5th Sunday C: Make you Catchers of People

 The first reading is a well-known passage from the Old Testament, in which Isaiah describes his vision of Yahweh in heaven with imagery from the earthly temple of Jerusalem.

5th Week, Monday, Feb 7th: Reflection & Liturgy

 1 Kings 8:1-7, 9-13 / Mark 6:53-56

The ark is placed in the Temple: A cloud filled the Temple.

4th Week, Friday, Feb 4th: Reflection & Liturgy

 Ecclesiasticus 47:2-11 / Mark 6:14-29

Sirach eulogizes David: The Lord forgave him and exalted him.

4th Week, Thursday, Feb 3rd: Reflection & Liturgy

 4th Week, Thursday, Feb 3rd

1 Kings 2:1-4, 10-12 / Mark 6:7-13

David gave advice to Solomon: David dies

4th Sunday C: Liturgical Prayers

 Greetings (See First Reading)

Before you were born, I knew you; I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord. May the Lord Jesus be your strength and may he always be with you. R/ And also with you.

4th Sunday C: Wanted Prophets Dead!

 

Prophets comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable:

The great prophets were directly called by God and sent to bear witness to the people. The fact that they were sent by God constituted their mission.

4th Week, Tuesday, Feb 1st

 4th Week, Tuesday, Feb 1st

2 Sam 18:9-10, 14, 24-25, 30 - 19:3 / Mark 5:21-43

Absalom is killed: David mourned his son.

Presentation of the Lord - Feb 2

To raise a child is an experience of both incredible joy and devastating heartbreak.  Every parent’s life is “pieced” with turmoil, disappointment, illness, desperation, and fear.  Certainly every mom and dad knows what Mary and Joseph went through.  Within our families, our sons and daughters embrace and are embraced by the love we have known and seek to know better, to be grasped by the hand of God who has grasped us by the hand.    

3rd Week: Jan 24-29

 Jan 24 Monday (St. Francis de Sales, Bishop, Doctor of the Church):

The context: Today’s Gospel passage gives Jesus’ crushing reply to the slander propagated by the observers from the Sanhedrin, that Jesus expelled devils using the assistance of the leader of devils.

4th Week, Monday, Jan 31st: Reflection and Liturgy

4th Week, Monday, Jan 31st: Reflection and Liturgy

2 Sam 15:13-14, 30; 16:5-13 / Mark 5:1-20

Shimei curses David: David ignored the curse.

3rd Week, Friday, Jan 28: Reflection & Liturgy

 2 Sam 11:1-10, 13-17 / Mark 4:26-34

David sins: David compounded his sin.

3rd Week, Monday, Jan 24: Reflection and Liturgy

 2 Sam 5:1-7, 10 / Mark 3:22-30

David is anointed king: The Lord was with him.

2nd Week, Friday, Jan 21: Reflection and Liturgy

 2^nd Week, Friday, Jan 21: Reflection and Liturgy

1 Sam 24:3-21 / Mark 3:13-19

David spares Saul’s life: David respected Saul’s role as king.

3rd Sunday C: Mission of Jesus

 

This passage narrates an extremely important event: the reconstituting of the people of Israel after their return from exile. It was a new beginning for Israel.

2nd Week, Tuesday: Jan 18: Reflection & Liturgy

2nd Week, Tuesday: Jan 18: Reflection & Liturgy

1 Sam 16:1:13 / Mark 2:23-28

God chooses David: Samuel anointed David as king.

2nd Week, Monday, January 17

 2nd Week, Ordinary Time, Monday

1 Sam 15:16-23 / Mark 2:18-22

Saul disobeys God: God rejected Saul.

Samuel rebuked Saul for not following customary battle procedure and enforcing the “ban” against the Amalekites. The ban was a primitive religious practice by which everything captured in battle was destroyed. Instead of putting all the cattle to the sword, Saul permitted his men to take some cattle and sacrifice them to God. At issue was the teaching that obedience to the Law is far better than sacrifice. The prophets constantly reiterated this point. (Amos 5:22-24, Hosea 6:6, Micah 6:7-8)

2nd Week: Jan 17-22

  Jan 17 Monday (St. Anthony, Abbot): 

The context: Today’s Gospel passage gives Jesus’ reply to the question raised, perhaps by some well-meaning Pharisees, disciples of John the Baptist, asking why Jesus’ disciples ate and drank and feasted, while they (John the Baptist’s disciples), and the Pharisees in general, fasted and prayed. Prayer, fasting, and almsgiving were the three cardinal religious practices — the “good deeds”– of Jewish religious life.

2nd Sunday C: Wedding at Cana

 

The destruction of their city and the temple by the Babylonians shattered the Israelites.

1st Week, Jan 15th: Reflection and Liturgy

 1 Sam 9:1-4, 17-19; 10:1 / Mark 2:13-17

God chooses Saul as king: Samuel anointed Saul.

Baptism of the Lord - Liturgy

 Greeting: 

Today Jesus was baptized in the Jordan;

 the Father recognized him as his beloved Son;

 the Holy Spirit prepared him for his mission of service

 May the Lord’s Spirit of sonship and service

 be always with you.

January 13: 1st Week, Thursday Plus Liturgy

 1 Sam 4:1-11 / Mark 1:40-45

Israel takes the ark into battle: They were defeated; the ark was captured.

January 12: 1st Week, Wednesday

 1 Sam 3:1-10, 19-20 / Mark 1:29-39

God calls Samuel: Samuel said, “Speak, Lord; I am listening.”

Robert Moffat was a Scottish missionary in South Africa. He returned home to try to recruit other people to join him in this work. One cold night, only a few old women and a boy showed up to hear him preach at one of the churches. He was terribly disappointed. He thought to himself, “It’s hardly worth my while to give this talk.” But Moffat put his heart and soul in it anyway.

January 10: 1st Week, Monday

 1 Samuel 1: 1-8; Mark 1:14-20

*Hannah is barren: Her rival made her burden heavier. *

Jay Kesler tells this story in his book Growing Places. Late one night he was walking down a street in India. A boy with no legs hobbled up on crutches and asked for money. Jay obliged him generously. Jay turned and continued his walk. He hadn’t gone ten steps when he heard a terrible racket.

January 11: 1st Week, Tuesday, Plus Liturgy

 1 Sam 1:9-20 / Mark 1:21-28

Hannah asks God for a child: She gave birth to Samuel.

January 7: Tuesday after Epiphany: St Raymond of Penyafort

January 6: Tuesday after Epiphany

1 John 4:7-10 / Mark 6:34-44

God is love; Whoever loves knows God.