The Catholic Calendar for Monday, January 12, 2004
First Week in Ordinary Time

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
1 Samuel 1:1-8
Psalm 116:12-19
Mark 1:14-20

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

In today's Gospel we hear the evangelist use the phrase "good news." We have often heard it, but perhaps we've never really spent the time to contemplate all the meaning it contains. Like others, I fear I have become a little too familiar with it, have said it, and have thought about it too superficially.

It seems so true that much of what God reveals is at once simple, easily understood -- at least on the surface. Because of the very simplicity of the words we almost instantly -- at least intellectually -- "get it." I suppose that is what God intended: that we would be able to comprehend Him and His goodness.

What we fail to appreciate and sometimes miss altogether is that we must go beyond knowing, to loving. We must exercise not just our intellect that resides in our mind, but also our "will" that resides in our heart. We must not only know; we must respond to what we have seen and what we have heard. We must be grateful, loving, humble, obedient.

As we enter this new liturgical season, let us pray:

Jesus meek and humble of heart,
make my heart like unto thine.


- Donna Raye Nelson, ocds

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posted by joachim at 4:22 AM