Sunday 22 January
3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Sunday of the Word of God First reading - Isaiah 8:23-9:3 “The people that walked in darkness has seen a great light; on those who live in a land of deep shadow a light has shone”. That is the Word of God incarnated. The Word in the beginning created Light. The same Word by incarnation becomes light to all those in the darkness and all those live in a land of deep shadow. The Word of God has brought the light of grace, the light of forgiveness, the light of being sons and daughters of God to us. The Word of God becomes the light where we walk. Wherever we are, the light accompanies us. Nothing can make shadow over me. No obstacles, no problems, no hurdles can cause shadow for me. Because irrespective of the circumstances and situations, there is light. Only one condition, we must open our eyes. If we close our eyes and say that we don’t see light. No one can help us. When we let the light of the Word of God come to our life, our gladness greater and make our joy increase. Even in small things we will joy and gladness. Moreover, the Word of God will break the yoke that is weighing on us, yoke of our pride, our ego, our jealousy. Let’s reflect: Are my eyes open to see the light of the Word of God?
Saturday 21 January
Saint Agnes, Virgin, Martyr on Saturday of week 2 in Ordinary Time First reading - Hebrews 9:2-3,11-14 In Jesus Christ, the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies become one. He is the perfect space where the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies meet. He offered the perfect sacrifice. And why He did that? He did that for us, for each one of us. He offered himself as a perfect sacrifice to God through the eternal Spirit which can purify our inner self from dead action so that we do our service to the living God. Here we understand the importance of His sacrifice. It’s not with the blood of goats and bull calves, but with his own blood He won an eternal redemption for us. Since it’s His own blood, and as He assumed our nature, it is not anymore, a purification of our outward lives, but it’s the purification of our inner lives, a purification in our inner self from dead actions, actions which spread darkness. This purification enables us to do our service to the living God, a service which lights up the live of others. When you are sitting before Jesus in the tabernacle, this purification realizes itself, when you are participating in the Holy Eucharist, this purification becomes a reality. Let’s reflect: The blood of Jesus Christ makes a purification of our inner self as He participated in our nature through His incarnation.
Friday 20 January
Friday of week 2 in Ordinary Time Saint Sebastian, Martyr Saint Fabian, Pope, Martyr First reading - Hebrews 8:6-13 “I will put my laws into their minds and write them on their hearts…. I will forgive their iniquities and never call their sins to mind”. This new relationship of God with us is something revolutionary. It is something very personal to each one of us. This is a new relationship. I will establish a new covenant. And it’s not like the previous one, not a covenant like the one I made with their ancestors. This is a covenant where the Lord takes care of each one of us. “‘There will be no further need for neighbor to try to teach neighbor, or brother to say to brother, ‘Learn to know the Lord.’”. The Lord takes care of each mind and heart. He will put His laws into each mind and write it on each heart. This intimacy reminds us of the gift of Eucharist where the Lord comes to each one of us in a very special way. The Lord is so close to us. This is the new covenant, a covenant of personal relationship where the Lord became one with me to write His laws in my heart. He forgave all my sins to be one with me. Let’s reflect: In Eucharist God becomes one with me to write His law of love in my heart.