February 6, 2026 // Memorial of Saint Paul Miki and Companions, Martyrs
Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: Mark 6:14-29
Reflect on the Word //
It started with a simple question from my very curious nine-year-old. The sun had long since dipped down behind our house and bedtime was on the horizon, which is the natural time for any elementary school-aged boy to suddenly become inquisitive.
“Why is there no gravity in outer space?” he asked.
That was it. That was all it took to send my mind barrelling into the upheaval that occurs when you suddenly remember that there is a big, vast, dark void out there, and that your TikTok reels aren’t the center of it.
I hate thinking about outer space. I hate the vastness of it, the darkness of it, the unknowns of it. Yet, it is for those very reasons that I find it to be the best teacher. Just like today’s Gospel (see Mark 6:14-29), it serves as a good reminder to adjust our gaze beyond the finite and focus on the bigger story that we are all invited into.
I wonder what would have become of Saint John the Baptist had Herod not been caught up in the moment of what was right in front of him. I wonder if things would have changed if he had stepped back and pondered the greater story. Herod’s experience is one that I believe we’ve all struggled with. Sin has a way of finding us in the moment, of focusing our attention on the finite.
I imagine that much of our sin occurs because of our failure to see the bigger picture, to step outside of moments of temptation and look into the greatness that we are being called into.
But it is there—that greatness. Through your sorrow, your shame, your anger, there is a greater story that is beckoning you home. You must only remember to look up and truly see it.
Relate to the Lord // What have you been focusing on? Turn your gaze to Jesus today, again and again, when you’re tempted to hyperfocus on the finite.
Brittany Calavitta is an enthusiastic advocate for a good book, strong coffee, and a hopeful heart. After battling years of infertility, she and her husband welcomed their first child on September 11, 2016. While balancing time between life with a preschooler and a husband who travels for ministry, Brittany dances professionally all over Southern California where her family currently resides. She was a contributing author to Here Too: Where We Find God and Made New: 52 Devotions for Catholic Women. Find out more about her here.
Get Lent 2026 Devotional(s)
Get Your Prayerful Planner
