† Quote of the Day "Every grace granted to man has three degrees in order; for by God it is communicated to Christ, from Christ it passes to the Virgin, and from the Virgin it descends to us." -St. Bernardine of Siena Today's Meditation Jesus Christ is the one whom the Father anointed with the Holy Spirit and established as priest, prophet, and king. The whole People of God participates in these three offices of Christ and bears the responsibilities for mission and service that flow from them. On entering the People of God through faith and Baptism, one receives a share in this people's unique, priestly vocation: ... The baptized, by regeneration and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, are consecrated to be a spiritual house and a holy priesthood." "The holy People of God shares also in Christ's prophetic office," above all in the supernatural sense of faith that belongs to the whole People, lay and clergy, when it "unfailingly adheres to this faith . . . once for all delivered to the saints," and when it deepens its understanding and becomes Christ's witness in the midst of this world. Finally, the People of God shares in the royal office of Christ. He exercises his kingship by drawing all men to himself through his death and Resurrection. Christ, King and Lord of the universe, made himself the servant of all, for he came "not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." For the Christian, "to reign is to serve him," particularly when serving "the poor and the suffering, in whom the Church recognizes the image of her poor and suffering founder." The People of God fulfills its royal dignity by a life in keeping with its vocation to serve with Christ. —The Catechism of the Catholic Church, 783-786
An excerpt from Catechism of the Catholic Church Daily Verse Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented. And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. -Matthew 3:13-17 | St Marguerite Bourgeoys St. Marguerite Bourgeoys (1620-1700) was born in France to a large middle-class Christian family. After having a deep religious experience at the age of 20, Marguerite dedicated her life to God through the Virgin Mary. She then joined an aposolate which served God by educating underprivileged children. When she was 32 the governor of Fort Ville-Marie (now Montreal, Canada), visited Marguerite's town and invited her to be a missionary in the New World as a lay teacher, instructing the children of the colonists and the Native Americans. Marguerite agreed and made the long ocean journey. Realizing the importance of the family in establishing New France, Marguerite mentored young ladies and prepared them for marriage and family life as pioneer women. She signed as a witness on the marriage certificates of many early settlers. As a result of these activities she was affectionately called the "Mother of the Colony." She also worked to build the first church and the first school. She also founded the Congregation of Notre Dame of Montreal, which is an active religious order to this day. For her great apostolic and missionary activity she is considered the co-foundress of Montreal. She is also the first woman saint of the Catholic Church in Canada. Her feast day is January 12. | Monday of the First Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 305 Reading I 1 Samuel 1:1-8 There was a certain man from Ramathaim, Elkanah by name,
a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim.
He was the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu,
son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.
He had two wives, one named Hannah, the other Peninnah;
Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless.
This man regularly went on pilgrimage from his city
to worship the LORD of hosts and to sacrifice to him at Shiloh,
where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas,
were ministering as priests of the LORD.
When the day came for Elkanah to offer sacrifice,
he used to give a portion each to his wife Peninnah
and to all her sons and daughters,
but a double portion to Hannah because he loved her,
though the LORD had made her barren.
Her rival, to upset her, turned it into a constant reproach to her
that the LORD had left her barren.
This went on year after year;
each time they made their pilgrimage to the sanctuary of the LORD,
Peninnah would approach her,
and Hannah would weep and refuse to eat.
Her husband Elkanah used to ask her:
"Hannah, why do you weep, and why do you refuse to eat?
Why do you grieve?
Am I not more to you than ten sons?" Responsorial Psalm Psalm 116:12-13, 14-17, 18-19 R. (17a) To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
or:
R. Alleluia.
How shall I make a return to the LORD for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up, and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
R. To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
or:
R. Alleluia.
My vows to the LORD I will pay in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the eyes of the LORD is the death of his faithful ones.
O LORD, I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your handmaid; you have loosed my bonds.
R. To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
or:
R. Alleluia.
My vows to the LORD I will pay in the presence of all his people,
In the courts of the house of the LORD, in your midst, O Jerusalem.
R. To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
or:
R. Alleluia. Alleluia Mark 1:15 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Kingdom of God is at hand;
repent and believe in the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel Mark 1:14-20 After John had been arrested,
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the Gospel of God:
"This is the time of fulfillment.
The Kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the Gospel." As he passed by the Sea of Galilee,
he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea;
they were fishermen.
Jesus said to them,
"Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men."
Then they left their nets and followed him.
He walked along a little farther
and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They too were in a boat mending their nets.
Then he called them.
So they left their father Zebedee in the boat
along with the hired men and followed him. | Praise to You Oh Lord Jesus Christ! | Daily Meditation: Mark 1:14-20 Come after me. (Mark 1:17) When Jesus asked Simon and Andrew—and later James and John—to "come after me," he was inviting them to be transformed, to grow so close to him that they would become like him (Mark 1:17). These four men found this invitation so compelling that they made the radical decision to follow Jesus. When they heard him proclaiming the time of fulfillment and the coming of God's kingdom, they knew he was worth giving up everything they had known up to that point. The new life they were hoping for would have memorable moments, but their transformation wouldn't happen overnight. Like any genuine friendship, it would be forged through sharing life day in and day out, living with Jesus and learning from his teachings. At first, Simon, Andrew, James, and John probably didn't understand how the things he was doing were teaching them to be fishers of men. They simply stayed with him, despite their immature understanding. They observed how he prayed to his heavenly Father and drew life from him, how he brought love and wholeness to those who crowded around him, and how he showed special care for those on the margins. Little by little, Jesus invited his disciples to share in his work: to distribute the loaves and fishes and to go out two by two, healing the sick and casting out demons. By that time, they loved and trusted him enough to want to do whatever he told them. They had been with him long enough for him to capture their hearts. And they were looking more like him! Your relationship with Jesus progresses in a similar way. He has invited you to come after him and to remain with him. Now, every hour you spend in prayer or with the Scriptures helps you to know him better. Every time you give of yourself for someone in need, his grace flows through you and you reflect his life more fully. As time goes by, your relationship with him—and your likeness to him—grows stronger and stronger. So imitate those first disciples and come after Jesus. Spend time with him; take on his character. And watch how the Lord transforms you and works through you! "Jesus, thank you for inviting me to follow you. Make me more like you today." 1 Samuel 1:1-8
Psalm 116:12-19 | Reflections with Brother Adrian: |  Audio of 2 Cents | From today's Holy Gospel: "... they were fishermen.
Jesus said to them,
"Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men."
Then they left their nets and followed him.
He walked along a little farther
and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They too were in a boat mending their nets.
Then he called them.
So they left their father Zebedee in the boat
along with the hired men and followed him. ...." Word of the Lord. | From Roberto Juarez:
"To convert and believe in the Gospel is not only to change one's behavior, but to change one's outlook. It is to trust in Jesus, to put one's life in His hands, to accept that He sets the course. Sometimes, like the disciples, we have webs that bind us: securities, fears, comforts, habits that prevent us from moving forward.
Ordinary time reminds us that following Jesus is not lived only in extraordinary moments, but in daily fidelity. To be "fishers of men" today means to be witnesses of the Gospel with our lives, with simple gestures, with a word of hope, with an attitude of service.
This text also tells us about community. Jesus does not call just one, but a group. Following is not an individualistic path, but a shared one. The Church is born from this call and is built when we respond together, with our differences and limitations.
Let us ask the Lord to help us hear his call in the midst of the ordinary. May we know how to recognize his passage through our lives and have the courage to leave the networks that prevent us from following him. In this ordinary time, may we learn to live daily life as a place of encounter with God and of mission.
May Jesus, who continues to say today "come and follow me", find in us a heart that is available." end quote.
From Bishop Barron:
"Now here's the catch: To follow him means to do what he does, to call other people to the kingdom. "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." That line is addressed to all of us, to all the baptized, to all the disciples. " end quote.
In the Gospel we heard "he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea", He called them, they dropped everything and followed, and then He "saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John", He called them, they dropped everything and followed.
In spanish slang, if you say "Simon" as the cholos do, it means "YES". Simon was the first yes, according to this Gospel, in another we heard Andrew bring Simon to Jesus. Regardless, they said "Yes", they said "Simon!" lol, right?
But as Bishop Barron said, the invitation or, the command is for all of us.
Is He calling you to leave your job, AND your family to spread the news of his Kingdom?
Of course, we cannot all do that..but, we can all do something. And, I say, the more the better.
I told you the other day, I went to speak to a spiritual director, and I always tell people that I bore them when I start speaking to them about what all ministries and things I do for the Lord. And this time, the new spiritual director, on our first visit, I told him to let me explain who I am and what I do. About halfway into the list of ministries and things, he was dosing off, falling asleep! LOL. I knew it, I was not surprised, it is not a joke how boring it must be for some to listen.
It's like at work too, when asked what all do I do, I pretty much have to do a little of everything.
I was warned by many that you can get burned out by doing too much.
Here I am 20 years later. People ask "how do you do it?". How do you keep the fire burning? We start ordinary time now in the liturgical calendar. I say, God is in the ordinary things of every day life, not just in the great or terrible. He is in everything, even the very air you breathe in.
The fire must be tended to. You received this fire in Baptism and Confirmation. How will the fire burn if you do not go to the source? It is Christ our Lord. There, He is, in the Holy Spirit. If only you would seriously consider the source...and the call...He loves you...if you only knew. Before I go, I leave you with an inspirational song I wrote about Saint Joseph that my family liked so I made a video to share, it is in Spanish. "Listen, subscribe...and share"... https://youtu.be/Fg3VTrSYkz4?si=-CIv4l0Y0N2FSLsc |  Click for Audio | Random Bible Verse 1
Proverbs 16:19 " It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud." . . . . . . . . Word of the Lord! | If one day you don't receive these, just visit Going4th.com
God Bless You! Peace | | |
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