SAINT QUOTE OF THE DAY : Tuesday - January 23, 2018

Tuesday - January 23, 2018

Spread love everywhere you go: first of all in your own house. Give love to your children, to your wife or husband, to a next door neighbor... Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile, kindness in your warm greeting.

~~Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta

TODAY'S READINGS

 

January 23, 2018

 

« January 22  |  January 24 »

Tuesday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 318

Reading 12 SM 6:12B-15, 17-19

David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom 
into the City of David amid festivities.
As soon as the bearers of the ark of the LORD had advanced six steps, 
he sacrificed an ox and a fatling.
Then David, girt with a linen apron, 
came dancing before the LORD with abandon, 
as he and all the house of Israel were bringing up the ark of the LORD
with shouts of joy and to the sound of the horn.
The ark of the LORD was brought in and set in its place 
within the tent David had pitched for it.
Then David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the LORD.
When he finished making these offerings, 
he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts.
He then distributed among all the people, 
to each man and each woman in the entire multitude of Israel, 
a loaf of bread, a cut of roast meat, and a raisin cake.
With this, all the people left for their homes.

Responsorial PsalmPS 24:7, 8, 9, 10

R. (8) Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!
Lift up, O gates, your lintels;
reach up, you ancient portals,
that the king of glory may come in!
R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!
Who is this king of glory?
The LORD, strong and mighty,
the LORD, mighty in battle.
R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!
Lift up, O gates, your lintels;
reach up, you ancient portals,
that the king of glory may come in!
R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!
Who is this king of glory?
The LORD of hosts; he is the king of glory.
R. Who is this king of glory? It is the Lord!

Alleluia SEE MT 11:25

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the Kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GospelMK 3:31-35

The mother of Jesus and his brothers arrived at the house.
Standing outside, they sent word to Jesus and called him.
A crowd seated around him told him,
"Your mother and your brothers and your sisters
are outside asking for you."
But he said to them in reply,
"Who are my mother and my brothers?"
And looking around at those seated in the circle he said,
"Here are my mother and my brothers.
For whoever does the will of God
is my brother and sister and mother."

 

***************************************************************

JESUS AS YOUR BROTHER

All too often as adults we have better relationships with friends than we do with our brothers and sisters and parents. Family relationships are supposed to last a lifetime. God's plan for marriage and family -- as modeled by the Holy Family, revealed throughout the Bible, and explained by the Catholic Church -- empowers us to be a community of faithful love, even during disagreements and even despite knowing each other's short-comings so well.

But what happens when a family member doesn't want to belong to God's family? That's when relationships become most difficult. Jesus said that following him means leaving mother and father and sister and brother (see Matt. 10:34-36) when they aren't following him with us. But oh how grievous it is to leave behind members of our families!

This is why God gives us brothers and sisters and mothers and fathers in Christian community, i.e., people who are not blood relatives but are related to us by the Blood of Christ. This is the kind of family that Jesus talks about in today's Gospel reading. God is our Divine Father, and doing his will unites us to him. All those who do his will are united to him. Therefore, when we do the Father's will we are bonded to everyone else in his family.

At the top of the list of Blood relatives is our brother Jesus. So, what is it like to have God for a brother?

Recall the best time you ever had with an earthly relative. Remember the camaraderie, the companionship. Remember the secrets you shared. Remember how you could relax in that relationship, assured that nothing would ever shatter the bond you felt. Remember playing together, laughing together, crying together, complaining about whatever was unfair, and remember the sympathy you received along with some advice that lifted you out of your bad mood.

Do you give Jesus daily opportunities to be a brother like that?

Do you spend enough time alone with your Brother to tighten your relationship with him? Do you allow him to be your closest companion? Do you share your deepest secrets with him? When was the last time you were playful with him? Do you cry on his shoulder and complain to him instead of sinning by taking your complaints to everyone else who will listen? Do you sit quietly in your prayer chair long enough to feel his sympathy? Do you pay attention to his advice (which is readily available in scripture and other avenues of revelation)? And do you tell him about whatever strikes you as funny or silly so that you laugh together?

This is the real Jesus! He likes being your Brother. Go have fun with him today.

-----------------------------

God Bless You.....

Rosary Family

The mother of Jesus promised St. Dominic that, “one day through the rosary & the scapular I shall save the world!”