First Reading: Isaiah 8:23—9:3 First the Lord degraded the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali; but in the end he has glorified the seaward road, the land west of the Jordan, the District of the Gentiles. Anguish has taken wing, dispelled is darkness: for there is no gloom where but now there was distress. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shone. You have brought them abundant joy and great rejoicing, as they rejoice before you as at the harvest, as people make merry when dividing spoils. For the yoke that burdened them, the pole on their shoulder, and the rod of their taskmaster you have smashed, as on the day of Midian. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 27:1, 4, 13-14 R. (1a) The Lord is my light and my salvation. The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom should I fear? The LORD is my life's refuge; of whom should I be afraid? R. The Lord is my light and my salvation. One thing I ask of the LORD; this I seek: To dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD and contemplate his temple. R. The Lord is my light and my salvation. I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD with courage; be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD. R. The Lord is my light and my salvation. Second reading: 1 Corinthians 1:10-13, 17 I urge you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree in what you say, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and in the same purpose. For it has been reported to me about you, my brothers and sisters, by Chloe's people, that there are rivalries among you. I mean that each of you is saying, "I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apollos," or "I belong to Cephas," or "I belong to Christ." Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with the wisdom of human eloquence, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its meaning. Gospel: Matthew 4:12-23 When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and went to live in Capernaum by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what had been said through Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled: Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death light has arisen. From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." As he was walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and his brother Andrew, casting a net into the sea; they were fishermen. He said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." At once they left their nets and followed him. He walked along from there and saw two other brothers, James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They were in a boat, with their father Zebedee, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left their boat and their father and followed him. He went around all of Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, and curing every disease and illness among the people. NAB When I was a child, my family visited the famous former prison at Alcatraz Island. At that time—the early eighties—the tour guide would briefly shut the tourists in the solitary confinement cell, to get an unforgettable glimpse of what it felt like to be a prisoner. (It’s apparently no longer part of the tour, likely due to the very real possibility of triggering panic attacks among the visitors.) To this day, it was the most all-encompassing darkness I’ve ever experienced. It was the kind of darkness where your eyes search wildly for something, anything on which to focus and yet come up empty, leading you to doubt that your sense of sight is even working at all. To go from light to that kind of darkness is something that’s hard to forget. It made me understand the experience of being a prisoner in ways that nothing else on the tour did. Today’s readings bring us the wonderfully comforting promise: “The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light.” And yet my Alcatraz experience represents a symbolic truth: often, people who are accustomed to light end up seeing a great darkness. Every life involves suffering, and even the strongest faith doesn’t protect us from the darkness of pain. It doesn’t prevent experiences like the death of a loved one, a bout with depression, the end of a relationship, or being victimized by racial or sexual injustice. And these experiences, these episodes of darkness where we are used to light, can shake us. They can make us panic and wonder if we will ever find the way out. But there is often grace that comes from these experiences of darkness. Once we’re out of them—which, yes, can sometimes take a very long time—we emerge with a more complete, visceral understanding of the range of human suffering in the world. This in turn can make us more compassionate, more involved in advocacy, more willing to do concrete acts of mercy for those who are still in pain. And all this makes us better ministers of the light than we could ever have been before. How has your own experience of suffering made you a better minister of God’s light? [bctt tweet="There is grace that comes from experiences of darkness."] Ginny Kubitz Moyer is a mother, high school English teacher, and BBC period drama junkie. She is the author of Taste and See: Experiencing the Goodness of God with Our Five Senses and Mary and Me: Catholic Women Reflect on the Mother of God. Ginny lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, two boys, and about thirty thousand Legos. You can find out more about her here.

Memorial of Saint Agnes, Virgin and Martyr First Reading: Hebrews 9:2-3, 11-14 A tabernacle was constructed, the outer one, in which were the lampstand, the table, and the bread of offering; this is called the Holy Place. Behind the second veil was the tabernacle called the Holy of Holies. But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come to be, passing through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made by hands, that is, not belonging to this creation, he entered once for all into the sanctuary, not with the blood of goats and calves but with his own Blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the sprinkling of a heifer's ashes can sanctify those who are defiled so that their flesh is cleansed, how much more will the Blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works to worship the living God. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9 R. (6) God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord. All you peoples, clap your hands, shout to God with cries of gladness, For the LORD, the Most High, the awesome, is the great king over all the earth. R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord. God mounts his throne amid shouts of joy; the LORD, amid trumpet blasts. Sing praise to God, sing praise; sing praise to our king, sing praise. R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord. For king of all the earth is God: sing hymns of praise. God reigns over the nations, God sits upon his holy throne. R. God mounts his throne to shouts of joy: a blare of trumpets for the Lord. Gospel: Mark 3:20-21 Jesus came with his disciples into the house. Again the crowd gathered, making it impossible for them even to eat. When his relatives heard of this they set out to seize him, for they said, "He is out of his mind." NAB When I first read the words of today’s Gospel, I wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry. In Saint Mark’s Gospel, Jesus has just appointed the twelve Apostles and quickly gained a following. He’s so popular that hoards of people are cramming themselves into a tiny house just to be close to Him. But outside there is a commotion, caused by, of all people, His family. The Lover of all mankind and the Savior of the world was accused of being crazy. There is a real pain in being misunderstood. Saint Agnes, who’s feast day we celebrate, surely felt this when various suitors tried to persuade her to marry them. Saint Agnes was a virtuous and beautiful girl who had been raised in a Christian home and decided at a young age that Jesus was to be her only spouse. When she rejected the proposals of men for the love of Jesus, they became enraged, confining her to a brothel and employing many cruel methods of torture to convince her to abandon her promise. Legend attributes many miracles to Saint Agnes’ life being spared, including her potential abusers being struck blind when they tried to assault her and flames parting to keep from burning her at the stake. Eventually, though, they succeeded and Saint Agnes was martyred in 304 at tender age of twelve or thirteen. Why would this precious girl endure such horrors? Why not marry and continue to live a quiet life of love and service to Jesus Christ? I can’t help but wonder if she was a little out of her mind, too. But Saint Agnes had fallen in love with the Mad Lover, as Saint Catherine of Siena called Him. Just as Jesus didn’t shy away from the terrible pain of the cross for love of us, Saint Agnes wasn’t afraid to suffer for love of Him. And that kind of love? It is crazy. So I don’t hurt for Jesus being misunderstood or Saint Agnes being tortured. Instead I am desperate to know the kind of crazy love that doesn’t fear death, that keeps on loving despite rejection. I want to know the Mad Lover. And I’m asking Saint Agnes to pray that I might love Jesus with that same unrelenting love. [bctt tweet="I want to know the Mad Lover."] Through the intercession of Saint Agnes, meditate on the reality that you are already deeply loved by Jesus. Beth Davis is a lover of Jesus, an aunt to five beautiful humans, and a full time youth minister in Flagstaff, Arizona. She is passionate about winning the hearts of young people for Jesus through discipleship. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Hebrews 8:6-13 Brothers and sisters: Now our high priest has obtained so much more excellent a ministry as he is mediator of a better covenant, enacted on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, no place would have been sought for a second one. But he finds fault with them and says: Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will conclude a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their fathers the day I took them by the hand to lead them forth from the land of Egypt; for they did not stand by my covenant and I ignored them, says the Lord. But this is the covenant I will establish with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds and I will write them upon their hearts. I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall not teach, each one his fellow citizen and kin, saying, "Know the Lord," for all shall know me, from least to greatest. For I will forgive their evildoing and remember their sins no more. When he speaks of a "new" covenant, he declares the first one obsolete. And what has become obsolete and has grown old is close to disappearing. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 85:8 AND 10, 11-12, 13-14 R. (11a) Kindness and truth shall meet. Show us, O LORD, your mercy, and grant us your salvation. Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him, glory dwelling in our land. R. Kindness and truth shall meet. Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss. Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven. R. Kindness and truth shall meet. The LORD himself will give his benefits; our land shall yield its increase. Justice shall walk before him, and salvation, along the way of his steps. R. Kindness and truth shall meet. Gospel: Mark 3:13-19 Jesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him. He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles, that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons: He appointed the Twelve: Simon, whom he named Peter; James, son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus; Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him. NAB At some point I knew the Apostles were commissioned from the mountaintop, but I never gave much thought to how they all got up there. I’m in pretty good shape, but I really don’t know if I could climb a mountain on demand. Don’t those kind of hikes take serious training? I would probably show up at the summit heaving and wheezing, with sore legs and my bad ankle throbbing. And I’m saying this as someone who ran her fourth half-marathon not too long ago and hauls herself to work out at least a few times a week. Today's Gospel doesn’t say that Jesus called the Apostles to a hillside or a beach—no, He summons them up to a mountaintop. That’s some real commitment and work right away, just to get sent out to do the real work of driving out demons and preaching. Climbing the mountain—that was just the preliminary prep work. Sometimes I feel like a lot of my work right now is climbing that mountain. I’m not out there on commission quite yet, I think. Right now, I just need to worry about hauling my sorry self up a mountainside and show up for my assignment from Jesus. God only knows what that ultimate assignment is, and I mean that quite literally. Climbing the mountain isn’t the end of the journey, but it’s an important part of the work. It’s harrowing and long, but I’m not on that path alone. The rest of us on the path to total discipleship are there, too. We might not be there yet, but Jesus is summoning us to Him. He’s waiting at the top of the mountain, and we are the ones He is calling to join Him. Why? He wants us to be with Him, and He wants to send us out to do His work. First, though, we need to heed His call up the mountain. [bctt tweet="He’s waiting at the top of the mountain, and He is calling us to join Him. // @br1gid"] Is Jesus calling you up the mountain? Are you already a disciple on commission? How can you support those on this journey with you? Brigid Hogan is a midwestern graduate student who finds peace in lakes, the Mass, and fiction when she isn’t ensconced in schoolwork. Find out more about her here.

First Reading: Hebrews 7:25—8:6 Jesus is always able to save those who approach God through him, since he lives forever to make intercession for them. It was fitting that we should have such a high priest: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, higher than the heavens. He has no need, as did the high priests, to offer sacrifice day after day, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; he did that once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints men subject to weakness to be high priests, but the word of the oath, which was taken after the law, appoints a son, who has been made perfect forever. The main point of what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle that the Lord, not man, set up. Now every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus the necessity for this one also to have something to offer. If then he were on earth, he would not be a priest, since there are those who offer gifts according to the law. They worship in a copy and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary, as Moses was warned when he was about to erect the tabernacle. For God says, "See that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain." Now he has obtained so much more excellent a ministry as he is mediator of a better covenant, enacted on better promises. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 40:7-8A, 8B-9, 10, 17 R. (8a and 9a) Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will. Sacrifice or oblation you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me. Burnt offerings or sin-offerings you sought not; then said I, "Behold I come." R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will. "In the written scroll it is prescribed for me, To do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart!" R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will. I announced your justice in the vast assembly; I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know. R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will. May all who seek you exult and be glad in you, And may those who love your salvation say ever, "The LORD be glorified." R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will. Gospel: Mark 3:7-12 Jesus withdrew toward the sea with his disciples. A large number of people followed from Galilee and from Judea. Hearing what he was doing, a large number of people came to him also from Jerusalem, from Idumea, from beyond the Jordan, and from the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon. He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him. He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases were pressing upon him to touch him. And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him and shout, "You are the Son of God." He warned them sternly not to make him known. NAB There’s a motif running through the Gospel of Saint Mark, and it can seem a bit mystifying. Again and again, when the Apostles, or people whom Jesus has healed, or, ya know . . . evil spirits, recognize Him as the Messiah or the Son of God, He shuts them down. “And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him and shout, ‘You are the Son of God.’ He warned them sternly not to make him known.” (Mark 3:11-12) “He asked them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered him, ‘You are the Messiah.’ And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.” (Mark 8:29-30) Why? Doesn’t Jesus want everyone to know that He is God? I would argue that He does, or He wouldn’t go around performing public miracles. But then I’d argue that what He (sternly) does NOT want, is for people to label Him. Because once they’ve labeled Him, they can put Him in a box filled with their expectations for that label. Jesus is the Messiah and He is the Son of God, but those titles come with a lot of baggage. For the people of the Old Testament, “the Messiah” was the heir to the throne of Judah, a warrior-king like David, who would drive Israel's enemies out of the Promised Land and make the Jews a strong, independent people. The title “sons of God” when used in Genesis refers to “the heroes that were of old, warriors of renown.” (Genesis 6:4) It was true then, and it is true now: labels get in the way of relationships. And that is what Jesus wants from us: a relationship with Him, and a relationship with each other. Conservative, progressive, racist, feminist, anarchist . . . whatever. All of these labels can serve to remove a person’s humanity and replace it with a set of assumptions. Jesus is so much more than the labels people wanted to put on Him. He is the Messiah, He has saved His people, but in a much more profound and lasting way than most could have imagined. In a similar way, we are all more than our labels. Our Catholic faith, when we understand it and commit to it, means that none of those political and social labels can fit us exactly anyway. So, if and when, we are tempted to start a Facebook post with, “to my {insert ideology here} friends . . . ,” we’d probably be better off going with just “to my friends . . . .” [bctt tweet="Jesus is more than the labels people wanted to put on Him. He is the Messiah. // @kendra_tierney"] Kendra Tierney is wife to a good man and mother to eight pretty good kids. Together they are fixing up a tumbledown hundred year old house. She's a writer, and a blogger, and a graphic designer, and a homeschooler, and a regular schooler. Her word art is available here. Her book, A Little Book About Confession for Children, is available here. Find out more about her here.

First Reading: Hebrews 7:1-3, 15-17 Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of God Most High, met Abraham as he returned from his defeat of the kings and blessed him. And Abraham apportioned to him a tenth of everything. His name first means righteous king, and he was also "king of Salem," that is, king of peace. Without father, mother, or ancestry, without beginning of days or end of life, thus made to resemble the Son of God, he remains a priest forever. It is even more obvious if another priest is raised up after the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become so, not by a law expressed in a commandment concerning physical descent but by the power of a life that cannot be destroyed. For it is testified: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 110:1, 2, 3, 4 R. (4b) You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek. The LORD said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool." R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek. The scepter of your power the LORD will stretch forth from Zion: "Rule in the midst of your enemies." R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek. "Yours is princely power in the day of your birth, in holy splendor; before the daystar, like the dew, I have begotten you." R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek. The LORD has sworn, and he will not repent: "You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek." R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek. Gospel: Mark 3:1-6 Jesus entered the synagogue. There was a man there who had a withered hand. They watched Jesus closely to see if he would cure him on the sabbath so that they might accuse him. He said to the man with the withered hand, "Come up here before us." Then he said to the Pharisees, "Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?" But they remained silent. Looking around at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart, Jesus said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel with the Herodians against him to put him to death. NAB He knew there was no chance. Even when he saw Jesus come into the synagogue, he knew. You have to matter for someone like Jesus to notice you. Even if Jesus somehow saw him, he wouldn’t see the hand. After years of practice, it was natural to keep it hidden by his side—it was barely noticeable to a casual passerby. When Jesus called to him and asked him to come before the Pharisees, his heart beat wildly in his throat. Still, there was no chance of healing. It was against the rules. The rules are there for a reason, of course. They’re important. They keep things holy, separating the profane from the sacred, drawing a line around what is precious to ensure it stays clean. We need those rules. They’re our best human attempt to make our lives as godly as possible—and we need all the help we can get. In our quest for holiness, we can only improve ourselves so much. We can wash our withered hands and keep them carefully concealed in public. In the end, though, rules cannot save us. The only thing that can restore us is an actual encounter with Jesus. When Jesus tells you to stretch out your hand, the hand you don’t want Him to see, the one you hide from everyone, you do what He says. As the man stretched out his hand, slowly, shakily, his fingers trembled along with his spirit. Suddenly, his hand was whole. It wasn’t the rules. It was his encounter with Jesus, who blew the rules wide open to pour out healing on one in need. Sometimes, we berate ourselves for not being good enough or holy enough or smart enough to deserve Jesus’ time. We think if we can just do better at praying, reading Scripture, or being a good person, we’ll be more worthy of His attention. Then we can ask for what we need. We couldn’t be more wrong. Following the rules perfectly will never make us worthy of Jesus’ love. He already loves us more than we could ever merit. Jesus can look tenderly on the most withered parts of our lives and restore us . . . if only we are willing to show them to Him. [bctt tweet="Show Him the part of your life you've been reluctant to share. He will restore it."] Is there an area in your life that you’ve been reluctant to share with Jesus? Pray about showing Him that part of you and allowing Him to restore it. Abbey Dupuy writes her life as a homeschooling mama of four while relying on coffee and grace. You can find out more about her here.

Memorial of Saint Anthony, Abbot First Reading: Hebrews 6:10-20 Brothers and sisters: God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love you have demonstrated for his name by having served and continuing to serve the holy ones. We earnestly desire each of you to demonstrate the same eagerness for the fulfillment of hope until the end, so that you may not become sluggish, but imitators of those who, through faith and patience, are inheriting the promises. When God made the promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, and said, I will indeed bless you and multiply you. And so, after patient waiting, Abraham obtained the promise. Now, men swear by someone greater than themselves; for them an oath serves as a guarantee and puts an end to all argument. So when God wanted to give the heirs of his promise an even clearer demonstration of the immutability of his purpose, he intervened with an oath, so that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge might be strongly encouraged to hold fast to the hope that lies before us. This we have as an anchor of the soul, sure and firm, which reaches into the interior behind the veil, where Jesus has entered on our behalf as forerunner, becoming high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 111:1-2, 4-5, 9 AND 10C R. (5) The Lord will remember his covenant for ever. I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart in the company and assembly of the just. Great are the works of the LORD, exquisite in all their delights. R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever. He has won renown for his wondrous deeds; gracious and merciful is the LORD. He has given food to those who fear him; he will forever be mindful of his covenant. R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever. He has sent deliverance to his people; he has ratified his covenant forever; holy and awesome is his name. His praise endures forever. R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever. Gospel: Mark 2:23-28 As Jesus was passing through a field of grain on the sabbath, his disciples began to make a path while picking the heads of grain. At this the Pharisees said to him, "Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?" He said to them, "Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry? How he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest and ate the bread of offering that only the priests could lawfully eat, and shared it with his companions?" Then he said to them, "The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath. That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath." NAB Newspaper headlines tell us the future looks grim: Division in our country and our world are apparent. Sin freely abounds. Lord, have mercy on us all! Being a Christian, let alone a faithful Catholic, is far from celebrated in the eyes of our modern society. It can be difficult to be a witness to our faith, and it is then that our weary hearts so desperately need to hear—really hear—the words in today’s First Reading from the Letter to the Hebrews. “God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love you have demonstrated for his name by having served and continuing to serve the holy ones.” God doesn’t miss anything you do, sisters. When it feels like your Christian works are falling on cold, frozen ground instead of rich, fertile soil, take heart. God sees you. We are reminded of God’s promise to Abraham, and how “after patient waiting”—about twenty-five years worth—God fulfilled His promise. Praise God! But that patient waiting part can be so hard, can’t it? How easy it is to grow weary after a few hours, days, or weeks of waiting in prayer, let alone twenty-five years! What a witness, what an encouragement this should be for us. God is faithful, sisters. He will never break His promise to us. And then, my favorite line: “We who have taken refuge might be strongly encouraged to hold fast to the hope that lies before us. This we have as an anchor of the soul, sure and firm.” Some days I wear a small gold anchor on a chain around my neck for this very reason: to remind myself that my hope is in Him. That hope, ever-present before us is eternal life with Him. Take a moment, dear sisters. Let this truth wash over your anxieties and cares. Let this promise of hope settle into your heart, that your soul might rest steadfastly believing it. As it turns out, the headlines deceive us. Our future isn’t grim at all. With Him, our future is brighter than we can even imagine. [bctt tweet="With Him, our future is brighter than we can even imagine. // @inendlesssong"] “The Lord will remember his covenant forever,” we hear in today’s Psalm. Let us join our voices with the Psalmist and cry, “Holy and awesome is His name. His praise endures forever.” Amen. photo credit Elise Howe is a devoted wife, momma, and musician currently living in NYC, though she will always be a midwestern gal at heart. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Hebrews 5:1-10 Brothers and sisters: Every high priest is taken from among men and made their representative before God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring, for he himself is beset by weakness and so, for this reason, must make sin offerings for himself as well as for the people. No one takes this honor upon himself but only when called by God, just as Aaron was. In the same way, it was not Christ who glorified himself in becoming high priest, but rather the one who said to him: You are my Son: this day I have begotten you; just as he says in another place, You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. In the days when he was in the Flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 110:1, 2, 3, 4 R. (4b) You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek. The LORD said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool." R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek. The scepter of your power the LORD will stretch forth from Zion: "Rule in the midst of your enemies." R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek. "Yours is princely power in the day of your birth, in holy splendor; before the daystar, like the dew, I have begotten you." R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek. The LORD has sworn, and he will not repent: "You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek." R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek. Gospel: Mark 2:18-22 The disciples of John and of the Pharisees were accustomed to fast. People came to Jesus and objected, "Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?" Jesus answered them, "Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast. But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day. No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak. If he does, its fullness pulls away, the new from the old, and the tear gets worse. Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins are ruined. Rather, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins." NAB If we listen closely to this Gospel, we can get a glimpse of the Person of Jesus, who He is, what His personality is like, and His interesting communication style. Who is this God-Man who answers a question with another question? Who is this Person who instead of giving a direct answer offers a mysterious yet practical analogy? Despite the mysterious meaning of today's Gospel, Jesus brings us fresh newness through His words. This Gospel can be challenging for us to understand. We are pretty familiar with wine from glass bottles (or a box), but most of us have not had many encounters with wine stored in wineskins or those techniques mentioned for mending cloaks. But just because Jesus uses words and images that relate to the time and place of the people around Him, does that mean that these readings are outdated and irrelevant to us today? No, not at all. We may need to come a little closer and listen a little more deeply to what Jesus is saying, but His message of mystery in the Gospel still applies to us today. So, what is Jesus saying to you? Through the practical analogy of new wine poured into new wineskins, I hear Jesus saying that new goes with new. I hear Him saying that the good things of our lives might burst and be wasted if not prepared and stored properly. If we try to stitch up something new into something old, its "fullness pulls away." And if we mix up things that don't quite go together, especially at the wrong time, both may get ruined. Maybe there is an old relationship that needs to be let go for the good of something new? Have you changed and there are new habits forming in you that no longer fit with your old ways of behaving or interacting? Do you need to leave the old behind? Or, do you need to sit with some kind of newness, that despite its possible discomfort or excitement, needs to be still and wait as it transforms and changes, like the patient process of fermenting fine wine? Jesus reminds us today that there is a time, a place, and a practical purpose for all things. The Bridegroom is with us now. What is the fresh newness Jesus is pouring into your heart today? [bctt tweet="Come a little closer and listen a little more deeply to what Jesus is saying."] If we listen and come before His words with a sense of wonder, we may hear something fresh and new that Jesus wants to speak to us today. What do you hear? Mary Catherine Craige is a lover of creativity and learning new things. She enjoys teaching children, creating art and music, and helping others live their lives more fully. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Isaiah 49:3, 5-6 The LORD said to me: You are my servant, Israel, through whom I show my glory. Now the LORD has spoken who formed me as his servant from the womb, that Jacob may be brought back to him and Israel gathered to him; and I am made glorious in the sight of the LORD, and my God is now my strength! It is too little, the LORD says, for you to be my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and restore the survivors of Israel; I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10 R. (8a and 9a) Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will. I have waited, waited for the LORD, and he stooped toward me and heard my cry. And he put a new song into my mouth, a hymn to our God. R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will. Sacrifice or offering you wished not, but ears open to obedience you gave me. Holocausts or sin-offerings you sought not; then said I, "Behold I come." R. Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will. "In the written scroll it is prescribed for me, to do your will, O my God, is my delight, and your law is within my heart!" R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will. I announced your justice in the vast assembly; I did not restrain my lips, as you, O LORD, know. R. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will. Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:1-3 Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, to the church of God that is in Corinth, to you who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be holy, with all those everywhere who call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Gospel: John 1:29-34 John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. He is the one of whom I said, 'A man is coming after me who ranks ahead of me because he existed before me.' I did not know him, but the reason why I came baptizing with water was that he might be made known to Israel." John testified further, saying, "I saw the Spirit come down like a dove from heaven and remain upon him. I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God." NAB Saint John the Baptist is such an interesting character—he's intense yet straightforward, prophetic yet humble. He's a bit hard to relate to if I'm being honest. Yet Christ was so vocal in His love for His cousin, and the importance of Saint John the Baptist to the entire Church that I want to take note of what he is saying today. Today he is identifying, proclaiming, and testifying to the fact that Jesus is the Lamb of God. The Lamb of God. The Person who has come to offer Himself in sacrifice for our sins. And not only that, but Saint John is telling us that the Holy Spirit has descended upon this Lamb. These are revolutionary words. This is an incredible time in history, people were hearing something they had never heard before, something that had been foretold to them in the Scriptures. Imagine hearing these words for the first time, imagine the prophecies you had heard your entire life being fulfilled in the coming of a Savior who would save you from your sins? That is what is happening in today's Gospel, a first telling that the Savior is finally here, right now! I'm trying to let these words hit me anew today, I want to hear these glad tidings with fresh ears for a new year. We too are being called to testify to Christ in our own lives today. There are people in our lives that have never heard that salvation waits for them in Jesus. There are people who are desperate and yearning for this miracle, to know who can satisfy their hunger, who can heal their addictions and wounds, who can give them truth in a world of chaos and confusion. We are called to be the prophet and apostle of Jesus to these people in our lives. It may not come as a vocal proclamation like Saint John the Baptist, but it can be in little acts of kindness, barely noticeable acts of service, a listening ear, a smile. We need to proclaim Christ as Savior, this year more than ever with all the fervor and humility of Saint John the Baptist. As we begin this new year, what are some ways that we can proclaim Jesus Christ with intention? Are there people in your life who simply need love? In what way would they best receive it? Come Holy Spirit, and give us the courage and grace to proclaim Christ like Saint John the Baptist. photo credit Christy Isinger is the mom to five lovely, loud children living in the Canadian wilds. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Hebrews 4:12-16 The word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart. No creature is concealed from him, but everything is naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must render an account. Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 19:8, 9, 10, 15 R. (see John 6:63c) Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life. The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul; The decree of the LORD is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple. R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The command of the LORD is clear, enlightening the eye. R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; The ordinances of the LORD are true, all of them just. R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life. Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart find favor before you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. R. Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life. Gospel: Mark 2:13-17 Jesus went out along the sea. All the crowd came to him and he taught them. As he passed by, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus, sitting at the customs post. Jesus said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed Jesus. While he was at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners sat with Jesus and his disciples; for there were many who followed him. Some scribes who were Pharisees saw that Jesus was eating with sinners and tax collectors and said to his disciples, "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?" Jesus heard this and said to them, "Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners." NAB I just wanted one thing to work out like I planned, just one. I just wanted one thing to work the way it does for the other women. These were the thoughts that jumbled my head only a few weeks after giving birth to my daughter. She was my rainbow baby—the light after the storm of miscarriage. And here I was in the lactation consultant office, three weeks after my second unexpected c-section because breastfeeding just was not working. A perfect combination of circumstances had me at the end of my rope, but of course I couldn't give up. If I gave up, if I took any route except exclusive breastfeeding, I'd be taking the easy way out and, more notably, I'd be failing yet another part of motherhood. The meeting was almost over when, like a reluctant soul who slips into the confessional at the last possible minute, I made my confession. It wasn't working and not only that—I hated it. When I wasn't angry, I was resentful. The struggle to exclusively breastfeed was affecting my home life and impacting our mother-daughter bond. I sat there, pouring out my miserable failings as a mother to my sweet lactation consultant, Deborah. When I was done, she reached out with what I can imagine was the strength and care of her namesake—the Biblical Judge and Prophetess of the Israelites—and reminded me that she was a mother and she understood. She reminded me that life is filled millions of ways to die to the self—some people give a part of themselves, others give up a part of themselves. Both roads were potentially challenging and potentially sanctifying In today's Gospel, Christ looks past what the world sees as He sits to eat with the sinners and tax collectors. He sees who they are on the inside. Don't forget, as I had, that God sees our innermost self. So when the world tells us that we're not enough, when they tell us we're taking the easy route be assured that only He can see your heart and your intentions. Your life will give you countless opportunities to turn struggle into sanctification. You have not failed God because your path is different or your talents are different or your body works or does not work the same as others do. Remember that God sees past everything to the very reflections of our hearts. If He can see us so clearly, then we should trust Him as we walk that road He has made just for us. [bctt tweet="Your life will give you countless opportunities to turn struggle into sanctification."] Don't look left or right in comparing yourself with how others are doing "it"—whatever it may be. Focus on what He has in mind for your path. Molly Walter is a Catholic convert, wife and mother to one crazy five year old, a new baby girl, and four saints in heaven. She uses her degree in Theatre more as mother than she did while in the business. She enjoys reading, knitting, and rescuing third class relics from Goodwill. Find out more about her here.

First Reading: Hebrews 4:1-5, 11 Let us be on our guard while the promise of entering into his rest remains, that none of you seem to have failed. For in fact we have received the Good News just as our ancestors did. But the word that they heard did not profit them, for they were not united in faith with those who listened. For we who believed enter into that rest, just as he has said: As I swore in my wrath, "They shall not enter into my rest," and yet his works were accomplished at the foundation of the world. For he has spoken somewhere about the seventh day in this manner, And God rested on the seventh day from all his works; and again, in the previously mentioned place, They shall not enter into my rest. Therefore, let us strive to enter into that rest, so that no one may fall after the same example of disobedience. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 78:3 AND 4BC, 6C-7, 8 R. (see 7b) Do not forget the works of the Lord! What we have heard and know, and what our fathers have declared to us, we will declare to the generation to come The glorious deeds of the LORD and his strength. R. Do not forget the works of the Lord! That they too may rise and declare to their sons that they should put their hope in God, And not forget the deeds of God but keep his commands. R. Do not forget the works of the Lord! And not be like their fathers, a generation wayward and rebellious, A generation that kept not its heart steadfast nor its spirit faithful toward God. R. Do not forget the works of the Lord! Gospel: Mark 2:1-12 When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it became known that he was at home. Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them, not even around the door, and he preached the word to them. They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd, they opened up the roof above him. After they had broken through, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to him, "Child, your sins are forgiven." Now some of the scribes were sitting there asking themselves, "Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming. Who but God alone can forgive sins?" Jesus immediately knew in his mind what they were thinking to themselves, so he said, "Why are you thinking such things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, pick up your mat and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth" –he said to the paralytic, "I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home." He rose, picked up his mat at once, and went away in the sight of everyone. They were all astounded and glorified God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this." NAB I am a little embarrassed to admit it, but I can’t help but think of that poor homeowner's roof. Can you image letting someone have a meeting at your home, maybe a little time for worship or a special talk, and there are so many people that show up you can’t fit them all in the door? So then they start coming in through the roof? Didn’t they realize how many people would come? Couldn’t they have found a bigger home? I know homes were built differently back then, but seriously? My roof? When I put myself in this Gospel I am distracted, in the presence of the reality of God in the flesh, in my home, performing an amazing miracle. This isn’t just any meeting. It isn’t just any talk. It is Jesus Christ the Son of God, the Messiah in the flesh who is in my home, speaking truth and beauty and goodness. And I am worried about the roof. It’s not about the roof. How often in our daily life do we miss God in action around us because we are worried about the roof? How often do we mistake our suffering as pain rather than as purification? How often do we miss the miracles around us because we are focused on the minutiae? In good times and bad, God is working miracles all around us. All we need to do is look up, and look past the roof, to Him. And I would bet that our carpenter Savior did not overlook the hole in His hosts' roof and see to its repairs before He left. He does not miss a thing. [bctt tweet="How often do we mistake our suffering as pain rather than as purification?"] Try to live your day open to God in action around you. Devote today as a day of witness, and at the end of the day call to mind all the ways you witnessed God’s glory around you. Allow yourself to be wowed by God today. MaryRuth Hackett is a full-time wife and mother doing her best to teach her four children to love God and country. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: Hebrews 3:7-14 The Holy Spirit says: Oh, that today you would hear his voice, "Harden not your hearts as at the rebellion in the day of testing in the desert, where your ancestors tested and tried me and saw my works for forty years. Because of this I was provoked with that generation and I said, 'They have always been of erring heart, and they do not know my ways.' As I swore in my wrath, 'They shall not enter into my rest.'" Take care, brothers and sisters, that none of you may have an evil and unfaithful heart, so as to forsake the living God. Encourage yourselves daily while it is still "today," so that none of you may grow hardened by the deceit of sin. We have become partners of Christ if only we hold the beginning of the reality firm until the end. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 95:6-7C, 8-9, 10-11 R. (8) If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Come, let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the LORD who made us. For he is our God, and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides. R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Oh, that today you would hear his voice: "Harden not your hearts as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the desert, Where your fathers tempted me; they tested me though they had seen my works." R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Forty years I was wearied of that generation; I said: "This people's heart goes astray, they do not know my ways." Therefore I swore in my anger: "They shall never enter my rest." R. If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Gospel: Mark 1:40-45 A leper came to him and kneeling down begged him and said, "If you wish, you can make me clean." Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched the leper, and said to him, "I do will it. Be made clean." The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean. Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once. Then he said to him, "See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them." The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere. NAB In Biblical times leprosy was a disease that had no cure. And more than that, it was a disease that, according to Jewish law, made a person unclean. This uncleanness was considered to be contagious and for this reason lepers were quarantined from those that were "clean." A leper was an outcast of society, separated from the community of family and friends, and excluded from the liturgical practices of the temple, which was where the presence of God dwelt. The life of a leper in those days was one of utter loneliness, literally cut off from the presence of God. Because of the medical advancements of our day it may be hard to imagine taking such extreme measures about an illness. We’ve found a cure for leprosy; it’s not nearly as devastating as it was in Jesus’ day. But there is another disease that we all suffer from. It’s the disease of sin, of which we are made subject to by our fallen nature. And just like leprosy, the disease of sin, if serious enough, can drive a wedge between us and our family and friends. It can damage our relationship with God to the point of cutting us off from Him completely. This disease of the soul is much more serious than any bodily disease could ever be. But thankfully, we have a cure—the mercy and forgiveness that Jesus is so eager to give. Take a look at this Gospel passage again, but this time substitute the word “sinner” for “leper.” A [sinner] came to him and kneeling down begged him and said, "If you wish, you can make me clean." Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched the [sinner], and said to him, "I do will it. Be made clean." What a beautiful image of the Divine Physician in action. It doesn’t matter what sins you carry, or how long you’ve suffered from them, He longs to heal your soul. Are you ready to let Him? [bctt tweet="It doesn’t matter what sins you carry, He longs to heal your soul."] The refrain we hear in Psalm 95 is: “If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.” What is threatening to harden your heart? What is He saying to you instead? How will you respond? photo credit Anna Coyne is a Saint Paul native, wife, mother, and convert to the Catholic faith. When not chasing after her two young children you can probably find her teaching piano lessons, knitting, tripping over wooden train sets, or writing. Find out more about her here.

First Reading: Hebrews 2:14-18 Since the children share in blood and Flesh, Jesus likewise shared in them, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the Devil, and free those who through fear of death had been subject to slavery all their life. Surely he did not help angels but rather the descendants of Abraham; therefore, he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every way, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God to expiate the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested through what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 105:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8-9 R. (8a) The Lord remembers his covenant for ever. Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name; make known among the nations his deeds. Sing to him, sing his praise, proclaim all his wondrous deeds. R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever. Glory in his holy name; rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD! Look to the LORD in his strength; seek to serve him constantly. R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever. You descendants of Abraham, his servants, sons of Jacob, his chosen ones! He, the LORD, is our God; throughout the earth his judgments prevail. R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever. He remembers forever his covenant which he made binding for a thousand generationsB Which he entered into with Abraham and by his oath to Isaac. R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever. Gospel: Mark 1:29-39 On leaving the synagogue Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John. Simon's mother-in-law lay sick with a fever. They immediately told him about her. He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up. Then the fever left her and she waited on them. When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. The whole town was gathered at the door. He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him. Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. Simon and those who were with him pursued him and on finding him said, "Everyone is looking for you." He told them, "Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come." So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee. NAB Isn't it interesting that Jesus experienced human suffering? And I'm not referring to His suffering on the Cross here, because that is a mystery and a majesty in and of itself. What I'm thinking of is His normal, every day, every-human-experience suffering. Like being hungry. Or angry. Or annoyed. Or tired. Or disappointed. Like losing friends and family He loved dearly. Like people not leaving Him alone to rest. Like being misrepresented. Like being taken for granted. Like being betrayed. These are very human emotions and trials we all face at some point during our lives, and I'll never get over the fact that God thought it necessary and good to experience those right alongside us. No other religion has a God who does this. Christians are unique in the fact that we know our Lord in a miraculously intimate way. We know Him. He knows us. And because Jesus came, and suffered, and wept, and was subject to bodily rhythms like sleep and hunger, He is able to empathize with every suffering in our own lives, no matter how great or small. "Because he himself was tested through what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested." What's testing you today? What's causing you to suffer? Pause here, if you don't mind, and really think about that. Tell Jesus what's hurting your heart in this moment. And don't hold back, you can be as blunt as you wish. Now, as we move forward through the rest of our day, however long it may be, whenever we feel that pain in our hearts or our guts, whenever we are reminded of what we are going through, let's try to invite the Lord into that pain. He wants to bear it with us. He wants us to come to Him with every concern. He knows our suffering well, and He wants to help us through it. [bctt tweet="What is testing you today? What is causing you to suffer?"] Ask Him. He's here. photo credit Olivia Spears is a middle school religion teacher turned SAHM who is married to her high school best friend. You can find out more about her here.

The Baptism of the Lord First Reading: Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7 Thus says the LORD: Here is my servant whom I uphold, my chosen one with whom I am pleased, upon whom I have put my spirit; he shall bring forth justice to the nations, not crying out, not shouting, not making his voice heard in the street. a bruised reed he shall not break, and a smoldering wick he shall not quench, until he establishes justice on the earth; the coastlands will wait for his teaching. I, the LORD, have called you for the victory of justice, I have grasped you by the hand; I formed you, and set you as a covenant of the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out prisoners from confinement, and from the dungeon, those who live in darkness. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10 R. (11b) The Lord will bless his people with peace. Give to the LORD, you sons of God, give to the LORD glory and praise, Give to the LORD the glory due his name; adore the LORD in holy attire. R. The Lord will bless his people with peace. The voice of the LORD is over the waters, the LORD, over vast waters. The voice of the LORD is mighty; the voice of the LORD is majestic. R. The Lord will bless his people with peace. The God of glory thunders, and in his temple all say, "Glory!" The LORD is enthroned above the flood; the LORD is enthroned as king forever. R. The Lord will bless his people with peace. Gospel: Matthew 3:13-17 Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. John tried to prevent him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?" Jesus said to him in reply, "Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he allowed him. After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened for him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, saying, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." NAB A drizzly day in May I turned off the television, put on my Chuck Taylor All Star low tops, and went for my first ever run. It was pathetic. I spent most of it walking and gasping for breath, but the next day I did it again and the next day I did it again. I had had enough of being fat and out of shape and I was in the perfect spot to do something about it. Over that summer I ran at least five times a week, I was careful about what I ate, and by mid-terms the next Fall I had lost almost 50 pounds. For the first time in my life I looked good. For the first time in my life guys noticed me, bought me drinks, asked for my number, flirted with me, tried to win my attention. It felt powerful to feel so desirable but inside I still felt like the ugly, fat girl. I would seek comfort in food, throw it all up, and flirt with boys to feel pretty. I was a tease, and I had an eating disorder. I looked good, but I wasn't in a good place. What I really needed was to understand my identity, to know that God the Father lovingly says over me, "This is my beloved Daughter, with whom I am well pleased." It was what I wanted, too, but I didn't know it. It is not surprising to me that the healing of my heart, mind, and body came as I grew in my faith and love of God, as I came to understand that with Baptism we become adopted children of God. When I read the story of Jesus' Baptism I cannot help but get a little misty-eyed. As Jesus models the very Sacrament by which we will enter into a profound relationship with the Trinity, I hear the love, worth, and affirmation I sought for so long in the Father's words to His Son. And I know that those words can be for all of us. [bctt tweet="Listen for the love, worth, and affirmation in the Father's words to His Son."] Do you understand your identity in God's eyes? Are you being fair to yourself? Too soft or too harsh? Ask Him. Bonnie Engstrom is a writer, baker, speaker and homemaker. She lives with her husband and six children in central Illinois. You can find out more about her here.

The Epiphany of the Lord First Reading: Isaiah 60:1-6 Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come, the glory of the Lord shines upon you. See, darkness covers the earth, and thick clouds cover the peoples; but upon you the LORD shines, and over you appears his glory. Nations shall walk by your light, and kings by your shining radiance. Raise your eyes and look about; they all gather and come to you: your sons come from afar, and your daughters in the arms of their nurses. Then you shall be radiant at what you see, your heart shall throb and overflow, for the riches of the sea shall be emptied out before you, the wealth of nations shall be brought to you. Caravans of camels shall fill you, dromedaries from Midian and Ephah; all from Sheba shall come bearing gold and frankincense, and proclaiming the praises of the LORD. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13 R. (cf. 11) Lord, every nation on earth will adore you. O God, with your judgment endow the king, and with your justice, the king's son; He shall govern your people with justice and your afflicted ones with judgment. R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you. Justice shall flower in his days, and profound peace, till the moon be no more. May he rule from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you. The kings of Tarshish and the Isles shall offer gifts; the kings of Arabia and Seba shall bring tribute. All kings shall pay him homage, all nations shall serve him. R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you. For he shall rescue the poor when he cries out, and the afflicted when he has no one to help him. He shall have pity for the lowly and the poor; the lives of the poor he shall save. R. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you. Second Reading: Ephesians 3:2-3A, 5-6 Brothers and sisters: You have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for your benefit, namely, that the mystery was made known to me by revelation. It was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: that the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body, and copartners in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Gospel: Matthew 2:1-12 When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage." When King Herod heard this, he was greatly troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. Assembling all the chief priests and the scribes of the people, He inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it has been written through the prophet: And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; since from you shall come a ruler, who is to shepherd my people Israel." Then Herod called the magi secretly and ascertained from them the time of the star's appearance. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search diligently for the child. When you have found him, bring me word, that I too may go and do him homage." After their audience with the king they set out. And behold, the star that they had seen at its rising preceded them, until it came and stopped over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star, and on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage. Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed for their country by another way. NAB On this beautiful feast of the Epiphany, I am intrigued by the journey of the Wise Men. It was an ancient belief and common understanding that a new star appeared at the time of a ruler’s birth. When the Wise Men saw this new star they set off on their laborious journey to find the newborn King. I admire their perseverance and determination! When they were unsure where to continue on their journey, they sought help to find out where the Messiah was to be born. They continued and saw the star once again as it led them directly to the Christ Child. Upon finding Him, they immediately fell to their knees, did Him homage, and offered Him the finest gifts they had. Later, when it was revealed to them that they should not return to Herod, they were obedient and took another route home. These Wise Men were on a mission, literally. They had one goal in sight—to find the newborn King. Nothing stopped them. Setbacks were dealt with and the mission moved forward. They acted with perseverance, humility, generosity, and obedience. I can’t help but wonder if I have that same kind of determination to seek out my Savior each and every day. It was easier for me during Advent and the Christmas season, but when I am back to “normal life” will I still seek out Our Lord as fervently? Knowing that He is waiting to spend time with me in prayer, will I do everything in my power to make sure we have our quiet time together? Knowing that Jesus is waiting in the Eucharist for me, do I arrange my schedule to attend Mass on a day other than Sunday or stop by the Adoration chapel to make a spiritual communion? Knowing that He is present in the people I see every day, will I treat them with charity and live out my vocation with sacrificial love? I pray that each of us never tires of traveling on this journey. Like the star in the sky, the Church shines in the darkness and guides us with her wisdom and the Sacraments. Each day, we have the opportunity to kneel down before our King and offer Him the greatest gifts we have—our hearts, our love, our lives. [bctt tweet="Like the star in the sky, the Church shines in the darkness. // @bobbi_rol"] Take a few moments to imagine yourself kneeling with the wise men before the Christ Child. What gift of yourself can you give to Jesus today? photo credit Bobbi Rol is a wife, a mama of four and a blogger learning to love God in the midst of dishes, laundry and swinging light sabers. You can find out more about her here.

First Reading: 1 John 5:14-21 Beloved: We have this confidence in God, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in regard to whatever we ask, we know that what we have asked him for is ours. If anyone sees his brother sinning, if the sin is not deadly, he should pray to God and he will give him life. This is only for those whose sin is not deadly. There is such a thing as deadly sin, about which I do not say that you should pray. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that is not deadly. We know that no one begotten by God sins; but the one begotten by God he protects, and the Evil One cannot touch him. We know that we belong to God, and the whole world is under the power of the Evil One. We also know that the Son of God has come and has given us discernment to know the one who is true. And we are in the one who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Children, be on your guard against idols. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 149:1-2, 3-4, 5 AND 6A AND 9B R. (see 4a) The Lord takes delight in his people. Sing to the LORD a new song of praise in the assembly of the faithful. Let Israel be glad in their maker, let the children of Zion rejoice in their king. R. The Lord takes delight in his people. Let them praise his name in the festive dance, let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp. For the LORD loves his people, and he adorns the lowly with victory. R. The Lord takes delight in his people. Let the faithful exult in glory; let them sing for joy upon their couches; Let the high praises of God be in their throats. This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia. R. The Lord takes delight in his people. Gospel: John 2:1-11 There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, "They have no wine." And Jesus said to her, "Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come." His mother said to the servers, "Do whatever he tells you." Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings, each holding twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told them, "Fill the jars with water." So they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, "Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter." So they took it. And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine, without knowing where it came from (although the servers who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him, "Everyone serves good wine first, and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one; but you have kept the good wine until now." Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him. NAB One of the most special moments of my wedding was a surprise appearance at the altar of wine brought from Cana by my husband's aunt and uncle. I thought in the moment that it was such a sweet sentiment, that it made the Mass so special. And yet, in the nineteen years of growing up I have done since that day, I have come to see the water-to-wine miracle of Cana with much less sentimentality than I once did and that Jesus will make wine out of the water in our lives if we can unite our will to His. Years of learning the sacrifices of love that life demands of all us, whatever our vocation and momentary mission, have opened my eyes to the pressing that must be done in order to squeeze the wine of holy offering from the water of our wills. Our Blessed Mother models for us how to stand before the Holy Spirit and offer our fiat of "be it done unto me," then turn to God the Father and sing our Magnificat with her in a chorus of "my soul rejoices in my God," and then to turn to Jesus the Son with a knowing faith and say to yourself and the world, "do whatever he tells you." We can only do this with a surrender of faith that comes from a heart that is laser-focused on the holy communion of joining our will to His. The First Reading tells us that "if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us." These prayers of fiat, magnificat, and water-to-wine obedience are some of the few prayers we can pray with certainty that we are praying according to His will and that He will hear us. As this season of Christmas draws to a close and we begin to move our focus to the "ordinary" time of the year, the ordering of our wills to the holy will of God, let these become the prayers of hearts, sisters. [bctt tweet="Is your heart focused on joining your will to His? // @colleencmitch"] In the daily offering of our lives to God, let us take the water of sentimentality and let it be pressed down and poured out into the wine of sacrificial, surrendered love of God. Linger a bit longer at the manger and search the eyes of the Blessed Mother for a glimpse of what it looks like to believe so deeply in the good love of God that your life can be lived in the posture of holy surrender. photo credit Colleen Mitchell is wife to Greg and mother to five amazing sons here on earth. They serve in Costa Rica where they run the St. Francis Emmaus Center, a ministry that welcomes indigenous mothers into their home to care for them pre and postpartum. She is the author of Who Does He Say You Are. Find out more about her here.

First Reading: 1 John 5:5-13 Beloved: Who indeed is the victor over the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is the one who came through water and Blood, Jesus Christ, not by water alone, but by water and Blood. The Spirit is the one who testifies, and the Spirit is truth. So there are three that testify, the Spirit, the water, and the Blood, and the three are of one accord. If we accept human testimony, the testimony of God is surely greater. Now the testimony of God is this, that he has testified on behalf of his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God has this testimony within himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar by not believing the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever possesses the Son has life; whoever does not possess the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you so that you may know that you have eternal life, you who believe in the name of the Son of God. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20 R. (12a) Praise the Lord, Jerusalem. Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion. For he has strengthened the bars of your gates; he has blessed your children within you. R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem. He has granted peace in your borders; with the best of wheat he fills you. He sends forth his command to the earth; swiftly runs his word! R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem. He has proclaimed his word to Jacob, his statutes and his ordinances to Israel. He has not done thus for any other nation; his ordinances he has not made known to them. Alleluia. R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem. Gospel: Mark 1:7-11 This is what John the Baptist proclaimed: "One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." It happened in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. On coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him. And a voice came from the heavens, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased." NAB I remember two distinct things about my Confirmation as an 8th grader. 1) The Bishop almost caught himself on fire, and I do mean literally. He was moving his arms so much around the candles at the pulpit for his homily, I thought I was about to see a modern application of "tongues of fire." 2) I really, really liked the cake my Mom bought for the party after. Honestly that was it. I didn't feel different nor did I fully understand the depth of power available in the sacrament Confirmation. It was years later, before I really saw the fruits of my Confirmation active and moving in my life. The Baptism that Saint John the Baptist preached was one of repentance. He tells Israel a mightier One is coming after him who will baptize them with the Holy Spirit. To baptize, or drench in the Spirit evokes the biblical promise that in the last times God would "pour out" His Spirit like water (Joel 3:1-2, Zechariah 12:10). This baptism of the Spirit would bring about the transformation of heart. Saint Mark's first readers, a community of early Christians, undoubtedly understood this prophecy to be fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. The phrase "baptism in the Spirit" does not mean a new or different baptism. "Baptism in the Spirit" in this sense is not a sacrament but a coming alive of the graces received in sacramental baptism. Rather, it is a powerful image for our constant need of the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. For many years I used to struggle with understanding and having a personal relationship with Holy Spirit. The images of fire, wind, and a dove left me utterly confused. But now I am firmly convinced in my own life that having a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit is life-changing. Sisters, we so desperately need more of the Spirit invited into our lives beyond those special Sacrament days. How do we begin to have a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit? We ask. We stop ourselves and pray one of the most ancient prayers of the Church, "Come, Holy Spirit." Ask the Spirit to bring to fulfillment in your life the graces of your Baptism and Confirmation. Ask for the power and boldness of the Spirit to be active in your life. Talk to the Holy Spirit as you would to Our Lord Jesus. Pray for a greater outpouring of the Spirit each day. God's Spirit is not far off or distant from our lives, but deeply and passionately involved. [bctt tweet="God's Spirit is not far off or distant from our lives, but deeply and passionately involved."] Today take a few moments and pray Veni, Sancte Spiritus, the Sequence prayed for the Mass of Pentecost. Come, Holy Spirit, come! Patty Hubbard is a runner, youth minister ordinaire, and thinks old movies are the greatest thing since sliced bread. When not fundraising for World Youth Day, she is learning to find grace in all things. You can find out more about her here.

Memorial of Saint John Neumann, Bishop First Reading: 1 John 3:11-21 Beloved: This is the message you have heard from the beginning: we should love one another, unlike Cain who belonged to the Evil One and slaughtered his brother. Why did he slaughter him? Because his own works were evil, and those of his brother righteous. Do not be amazed, then, brothers and sisters, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers. Whoever does not love remains in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life remaining in him. The way we came to know love was that he laid down his life for us; so we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If someone who has worldly means sees a brother in need and refuses him compassion, how can the love of God remain in him? Children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth. Now this is how we shall know that we belong to the truth and reassure our hearts before him in whatever our hearts condemn, for God is greater than our hearts and knows everything. Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence in God. Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 100:1B-2, 3, 4, 5 R. (2a) Let all the earth cry out to God with joy. Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands; serve the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful song. R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy. Know that the LORD is God; he made us, his we are; his people, the flock he tends. R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, his courts with praise; Give thanks to him; bless his name. R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy. The LORD is good: the LORD, whose kindness endures forever, and his faithfulness, to all generations. R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy. Gospel: John 1:43-51 Jesus decided to go to Galilee, and he found Philip. And Jesus said to him, "Follow me." Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the town of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and told him, "We have found the one about whom Moses wrote in the law, and also the prophets, Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth." But Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him and said of him, "Here is a true child of Israel. There is no duplicity in him." Nathanael said to him, "How do you know me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree." Nathanael answered him, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel." Jesus answered and said to him, "Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this." And he said to him, "Amen, amen, I say to you, you will see the sky opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man." NAB As soon as that second sibling makes his presence known—whether in utero or by tiny photo from the adoption agency—a mother’s prayers beg that her children will be friends. More than friends, she wants them to be each other’s fiercest advocates, greatest allies, most compassionate consolers. At the first sign that the first one is unhappy over the mere existence of the second, she starts to worry that somehow she’s stirred up sibling angst. If they are great, grand friends until they are teenagers and, quite suddenly, without warning, they begin to act as if they are mortal enemies, she really wonders about Cain and Abel. Cain hates Abel. He is so overcome with envy of his brother that he kills him. When Saint John recounts the story in the First Reading, he is very clear: you don’t have to actually murder your brother to kill him; you just have to fail to love him well. There is no middle ground here. We are all called to lay down our lives for our brothers (or sisters or neighbors or bosses or teachers). The people we encounter in our daily rounds are our brothers. Very few of us will be called to a dying martyrdom. All of us are called to a living martyrdom, a lifetime of tender sacrifice for one another. Though it is unlikely we will be called to our deaths for Jesus, we will most certainly be called out of our beds at an uncomfortable hour to meet the needs of another. We will be called from our complacency to speak up for justice. We will be called by another’s hunger to fill a belly. We will be called upon in a myriad of ways to die to ourselves and be the hands and feet of our Savior. Sometimes, we will force ourselves to do the right thing and say the kind thing, only because we love God and do not want to offend Him. Sometimes, we will feel like a six-year-old who wants to hit his little brother over the head with a giant Jenga block, but we will refrain. In those moments, we ask God into our hearts and let Him reside there. We can be confident that He knows the struggle and He knows we’ll fall, but He is merciful and He is good and He will empower us to live more and more like Him. [bctt tweet="All of us are called to a lifetime of sacrifice for one another. // @elizabethfoss"] He is calling you to reconcile with your brother (or sister). You know the one. Go! Do that. Elizabeth Foss is a wife, the mother of nine, and a grandmother. She finds the cacophony of big family imperfection to be the perfect place to learn to walk in the unforced rhythms of grace. You can learn more about her here.