The Catholic Calendar for Monday, January 2, 2006
St. Basil, St. Gregory, bishops and doctors of the Church

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
1 John 2:22-28
Psalm 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4
John 1:19-28

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

I am the voice of one crying out in the desert:
"Make straight the way of the Lord." (John 1:19-28)

Whomever asks a beloved one, such a one who loves the Lord, “Who are you?” must reply in the example of St. John the Baptist, indicating that all one is about is the service of the Lord. Like St. John, this service means that we voice into the desert of seeking souls, “Make straight the way of the Lord!”

If we truly "enter in" to that which we hear in this gospel, and pray in the daily morning Divine Office in the canticle of Zechariah, we realize that like St. John, we too are charged with this mission - to point souls to their Savior through the forgiveness of sins - which makes “straight the way of the Lord.”

One who loves God and souls to Him, never loses sight of this mission, and proceeds to voice faithfully the need to cease sinning, even when that voicing results in martyrdom, as did St. John’s.

O beloved Lord, grace us to see that we are baptized as such a one in You, with water and the Holy Spirit, commissioned not only with that charge of announcing salvation through the forgiveness of sins to make straight the Way of the Lord, Jesus, but also our cross in You, which continues your work of redemption in the world today. Help us to tenderly and joyfully embrace your cross, carried faithfully in our own lives, knowing You are redeeming souls in love. Amen.

- Mary Williams
(www.impactbydesign.biz)

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