Tuesday - January 09, 2018
Pure love ... knows that only one thing is needed to please God: to do even the smallest things out of great love - love, and always love.
-- St. Faustina
TODAY'S READINGS
January 9, 2018
Tuesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time Lectionary: 306
Reading 11 SM 1:9-20
Hannah rose after a meal at Shiloh,
and presented herself before the LORD;
at the time, Eli the priest was sitting on a chair
near the doorpost of the LORD's temple.
In her bitterness she prayed to the LORD, weeping copiously,
and she made a vow, promising: "O LORD of hosts,
if you look with pity on the misery of your handmaid,
if you remember me and do not forget me,
if you give your handmaid a male child,
I will give him to the LORD for as long as he lives;
neither wine nor liquor shall he drink,
and no razor shall ever touch his head."
As she remained long at prayer before the LORD,
Eli watched her mouth, for Hannah was praying silently;
though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard.
Eli, thinking her drunk, said to her,
"How long will you make a drunken show of yourself?
Sober up from your wine!"
"It isn't that, my lord," Hannah answered.
"I am an unhappy woman.
I have had neither wine nor liquor;
I was only pouring out my troubles to the LORD.
Do not think your handmaid a ne'er-do-well;
my prayer has been prompted by my deep sorrow and misery."
Eli said, "Go in peace,
and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him."
She replied, "Think kindly of your maidservant," and left.
She went to her quarters, ate and drank with her husband,
and no longer appeared downcast.
Early the next morning they worshiped before the LORD,
and then returned to their home in Ramah.
When Elkanah had relations with his wife Hannah,
the LORD remembered her.
She conceived, and at the end of her term bore a son
whom she called Samuel, since she had asked the LORD for him.
and presented herself before the LORD;
at the time, Eli the priest was sitting on a chair
near the doorpost of the LORD's temple.
In her bitterness she prayed to the LORD, weeping copiously,
and she made a vow, promising: "O LORD of hosts,
if you look with pity on the misery of your handmaid,
if you remember me and do not forget me,
if you give your handmaid a male child,
I will give him to the LORD for as long as he lives;
neither wine nor liquor shall he drink,
and no razor shall ever touch his head."
As she remained long at prayer before the LORD,
Eli watched her mouth, for Hannah was praying silently;
though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard.
Eli, thinking her drunk, said to her,
"How long will you make a drunken show of yourself?
Sober up from your wine!"
"It isn't that, my lord," Hannah answered.
"I am an unhappy woman.
I have had neither wine nor liquor;
I was only pouring out my troubles to the LORD.
Do not think your handmaid a ne'er-do-well;
my prayer has been prompted by my deep sorrow and misery."
Eli said, "Go in peace,
and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him."
She replied, "Think kindly of your maidservant," and left.
She went to her quarters, ate and drank with her husband,
and no longer appeared downcast.
Early the next morning they worshiped before the LORD,
and then returned to their home in Ramah.
When Elkanah had relations with his wife Hannah,
the LORD remembered her.
She conceived, and at the end of her term bore a son
whom she called Samuel, since she had asked the LORD for him.
Responsorial Psalm1 SAMUEL 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8ABCD
R. (see 1) My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
"My heart exults in the LORD,
my horn is exalted in my God.
I have swallowed up my enemies;
I rejoice in my victory."
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
"The bows of the mighty are broken,
while the tottering gird on strength.
The well-fed hire themselves out for bread,
while the hungry batten on spoil.
The barren wife bears seven sons,
while the mother of many languishes."
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
"The LORD puts to death and gives life;
he casts down to the nether world;
he raises up again.
The LORD makes poor and makes rich;
he humbles, he also exalts."
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
"He raises the needy from the dust;
from the dung heap he lifts up the poor,
To seat them with nobles
and make a glorious throne their heritage."
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
Receive the word of God, not as the word of men,
but as it truly is, the word of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
"My heart exults in the LORD,
my horn is exalted in my God.
I have swallowed up my enemies;
I rejoice in my victory."
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
"The bows of the mighty are broken,
while the tottering gird on strength.
The well-fed hire themselves out for bread,
while the hungry batten on spoil.
The barren wife bears seven sons,
while the mother of many languishes."
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
"The LORD puts to death and gives life;
he casts down to the nether world;
he raises up again.
The LORD makes poor and makes rich;
he humbles, he also exalts."
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
"He raises the needy from the dust;
from the dung heap he lifts up the poor,
To seat them with nobles
and make a glorious throne their heritage."
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
AlleluiaSEE 1 THES 2:13
R. Alleluia, alleluia.Receive the word of God, not as the word of men,
but as it truly is, the word of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMK 1:21-28
Jesus came to Capernaum with his followers,
and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught.
The people were astonished at his teaching,
for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.
In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit;
he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?
Have you come to destroy us?
I know who you are–the Holy One of God!"
Jesus rebuked him and said, "Quiet! Come out of him!"
The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him.
All were amazed and asked one another,
"What is this?
A new teaching with authority.
He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him."
His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.
and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught.
The people were astonished at his teaching,
for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.
In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit;
he cried out, "What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?
Have you come to destroy us?
I know who you are–the Holy One of God!"
Jesus rebuked him and said, "Quiet! Come out of him!"
The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him.
All were amazed and asked one another,
"What is this?
A new teaching with authority.
He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him."
His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.
******************************
What's eating away at your joy?
In our first reading today, we continue the story of poor Hannah. Her joy has been eaten away by years of barrenness. Now she surrenders it all to God; even that which she desires most -- a child -- by promising to give him back to God if he would help her to conceive. In that total surrender, her prayers are finally answered.
How sad that she had allowed herself to be in turmoil for so many years, feeling inferior because of her barrenness, rather than choosing to trust God.
Did God give her the child because she became so desperate that she bargained with him in the temple? Did he make her wait until she abandoned everything into his hands? Of course not. He didn't want her to feel despair nor to reach the point of agony that we see in this story. The child he gave her had been part of his plans since before Hannah herself was born: The child he gave her was Samuel, who would become one of Israel's greatest and holiest priests, who would anoint the first king (Saul) and then find and anoint David to replace Saul when the latter became harmful to Israel.
In the Gospel reading today, Jesus removes a harmful spirit from a man. What harmful spirits are affecting you? What's eating away your joy? Who's making you feel inferior? What are you relying on that's dangerous to your trust in God? What holds you back from totally surrendering yourself into his plans and finding your joy in him?
Even religiousness can be harmful. That might sound irreverent, but -- do we perform religious rites and deeds because we hope this will bribe God into answering our prayers? Or maybe because it makes us look good to others? Rather, we should be so in love with God that religious rites and good deeds are an expression of our devotion, and our self esteem doesn't come from what others think of us but from God's tremendous love for us.
Do you have enthusiasm or minimalism? Do you eagerly jump at new opportunities to grow spiritually or do you simply rely on what you're already doing? It takes hard work and determination to mature enough spiritually to surrender everything to God.
Are you waiting on God to spell out what you're to do next or maybe to give you what you're waiting for simply because you've bargained with him? Rather, we should be moving ahead, taking initiative and walking forward in the next step toward fulfilling our holy dreams and desires, trusting that God will guide our feet and keep us from wandering too far astray.
God doesn't wait for us to get desperate or to bargain with him. There's a plan at work. He's already doing what needs to be done. When we're unhappy, it's time to surrender to him what we've asked for as if we truly trust him to do what's best with it. But be careful: This is either a bargaining tool we're using to stay in control, or it's complete trust in his divine control.
Are you ready to surrender?
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God Bless You.....
The mother of Jesus promised St. Dominic that, “one day through the rosary & the scapular I shall save the world!”
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