Friday

2nd Week in Ordinary Time, Friday

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Today’s Gospel reminds us that Our Lord calls by way of invitation. He summons the Twelve, but they must respond to the summons. Today’s Gospel focuses on the call and the response of the Twelve, but the Lord extends an invitation to everyone to follow him, not because he has to, but because he wants to. Today’s Gospel says he calls those whom “he wanted.” Not every calling involves the same authority and appointment as the Twelve, but it does involve being sent into the world on Our Lord’s behalf to spread the Good News. That’s not just the mission of bishops, priests, deacons, and consecrated persons; everyone is sent on mission in accordance with their state of life, be it clergy, laity, or consecrated.

Today’s Gospel also shows that Our Lord’s invitation is based on a first hand knowledge of the one being sent. Today it seems some of the apostles receive “nicknames,” but biblically the reception of a new name also involves a transformation and a mission. Peter at that moment was a “rock” in the rough who’d one day be the rock on which Our Lord would build his Church. James and John both had a thundering personality in the Lord’s service that made them worthy of the name. These “nicknames” are probably also mentioned by Mark because the generations of Christians that followed may not have known them by any other.

What’s Our Lord inviting you to do? What name do you’d think he’d give you that summarizes the kind of apostle you’re called to be? You may not see it, but for him you are a diamond in the rough. Respond to his call, whatever it may be, and soon you’ll shine in his service, even in the circumstances of everyday life.

Readings: 1 Samuel 24:3–21; Psalm 57:2–4, 6, 11; Mark 3:13–19. See also 14th Week in Ordinary Time, Wednesday and Sts. Simon and Jude, Apostles.

1st Week in Ordinary Time, Friday

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When John the Baptist’s ministry started drawing the attention of Israel’s religious authorities, he identified himself as the voice crying out in the desert to make straight the way of the Lord (John 1:23; Mark 1:3; Isaiah 40:3). Conversion in John’s mind was a call to clear a path for the Lord to come as quickly and easily as possible. Our Lord has now come. He also comes into our hearts if we let him. The “straight way” described by John goes two ways: Our Lord has come, but sometimes we are prevented from going to meet him. We can either throw up obstacles due to sin, or face obstacles that seem insurmountable. When a life becomes hardened by sin the sinner soon thinks there is no way out, and no way forward.

Today’s Gospel reminds us that sometimes we have to be creative to clear obstacles in the path to Our Lord. The original etymology of the word “conversion” literally means “with a turning”: the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, but logic fails when the straight path is blocked. The paralytics friends started thinking parabolically: up, over and down, with a thatched roof a little worse for wear. Our life may have to take a turn in order to get back on track toward Our Lord, but that is what conversion is all about: taking the right turn in life after having taken the wrong one.

The obstacles we face in the spiritual life cannot always be circumvented, but with the help of grace they can be surmounted. Ask Our Lord today to show you where your spiritual thinking might need to be less linear and more parabolic.

Readings: 1 Samuel 8:4–7, 10–22a; Psalm 89:16–19; Mark 2:1–12. See also 13th Week in Ordinary Time, Thursday and 2nd Week of Advent, Monday.

Friday after Epiphany

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In today’s Gospel Our Lord doesn’t want word of healing a leper getting out, but it does. As the news starts to spread, he doesn’t decide to hold a press conference and bask in the admiration of others; rather, he withdraws to be alone and pray. His workload has increased due to word getting around about the miraculous healing, and he doesn’t shy away from it, but he also does not sacrifice his prayer life.

Today Our Lord is teaching us that we all need to take stock of how much quiet prayer time we’re reserving for him. When the weekend comes, is it just a change of noise and activity for us? Perhaps if the leper had paused for a moment of silent prayer and thanksgiving he would have realized that the best way to thank Our Lord would have been to respect his wishes and keep the matter private. Still, Our Lord harbored no resentment toward the leper contributing to an increased workload. That kind of peace and understanding no matter what is thrown at you is a fruit of silence, recollection, and prayer.

The new year is barely a week old, and it’s not too late to make a new resolution. Make a resolution to spend a little time each day in silence, alone with Our Lord, and you’ll be amazed by the peace it gives you throughout the day.

Readings: 1 John 5:5–13; Psalm 147:12–15, 19–20; Luke 5:12–16. See also 12th Week in Ordinary Time, Friday.

2nd Week of Advent, Friday

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In today’s Gospel Our Lord invites us to go beyond the superficial in the Advent season and seek not only merriment or consolation, but a source of true and lasting joy. If Advent is characterized by John the Baptist, someone calling for repentance and conversion, the superficial see this as crazy, and just keep looking for a drinking buddy with which to drown their sorrows, not believing a path back to joy is possible. With so many dramatic family situations in the modern world Advent and Christmas are a painful reminder of a joy ever never possessed or lost, with nothing during the holidays to distract oneself from sobering realizations.

Christmas is characterized by Our Lord, a time for celebration, but also a time to find something deeper than the next party, treat or present before the season is over. If Advent is an opportunity to seek a deeper source of joy, the superficial see a little holiday happiness as enough, and then back to work and the daily grind. They can experience a similar emptiness to those drowning their sorrows, but they try to ignore it by keeping the party going.

Our Lord reminds us in the face of these attitudes that wisdom is justified by her works. Wisdom is what we’re looking for to find not only joy, but a source of joy. Jesus is the Wisdom of God (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:24) and also God’s power: he is able to help us go deep and tap the source of true joy that can sustain us in happy or sad moments. Feelings come and go, but joy remains. During Advent we prepare for the coming of the Prince of Peace, and, as he reminds us, his peace is not like the world’s (cf. John 14:27). Let’s continue to live this Advent as a time to prepare and welcome the Prince of Peace who’ll take us beyond happiness or sorrow to a deep joy.

Readings: Isaiah 48:17–19; Psalm 1:1–4, 6; Matthew 11:16–19. See also 24th Week in Ordinary Time, Wednesday.

1st Week of Advent, Friday

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In today’s First Reading one of the signs of salvation will be the blind coming out of gloom and darkness to see. The two blind men in today’s Gospel “see” Jesus as the Messiah, and they express that faith to him while asking for his mercy. Unlike other accounts of Our Lord healing blind men, this one is done behind closed doors: Our Lord in silence and privacy wants this just between him and them.

He makes it clear that the miracle depends on their faith in him being able to do what they are asking of him. The miracle will be a sign of the depth of their faith, and, thankfully, their faith is deep enough. Faith in Our Lord is what leads us out of gloom and darkness, especially spiritual gloom and darkness. In Advent we remember in a penitential spirit that darkness we’ve walked into through our sins, but also the true light about to come into the world on Christmas Day to lead us out of that darkness if we have faith in him.

Do you believe Our Lord can lead you out of any spiritual darkness or myopia you may be experiencing? Advent is a time to get ready to ask him to restore your sight when he appears on Christmas Day.

Readings: Isaiah 29:17–24; Psalm 27:1, 4, 13–14; Matthew 9:27–31.

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