTION
“Then he asked the people, ‘What does our Law allow us to do on the sabbath?
To help or to harm? To save someone’s life or to destroy it?’
And no one answered him.”
Jesus warned the Pharisees repeatedly
not to use the laws
as an excuse for not doing good.
That is the lesson we all need to learn
lest we be seduced into believing
that doing good and being good
are the same thing.
2nd Week in Ordinary Time
Agnes
►1st Reading: 1 S 18:6–9; 19:1–7
When the soldiers arrived after David had slain the Philistine, the women came out from the cities of Israel to meet King Saul singing and dancing with timbrels and musical insruments. They were merrily singing this song: “Saul has slain his thousands, and David, his tens of thousands.”
Saul was very displeased with this song and said, “They have given tens of thousands to David but to me only thousands! By now he has everything but the kingdom!” From then on, Saul became very distrustful of David.
Saul told his son Jonathan and his servants of his intention to kill David. But Jonathan, who liked David very much, said to David, “My father Saul wants to kill you. Be on your guard tomorrow morning and hide yourself in a secret place. I will go out and keep my father company in the countryside where you are and I will speak to him about you. If I find out something, I will let you know.” Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul and said, “Let not the king sin against his servant David for he has not sinned against you. On the contrary, what he has done has benefited you. He risked his life in killing the Philistine and Yahweh brought about a great victory for Israel. You yourself saw this and greatly rejoiced. Why then sin against innocent blood and kill David without cause?” Saul heeded Jonathan’s plea and swore, “As Yahweh lives, he shall not be put to death.” ‑So Jonathan called David and told him all these things. He then brought him to Saul and David was back in Saul’s service as before.
►Gospel: Mk 3:7–12
Jesus and his disciples withdrew to the lakeside and a large crowd from Galilee followed him. A great number of people also came from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, Transjordan and from the region of Tyre and Sidon, for they had heard of all that he was doing. Because of the crowd, Jesus told his disciples to have a boat ready for him, to prevent the people from crushing him. He healed so many that all who had diseases kept pressing towards him to touch him. Even the people who had evil spirits, whenever they saw him, would fall down before him and cry out, “You are the Son of God.” But he warned them sternly not to tell anyone who he was.
REFLECTION
“A large crowd followed him.....All these people came to Jesus
because they had heard of the things he was doing.”
To be a follower of Jesus
is to remember
that there is no such thing
as an inconsequential act.
Everything we do means something to someone.
Everything we do either brings others to Jesus
or drives them further away.
2nd Week in Ordinary Time
Vincent of Saragossa
►1st Reading: 1 S 24:3–21
Saul took three thousand picked men from all Israel and went in search of David and his men to the east of the Wild Goat crags. When he came to the sheepfolds along the way, he entered a cave to relieve himself.
Now David and his men were far back in the cave. David’s men said to him, “This is the day which Yahweh spoke of: look I will deliver your enemy into your hands and you will do with him as you see fit.” So David moved up and stealthily cut off an end of Saul’s robe. But afterward, David regretted having cut off an end of Saul’s robe, and he said to his men, “Let me not lay my hands on my master, for he is Yahweh’s anointed.” With these words, David restrained his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. Saul then left the cave and went on his way.
Then David himself stepped out of the cave and called after Saul, “My master, the king!” When Saul looked back, David knelt and then bowed to the ground in homage and asked him, “Why do you listen to those who say that I want to harm you? Look, today you have seen that Yahweh delivered you into my hands in the cave, and I was told to kill you but I held myself back and I said: ‘I will not lift my hands against my master who is Yahweh’s anointed.’ My father, look at this end of your robe which I am holding! I cut off the end of your robe but did not kill you. Now you may know that I mean you no harm or treason. I have done you no wrong and yet you are hunting me down to kill me. May Yahweh be judge between you and me and may he exact justice from you in my case, but I shall do you no harm.
As the saying goes, ‘From the wicked comes wickedness’; as for me, my hand shall not harm you. But who is it you are after, O king of Israel? Are you pursuing a dead dog? A flea? May Yahweh be judge between you and me. May he see and uphold my cause and deliver me from your hands.”
After David had spoken these words, Saul asked, “Is that your voice, my son David?” He wept aloud and said to David, “You are right and I am wrong, for you have repaid with kindness the harm I have inflicted on you. This day you have shown your righteousness to me by not taking my life when Yahweh put me into your hands. For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go unharmed? May Yahweh reward you for what you have done for me today. Now I know for certain that you shall reign and the kingdom of Israel will be firm in your hand.
►Gospel: Mk 3:13–19
Jesus went up into the hill country and called those he wanted and they came to him. So he appointed twelve to be with him; and he called them apostles. He wanted to send them out to preach, and he gave them authority to drive out demons.
These are the Twelve: Simon, to whom he gave the name Peter; James, son of Zebedee, and John his brother, to whom he gave the name Boanerges, which means “men of thunder”; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alpheus, Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.
REFLECTION
”Then Jesus went up a high mountain and called to himself
those he wanted.”
Like the apostles,
we are all called
to a special relationship with Jesus.
The challenge lies in being willing
to give up the trivia around us
in order to concentrate on
becoming one with Him.
2nd Week in Ordinary Time
►1st Reading: 2 S 1:1–4, 11–12, 19, 23–27
It was thus that Saul died. As for David, he returned after defeating the Amalekites. He was already two days in Ziklag when, on the third day, a man came from Saul’s camp, with his clothes torn and dust strewn on his head. He went to David and fell to the ground in homage. David asked him, “Where are you from?” And he answered, “I have escaped from the Israelite camp.” David then said, “Tell me what happened.” And the man told him, “The soldiers fled from the battle but many of them fell and died. Saul and his son Jonathan – they too are dead.”
At this, David took hold of his clothes and tore them and his men did the same. And they mourned, weeping and fasting until evening, for the death of Saul and his son Jonathan, for all the people of Judah and for the nation of Israel.
“Your glory, O Israel, is slain upon your mountains!
How the mighty ones have fallen!
Saul and Jonathan, beloved and cherished,
neither in life nor in death were they parted;
swifter than eagles they were
and stronger than lions.
Women of Israel, weep over Saul
who clothed you in precious scarlet.
How the valiant have fallen!
In the midst of the battle Jonathan lies slain on your mountains.
I grieve for you, my brother Jona-than;
how dear have you been to me!
Your love for me was wonderful,
even more than the love of women.
How the valiant have fallen!
The weapons of war have perished!”
►Gospel: Mk 3:20–21
Jesus and his disciples went home. The crowd began to gather again and they couldn’t even have a meal. Knowing what was happening his relatives came to take charge of him: “He is out of his mind,” they said.
REFLECTION
“Such a large crowd gathered that Jesus and his disciples had no time to eat.”
To minister to those who need us,
it is necessary
to do it on their time,
not on our own.
A life of ministry is a life lived for others.
3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
►1st Reading: Ne 8:2–4a, 5–6, 8–10
Ezra brought the Law before the assembly, both men and women and all the children who could understand what was being read. It was the first day of the seventh month. Ezra read the book before all of them from early morning until midday in the square facing the Water Gate; and all who heard were attentive to the Book of the Law.
Ezra, the teacher of the Law, stood on a wooden platform built for that occasion and to his right were Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah and Maaseiah; and to his left were Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hasbaddanah, Zechariah and Meshullam.
Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was in a higher place; and when he opened it, all the people stood. Ezra blessed Yahweh, the great God; and all the people lifted up their hands and answered, “Amen! Amen!” And they bowed their heads to the ground.
They read from the Book of the Law of God, clarifying and interpreting the meaning, so that everyone might understand what they were hearing.
Then Ezra, the teacher of the Law, said to the people, “This day is dedicated to Yahweh, your God, so do not be sad or weep.” He said this because all wept when they heard the reading of the Law. Then he said to them, “Go and eat rich foods, drink sweet wine and share with him who has nothing prepared.
This day is dedicated to the Lord, so do not be sad. The joy of Yahweh is our strength.”
►2nd Reading: 1 Cor 12:12–14, 27 (or 1 Cor 12:12–30)
As the body is one, having many members, and all the members, while being many, form one body, so it is with Christ. All of us, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free, have been baptized in one Spirit to form one body and all of us have been given to drink from the one Spirit.
The body has not just one member, but many.
Now, you are the body of Christ and each of you individually is a member of it.
►Gospel: Lk 1:1–4, 4:14–21
Several people have set themselves to relate the events that have taken place among us, as they were told by the first witnesses who later became ministers of the Word. After I myself had carefully gone over the whole story from the beginning, it seemed right for me to give you, Theophilus, an orderly account, so that your Excellency may know the truth of all you have been taught.
Jesus acted with the power of the Spirit, and on his return to Galilee the news about him spread throughout all that territory. He began teaching in the synagogues of the Jews and everyone praised him.
When Jesus came to Nazareth where he had been brought up, he entered the synagogue on the Sabbath as he usually did. He stood up to read and they handed him the book of the prophet Isaiah.
Jesus then unrolled the scroll and found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. He has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to captives and new sight to the blind; to free the oppressed and announce the Lord’s year of mercy.”
Jesus then rolled up the scroll, gave it to the attendant and sat down, while the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he said to them, “Today these prophetic words come true even as you listen.”
REFLECTION
“How shall I know if this is so? I am an old man
and my wife is old also.”
We spend so much time
explaining why we cannot do
what God wants us to do in life.
But God’s will for us is God’s will to the end.
Like Zachariah, it is a matter of believing
that God will enable it in us
that makes us living witnesses
to the Word of God.
Conversion of St. Paul
►1st Reading: Acts 22:3–16 (or Acts 9:1–22)
“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up here in this city where I was educated in the school of Gamaliel, according to the strict observance of our Law. And I was dedicated to God’s service, as are all of you today. As for this way, I persecuted it to the point of death and arrested its followers, both men and women, throwing them into prison.
The High Priest and the whole Council of elders can bear witness to this. From them I received letters for the Jewish brothers in Damascus and I set out to arrest those who were there and bring them back to Jerusalem for punishment. But as I was traveling along, nearing Damascus, at about noon a great light from the sky suddenly flashed about me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me: ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ I answered: ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And he said to me: ‘I am Jesus the Nazarean whom you persecute.’ The men who were with me saw the light, but they did not understand the voice of the one who was speaking to me. I asked: ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ And the Lord replied: ‘Get up and go to Damascus; there you will be told all that you are destined to do.’ Yet the brightness of that light had blinded me and so I was led by the hand into Damascus by my companions.
There a certain Ananias came to me. He was a devout observer of the Law and well spoken of by all the Jews who were living there. As he stood by me, he said: ‘Brother Saul, recover your sight.’ At that moment I could see and I looked at him. He then said, ‘The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see the Just One and to hear the words from his mouth. From now on you shall be his witness before all the pagan peoples and tell them all that you have seen and heard. And now, why delay? Get up and be baptized and have your sins washed away by calling upon his Name.’
►Gospel: Mk 16:15–18
Jesus told his disciples, “Go out to the whole world and proclaim the Good News to all creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; the one who refuses to believe will be condemned. Signs like these will accompany those who have believed: in my Name they will cast out demons and speak new languages; they will pick up snakes and, if they drink anything poisonous, they will be unharmed. They will lay their hands on the sick and they will be healed.”
REFLECTION
“Jesus said to them, ‘Go throughout the whole world
and preach the gospel to all people.’”
We are all sent
to teach others what Jesus
has taught us
about how to live,
how to love,
how to leave the world
better than what it was when we got here.
Timothy and Titus, Bishops
►1st Reading: 2 Tim 1:1–8 (or Tit 1:1–5)
From Paul, apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, for the sake of his promise of eternal life in Christ Jesus, to my dear son Timothy.
May grace, mercy and peace be with you from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
I give thanks to God whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my ancestors did, as I remember you constantly, day and night, in my prayers. I recall your tears and I long to see you that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, so like the faith of your grandmother Lois and of your mother Eunice, which I am sure you have inherited.
For this reason I invite you to fan into a flame the gift of God you received through the laying on of my hands. For God did not confer on us a spirit of bashfulness, but of strength, love and good judgment. Do not be ashamed of testifying to our Lord, nor of seeing me in chains. On the contrary, do your share in laboring for the Gospel with the strength of God.
►Gospel: Lk 10:1–9
The Lord appointed seventy-two other disciples and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place, where he himself was to go. And he said to them, “The harvest is rich, but the workers are few. So you must ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers to his harvest. Courage! I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Set off without purse or bag or sandals; and do not stop at the homes of those you know.
“Whatever house you enter, first bless them saying: ‘Peace to this house.’ If a friend of peace lives there, the peace shall rest upon that person. But if not, the blessing will return to you. Stay in that house eating and drinking at their table, for the worker deserves to be paid. Do not move from house to house.
“When they welcome you in any town, eat what they offer you. Heal the sick who are there and say to them: ‘The kingdom of God has drawn near to you.’”
REFLECTION
“After this the Lord chose another seventy-two and sent them out two by two,
to go ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go.”
Everywhere we go
we are meant to be models
of what Jesus teaches.
We are meant to be a signs
that what Jesus calls the world to be
is holy, is happy, is full of love.
3rd Week in Ordinary Time
Angela Merici
►1st Reading: 2 S 7:4–17
But that very night, Yahweh’s word came to Nathan, “Go and tell my servant David, this is what Yahweh says: Are you able to build a house for me to live in? I have not dwelt in a house since I brought the Israelites up from Egypt to the present day, but I went about with a tent for shelter. As long as I walked with the Israelites, did I say anything to the chiefs of Israel whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel? Did I say: Why have you not built me a house of cedar?
Now you will tell my servant David, this is what Yahweh of hosts says: I took you from the pasture, from tending the sheep, to make you commander of my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you went, cutting down all your enemies before you. Now I will make your name great as the name of the great ones on earth. I will provide a place for my people Israel and plant them that they may live there in peace. They shall no longer be harassed, nor shall wicked men oppress them as before. From the time when I appointed judges over my people Israel it is only to you that I have given rest from all your enemies. Yahweh also tells you that he will build you a house.
When the time comes for you to rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your son after you, the one born of you and I will make his reign secure. He shall build a house for my name and I will firmly establish his kingship forever. I will be a father to him and he shall be my son. If he does wrong, I will punish him with the rod, as men do. But I will not withdraw my kindness from him as I did from Saul when I removed him out of your way. Your house and your reign shall last forever before me, and your throne shall be forever firm.”
Nathan repeated these words and related this vision to David.
►Gospel: Mk 4:1–20
Again Jesus began to teach by the lake, but such a large crowd gathered about him that he got into a boat and sat in it on the lake while the crowd stood on the shore. He taught them many things through stories or parables. In his teaching he said, “Listen! The sower went out to sow. As he sowed, some of the seed fell along a path and the birds came and ate it up. Some of the seed fell on rocky ground where it had little soil; it sprang up im¬mediately because it had no depth; but when the sun rose and burned it, it withered because it had no roots. Other seed fell among thorn bushes and the thorns grew and choked it, so it didn’t produce any grain. But some seed fell on good soil, grew and in¬creased and yielded grain; some produced thirty times as much, others sixty and others one hun¬dred times as much.” And Jesus added, “Listen then, if you have ears.”
When the crowd went away, some who were around him with the Twelve asked about the parables.
He answered them, “The mystery of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But for those outside, everything comes in parables, so that the more they see, they don’t perceive; the more they hear, they don’t understand; otherwise they would be converted and pardoned.”
Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any of the parables?
What the sower is sowing is the word. Those along the path where the seed fell are people who hear the word, but as soon as they do, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.
Other people receive the word like rocky ground. As soon as they hear the word, they accept it with joy, but they have no roots so it lasts only a little while. No sooner does trouble or persecution come be¬cause of the word, than they fall.
Others receive the seed as among thorns. After they hear the word, they are caught up in the worries of this life, false hopes of riches and other desires. All these come in and choke the word so that finally it produces nothing.
“And there are others who receive the word as good soil. They hear the word, take it to heart and produce: some thirty, some sixty and some one hun¬dred times as much.”
REFLECTION
“The sower went out to sow his seed...”
It’s not enough simply to hear the Word of God.
We need to go on tending it
and nurturing it within us
so that it can, eventually, come to ripen in us
whatever the pressures of life.
3rd Week in Ordinary Time
Thomas Aquinas
►1st Reading: 2 S 7:18–19, 24–29
King David went in, sat before Yahweh and said, “Who am I, O Yahweh God, and who is my family that you have brought me so far? Yet this was not enough for you, O Yahweh God, for you have also spoken of your servant’s house for a long time to come. Is this the way men act, O Yahweh God?
“You have set apart your people Israel to become your people forever; and you, Yahweh, have become their God.
“Now, O Yahweh God, keep forever the promise you made and have now revealed to me regarding myself and my family, that your name may be honored forever and people may say, ‘Yahweh of hosts is God over Israel.’ The house of your servant David will be secure before you because you, O Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, have made it known to your servant and have said to him: ‘Your family will last forever.’ This is why I have dared to address this prayer to you.
“So now, O Yahweh God, since you are the faithful God, and have promised me this good thing, please bless my descendants, that they may continue forever before you. For you, O Yahweh God, have spoken and, with your blessing, my family shall be blessed forever.”
►Gospel: Mk 4:21–25
Jesus said to his disciples, “When the light comes, is it to be put under a tub or a bed? Surely it is put on a lampstand. Whatever is hidden will be disclosed, and whatever is kept secret will be brought to light. Listen then, if you have ears!”
And he also said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear. In the measure you give, so shall you receive and still more will be given to you. For to the one who produces something, more will be given, and from him who does not produce anything, even what he has will be taken away from him.”
REFLECTION
“The same rules you use to judge others will be used by God to judge you.”
It is so easy to apply higher standards of life
to those around us
than we do to ourselves.
But understanding the weaknesses of others
comes from the awareness of our own.
Then God judges us mercifully, too.
3rd Week in Ordinary Time
►1st Reading: 2 S 11:1–4a, 5–10a, 13–17
In the spring of that year, when kings usually set out to fight, David sent out Joab, his officers and all the Israelite troops. They slaughtered the Ammonites and attacked Rabbah, while David remained in Jerusalem.
One afternoon, David got up from his siesta and took a walk on the roof of the royal house. From the rooftop, he saw a woman bathing, and the woman was very beautiful. David sent to inquire about the woman, and was told, “She is Bathsheba, daughter of Eliam and wife of Uriah, the Hittite.” So David sent messengers to have her brought to him; and he had intercourse with her after she had cleansed herself after her monthly period. Then she returned to her house.
As the woman saw she was with child, she sent word to David, “I am with child.”
David then sent a message to Joab, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” So Joab sent Uriah to David. When Uriah came, David asked him about Joab, how the people were and how the war was proceeding; then he told Uriah, “Go down to your house and wash your feet.”
Uriah left the palace and the king had a portion from his table sent to him. Uriah, however, did not go down to his‑house but slept by the door of the king’s palace with all the servants of his lord. David was told that Uriah did not go down to his house, and he said to him, “Have you not come from a journey? Why did you not go down to your house?”
David invited him to table and he ate and drank until he was drunk. When evening fell, however, he went to lie down on his couch with the guards of his lord instead of going down to his house.
The next morning, David wrote Joab a letter to be taken by hand by Uriah, in which he said, “Place Uriah in the front row where the fighting is very fierce and then withdraw from him so that he may be struck down and die.” When Joab was attacking the city, he assigned Uriah to a place which he knew was being defended by strong warriors. And the defenders attacked the men of Joab. Some of David’s soldiers and officers were killed; Uriah the Hittite also died.
►Gospel: Mk 4:26–34
Jesus also said, “In the kingdom of God it is like this. A man scatters seed upon the soil. Whether he is asleep or awake, be it day or night, the seed sprouts and grows, he knows not how. The soil produces of itself; first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when it is ripe for harvesting they take the sickle for the cutting: the time for harvest has come.”
Jesus also said, “What is the kingdom of God like? To what shall we compare it? It is like a mustard seed which, when sown, is the smallest of all the seeds scattered upon the soil. But once sown, it grows up and becomes the largest of the plants in the garden and even grows branches so big that the birds of the air can take shelter in its shade.” Jesus used many such stories or parables, to proclaim the word to them in a way they would be able to understand. He would not teach them without parables; but privately to his disciples he explained everything.
REFLECTION
“The sower sleeps at night, is up and about during the day,
and all the while the seeds are sprouting and growing.”
Life is a partnership with God.
First, we must do our part;
Then, God does God’s part.
There is nothing we do, therefore,
that does not affect the future–
whether we see it in our lifetime or not.
3rd Week in Ordinary Time
►1st Reading: 2 S 12:1–7a, 10-17
So Yahweh sent the prophet Nathan to David. Nathan went to the king and said to him, “There were two men in a city: one was rich; the other, poor. The rich man had many sheep and cattle, but the poor man had only one little ewe lamb he had bought. He himself fed it and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and slept on his lap. It was like a daughter to him. Now a traveler came to the rich man, but he would not take from his own flock or herd to prepare food for the traveler. Instead, he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared that for his visitor.”
David was furious because of this man and told Nathan, “As Yahweh lives, the man who has done this deserves death! He must return the lamb fourfold for acting like this and showing no compassion.”
Nathan said to David, “You are this man! It is Yahweh, God of Israel, who speaks: ‘I anointed you king over Israel and saved you from Saul’s hands;
Now the sword will never be far from your family because you have despised me and taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite for yourself.
Thus says Yahweh: Your misfortune will rise from your own house! I will take your wives from you and give them to your neighbor who shall lie with them in broad daylight. What you did was done secretly, but what I do will be done before Israel in broad daylight.”
David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against Yahweh.” Nathan answered him, “Yahweh has forgiven your sin; you shall not die. However, because you have dared to despise Yahweh by doing such a thing, the child that is born to you shall die.” 15‑Then Nathan left and went to his house.
Yahweh struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David and it became sick. David entreated God for the child; he kept a strict fast and lay on the ground the whole night. The elders of his house asked him to rise from the ground but he refused. Nor did he join them to eat.
►Gospel: Mk 4:35–41
On that same day when evening had come, Jesus said to them, “Let’s go across to the other side.” So they left the crowd and took him away in the boat he had been sitting in, and other boats set out with him. Then a storm gathered and it began to blow a gale. The waves spilled over into the boat so that it was soon filled with water. And Jesus was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. They woke him up and said, “Master, don’t you care if we sink?” As Jesus awoke, he rebuked the wind and ordered the sea, “Quiet now! Be still!” The wind dropped and there was a great calm. Then Jesus said to them, “Why are you so frightened? Do you still have no faith?” But they were terrified and they said to one another, “Who can this be? Even the wind and the sea obey him!”
REFLECTION
“Jesus was in the back of the boat, sleeping with his head on a pillow.”
There is no storm in life,
however rough the winds of it for us,
in which Jesus is not with us in it,
not there to save us
from its power.
4th Week in Ordinary Time
►1st Reading: Jer 1:4–5, 17–19
A word of Yahweh came to me, “Even before I formed you in the womb I have known you; even before you were born I had set you apart, and appointed you a prophet to the nations!”
But you, get ready for action; stand up and say to them all that I command you. Be not scared of them or I will scare you in their presence!
See, I will make you a fortified city, a pillar of iron with walls of bronze, against all the nations, against the kings and princes of Judah, against the priests and the people of the land. They will fight against you but shall not overcome you, for I am with you to rescue you – it is Yahweh who speaks.”
►2nd Reading: 1 Cor 12:31—13:13 (or 1 Cor 13:4–13)
Be that as it may, set your hearts on the most precious gifts, and I will show you a much better way.
If I could speak all the human and angelic tongues, but had no love, I would only be sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, knowing secret things with all kinds of knowledge, and had faith great enough to remove mountains, but had no love, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I had to the poor, and even give up my body to be burned, if I am without love, it would be of no value to me.
Love is patient, kind, without envy. It is not boastful or arrogant. It is not ill-mannered nor does it seek its own interest. Love overcomes anger and forgets offenses. It does not take delight in wrong, but rejoices in truth. Love excuses everything, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
Love will never end. Prophecies may cease, tongues be silent and knowledge disappear. For knowledge grasps something of the truth and prophecy as well. And when what is perfect comes, everything imperfect will pass away. When I was a child I thought and reasoned like a child, but when I grew up, I gave up childish ways. Likewise, at present we see dimly as in a mirror, but then it shall be face to face. Now we know in part, but then I will know as I am known. Now we have faith, hope and love, these three, but the greatest of these is love.
►Gospel: Lk 4:21–30
Jesus said to the people of Nazareth, “Today these prophetic words come true even as you listen.”
All agreed with him and were lost in wonder, while he kept on speaking of the grace of God. Nevertheless they asked, “Who is this but Joseph’s son?” So he said, “Doubtless you will quote me the saying: Doctor, heal yourself! Do here in your town what they say you did in Capernaum.”
Jesus added, “No prophet is honored in his own country. Truly, I say to you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens withheld rain for three years and six months and a great famine came over the whole land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow of Zarephath, in the country of Sidon. There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha, the prophet, and no one was healed except Naaman, the Syrian.”
On hearing these words, the whole assembly became indignant. They rose up and brought him out of the town, to the edge of the hill on which Nazareth is built, intending to throw him down the cliff. But he passed through their midst and went his way.
REFLECTION
“While Jesus was praying, the heaven opened.”
When we find the God within us
and around us
and above us
and before us,
the heavens open for us, too.
Then, we know that we no longer
need to be afraid.
We know we are no longer alone in life.
