Monday

2nd Week in Ordinary Time, Monday

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In today’s First Reading we see beginning of the end for King Saul. The Lord chose him to be king over Israel, and so he was the Lord’s representative: the way he lead was understood by the people to be what the Lord wanted. The Amalekites had a long enmity with Israel, and the Lord expressly ordered not only their destruction as punishment, but the destruction of all their goods: none of it was to be spared. Saul “countermanded” the Lord by not killing the Amalekite king (and a king, being like the head, is like not killing the body at all) and kept the best booty because it would please his troops, sacrificing it as a way to appease them and the Lord, or so he thought.

When the Lord sends the prophet Samuel to denounce Saul for what he has done, Saul repeatedly tries to justify himself: with his own words he shows he did not obey the Lord to the letter, as was expected, and he was not repentant for what he had done. He thought a few sacrifices were enough to appease the Lord, an attitude toward a god that is typical of the nations surrounding Israel, but also an attitude of people worshiping what they thought was a god, but wasn’t. Their gods didn’t speak to them or talk back when they disobeyed them. Saul, to the contrary, had all the means to know God’s will clearly: his very kingship was the Lord’s doing, and he had a prophet who could help him know the Lord’s will as well. In the end he listened to his fears and ego instead and started down the path of losing everything the Lord had given him.

Saul teaches us that separation from God doesn’t happen in an instant: little by little we subtly justify ourselves, switching our criteria for God’s, thinking that one will blend with the other until the moment comes when our criteria and his become like oil and water. Our Lord’s criteria is always the best criteria, and it always has our best interest in mind. Let’s learn from the sad case of Saul not to deceive ourselves into thinking we may know better than God.

Readings: 1 Samuel 15:16–23; Psalm 50:8–9, 16b–17, 21, 23; Mark 2:18–22. See also 13th Week in Ordinary Time, Saturday and 22nd Week in Ordinary Time, Friday.

1st Week in Ordinary Time, Monday

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In today’s Gospel we see that just as Our Lord continues to preach the message he entrusted to John the Baptist, so he begins to call the apostles who would learn it and transmit it to future generations. The readings remind today today that we all have a calling, and if we follow it we can achieve true fulfillment in life by working with Our Lord to help others receive the Gospel and be saved. Hannah in the First Reading is sad because she feels her calling to motherhood, but seems unable to achieve it. She loves her husband, but she knows a call to marriage is also a call to motherhood. Mothers are the first teachers of faith and love to their children.

When we sense a calling it strikes a chord in us, but as a vocation, not just for priests and consecrated persons, but for everyone, we know it not only appeals to our likes, but challenges us as well. If we feel challenged it is a sign that it comes from beyond us even though it seems it might suit us if we embrace it. John the Baptist knew prophets were also destined for martyrdom, but he didn’t shy away from his calling. Our Lord invites us to follow him in some way, and we are free to decline, but we’ll always see it as a missed opportunity if we do. Our Lord works with us to plan our lives and we should always be open to his input.

Ask Our Lord today to help you see the life you should lead. You won’t regret it.

Readings: 1 Samuel 1:1–8; Psalm 116:12–19; Mark 1:14–20.

Monday after Epiphany

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The readings in this last week of the Christmas season bask in the glow of Christ as the light of the nations, something underscored on the Feast of the Epiphany of the Lord. In today’s Gospel John the Baptist’s mission is ending and Our Lord’s is beginning, but they are one and the same: to preach conversion and faith because the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. John prepared the way; now the Lord has come.

John preached conversion and faith to people who knew in their hearts that it was needed, not just for the world, but for them. The Lord’s phase of the mission is not just characterized by awakening consciences, but by showing the power of God. People not only received teaching and the Gospel, but physical healing to show the power of repentance and faith. Just as John had told the Pharisees, priests, and elders, they hadn’t seen anything yet. Now the Lord had come and proved John’s words were true.

If you didn’t live Advent well, it’s not too late to have Our Lord come with power into your life for Christmas and the new year. Clear a path for him in your heart and he will come and transform it.

Readings: 1 John 3:22–4:6; Psalm 2:7bc–8, 10; Matthew 4:12–17, 23–25.

3rd Week of Advent, Monday

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In today’s Gospel we can re-cast the question Our Lord posed to the chief priests and elders: what is, for us, the real reason behind the season of Advent? Is it a human reason or divine one? The chief priests and elders wimped out and avoiding answering the question because they knew whatever they said would be unpopular.  Does that sound familiar? Are we afraid to take a position on the reason for this season, or are we playing both sides to avoid trouble, observing more secular Christmas traditions with some and more religious ones with others?

This apparent paradox is woven into this season and reflects what is really behind it: what’s coming is not only due to God and from God, but, rather God himself is coming. God is coming after assuming a human nature: something from God has become something of man too. The danger is discounting the divine part in favor of the human: then we’re celebrating the birthday of someone who had a great impact on the world a few thousand years ago, and not the birthday of Our Savior. It’s the difference between giving witness to God being behind the season and simply considering it another social convention to follow.

Even in Advent God is on the move. Let’s share that joyful news and what it means to us and to the world. He is coming to save us.

Readings: Numbers 24:2–7, 15–17a; Psalm 25:4–5ab, 6, 7bc, 8–9; Matthew 21:23–27. See also 8th Week in Ordinary Time, Saturday.

2nd Week of Advent, Monday

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In today’s Gospel Our Lord reminds us what a great grace it is for us to receive forgiveness through the mediation of others. When the scribes and Pharisees in today’s Gospel are shocked that Our Lord would presume to forgive sins, Our Lord doesn’t keep silent as if to maintain the secret that he is God; rather, he uses the healing as a sign that the Son of Man has authority “on earth” to forgive sins. When we leave the confessional we have the relief of knowing that if we’ve made a good confession we’re forgiven: it’s the first day of the rest of our spiritual life. The challenges don’t go away, but we know we can make a fresh start.

Our Lord doesn’t just want to dispense his mercy in eternity; God has opened the “roof” of history and arranged for those paralyzed by sin to receive the help they need to encounter his Son and be forgiven. During Advent we remember that Our Lord doesn’t come to condemn us, but to forgive us. We rejoice because we are forgiven and loved by God.

A special time of mercy has begun with Advent; let’s rejoice that our forgiveness it at hand, and help others draw closer to the fount of mercy as well.

Readings: Isaiah 35:1–10; Psalm 85:9–14; Luke 5:17–26. See also 13th Week in Ordinary Time, Thursday.

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