The Catholic Calendar
and Daily Meditation
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Tuesday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time
St. Francis de Sales, bishop and doctor of the Church
Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
http://new.usccb.org/bible/readings/012412.cfm
2 Samuel 6:12b-15, 17-19
Psalm 24:7, 8, 9, 10
Mark 3:31-35
A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:
It felt good to get off my feet and sit down to share the meal which several of us volunteers had prepared for the needy in a soup kitchen setting.
We were seated with several persons who had come for the meal. One of the middle-aged women asked if another volunteer and I were sisters. Given that we were not and I was really enjoying a chance to sit down and eat, I would have quickly answered "no," but my friend seized the moment to say, "Yes, we are all brothers and sisters in Christ." (She never misses a chance to evangelize.) The woman's eyes lit up as the gospel of today was explained. It was very reassuring to her. She then felt comfortable to share with us some of the great losses she had recently endured. We had brought her food to eat, but my friend was right there to help reassure her spiritually.
In the gospel of St. Mark in the liturgy for today, we hear Christ tell us that "Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother." (see Mark 3:31-35) Throughout the New Testament we hear over and over from Christ that He is a warm, loving human being who wants to be there for us at all times. It is we, who at times, imagine Him as a distant, unapproachable God. Maybe we are uncomfortable to love God as He loves us. The image that Christ uses of "family" helps us to understand how close He wants to be with us. Most of us can relate to the intimacy of being family members.
Let us take this occasion to reflect on these questions: Where do I stand as a member in the family of Christ? Am I comfortable to reach out to all of my brothers and sisters in Christ? And most especially, am I comfortable accepting the love Christ has for me, at all times and in all places?
::: Joan of Jesus, OCDS | email: jmurphy(at)syracuse(dot)net