Mass Reading: Sunday, 31st January 2021

First Reading   Deuteronomy 18:15-20 ·

I will raise up a prophet and put my words into his mouth

Moses said to the people: ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like myself, from among yourselves, from your own brothers; to him you must listen. This is what you yourselves asked of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the Assembly. “Do not let me hear again” you said “the voice of the Lord my God, nor look any longer on this great fire, or I shall die”; and the Lord said to me, “All they have spoken is well said. I will raise up a prophet like yourself for them from their own brothers; I will put my words into his mouth and he shall tell them all I command him. The man who does not listen to my words that he speaks in my name, shall be held answerable to me for it. But the prophet who presumes to say in my name a thing I have not commanded him to say, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.”’

The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm     Psalm 94(95):1-2,6-9

O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts.’

Come, ring out our joy to the Lord;
  hail the rock who saves us.
Let us come before him, giving thanks,
  with songs let us hail the Lord.

O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts.’

Come in; let us bow and bend low;
  let us kneel before the God who made us:
for he is our God and we
  the people who belong to his pasture,
  the flock that is led by his hand.

O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts.’

O that today you would listen to his voice!
  ‘Harden not your hearts as at Meribah,
  as on that day at Massah in the desert
when your fathers put me to the test;
  when they tried me, though they saw my work.’

O that today you would listen to his voice! ‘Harden not your hearts.’

Second Reading    1 Corinthians 7:32-35 ·

Give your undivided attention to the Lord

I would like to see you free from all worry. An unmarried man can devote himself to the Lord’s affairs, all he need worry about is pleasing the Lord; but a married man has to bother about the world’s affairs and devote himself to pleasing his wife: he is torn two ways. In the same way an unmarried woman, like a young girl, can devote herself to the Lord’s affairs; all she need worry about is being holy in body and spirit. The married woman, on the other hand, has to worry about the world’s affairs and devote herself to pleasing her husband. I say this only to help you, not to put a halter round your necks, but simply to make sure that everything is as it should be, and that you give your undivided attention to the Lord.

The word of the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation   Mt11:25

Alleluia, alleluia!
Blessed are you, Father,
Lord of heaven and earth,
for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom
to mere children.
Alleluia!

Or: Mt4:16

Alleluia, alleluia!
The people that lived in darkness
has seen a great light;
on those who dwell in the land and shadow of death
a light has dawned.
Alleluia!

Gospel    Mark 1:21-28

Unlike the scribes, he taught them with authority

Jesus and his disciples went as far as Capernaum, and as soon as the sabbath came he went to the synagogue and began to teach. And his teaching made a deep impression on them because, unlike the scribes, he taught them with authority.

  In their synagogue just then there was a man possessed by an unclean spirit and it shouted, ‘What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus said sharply, ‘Be quiet! Come out of him!’ And the unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and with a loud cry went out of him. The people were so astonished that they started asking each other what it all meant. ‘Here is a teaching that is new’ they said ‘and with authority behind it: he gives orders even to unclean spirits and they obey him.’ And his reputation rapidly spread everywhere, through all the surrounding Galilean countryside.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday, 31st January 2021

 

DT 18:15-20; PS 95:1-2, 6-7, 7-9; 1 COR 7:32-35; MK 1:21-28

Our readings today remind us of God’s authority. If we willingly give God authority over our lives and trust in His provision, He will take care of us no matter what. 

In our First Reading, Moses announces to the Israelites that God will send them another prophet through whom He will communicate His commands. Regarding the prophet, the Lord says, “Whoever will not listen to my words which he speaks in my name, I myself will make him answer for it. But if a prophet presumes to speak in my name an oracle I have not commanded… he shall die.” 

These are tough words to hear from our Lord, but they are a good reminder for us. We, too, will answer to the Lord one day as to how well we listened to His words and lived by His commands. The thought of our final judgment may cause us to cringe in fear. And while it is good to have a holy fear of being separated from God for all eternity, fear is not to be the motivating factor on our faith journey. As Christian stewards, it is our job to imitate Christ and follow His commands out of gratitude for all that He has given us. We are more willing to live by God’s commands when we are motivated by love and gratitude.  

In our Second Reading, St. Paul tells us how to give God authority over our lives. St. Paul was preaching to the people of Corinth regarding Christ’s Second Coming. Because he thought the Second Coming was approaching fast, he encouraged them, if unmarried, to remain that way so they might fix their hearts on Christ with the time they have left. It might seem that St. Paul’s message cannot apply to us in our present-day — however, what he said has great value to us. No matter our state of life — bishop, priest, deacon, religious, married, single — we are called to put Christ first in our lives and to strive to please Him in all that we do. We are inviting God to have authority over our lives when we make Him our top priority. As a result, we will be more prepared to meet Christ at His Second Coming, and we will have an overwhelming peace in our hearts.  

Our Gospel today reminds us why we want to give God this authority. Jesus was teaching in the synagogue on the sabbath. All were fixed on His words and astonished at what He had to say. Suddenly everyone’s attention shifted to a man with an unclean spirit who began to question Jesus and His authority. Jesus responded, “Quiet, come out of him!” and removed the evil spirit from the man. All were amazed at the healing of this man. 

Life can sometimes look like the synagogue in Capernaum. We are living as disciples of Christ, when we suddenly recognize evil around us — through events in our lives, temptations we are enduring, or by falling into sin. It can distract us, consume our attention, or even cause us to despair. In these moments of trial, we must remember the Healer in our Gospel today. Recall His words, “Quiet, come out of Him!” Jesus has the power and authority over evil, for He has conquered sin and death. He also has the power and authority over us. And when we invite Him to have that authority, He will heal us and help us persevere. 

Today, we are reminded that God is in control and that we want Him to be in control. He is the loving Healer that will work miracles in our lives if we give Him the authority to do so. 

Mass Reading: Sunday, 24th January 2021

 

First reading	Jonah 3:1-5,10

The people of Nineveh renounce their evil behaviour

The word of the Lord was addressed to Jonah: ‘Up!’ he said ‘Go to Nineveh, the great city, and preach to them as I told you to.’ Jonah set out and went to Nineveh in obedience to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was a city great beyond compare: it took three days to cross it. Jonah went on into the city, making a day’s journey. He preached in these words, ‘Only forty days more and Nineveh is going to be destroyed.’ And the people of Nineveh believed in God; they proclaimed a fast and put on sackcloth, from the greatest to the least.

  God saw their efforts to renounce their evil behaviour, and God relented: he did not inflict on them the disaster which he had threatened.

The Word of the Lord

---

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 24(25):4-6,7b-9 Lord, make me know your ways. Lord, make me know your ways.   Lord, teach me your paths. Make me walk in your truth, and teach me:   for you are God my saviour. Remember your mercy, Lord,   and the love you have shown from of old. In your love remember me,   because of your goodness, O Lord.  The Lord is good and upright.   He shows the path to those who stray, He guides the humble in the right path,   He teaches his way to the poor.

---

Second reading
1 Corinthians 7:29-31

The world as we know it is passing away

Brothers: our time is growing short. Those who have wives should live as though they had none, and those who mourn should live as though they had nothing to mourn for; those who are enjoying life should live as though there were nothing to laugh about; those whose life is buying things should live as though they had nothing of their own; and those who have to deal with the world should not become engrossed in it. I say this because the world as we know it is passing away.

     The Word of the Lord

---

Gospel Acclamation	Mk1:15

Alleluia, alleluia!

The kingdom of God is close at hand:

repent, and believe the Good News.

Alleluia!

---

Gospel	Mark 1:14-20

I will make you into fishers of men

After John had been arrested, Jesus went into Galilee. There he proclaimed the Good News from God. ‘The time has come’ he said ‘and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News.’

  As he was walking along by the Sea of Galilee he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net in the lake – for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you into fishers of men.’ And at once they left their nets and followed him.

  Going on a little further, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they too were in their boat, mending their nets. He called them at once and, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the men he employed, they went after him.

The Gospel of the Lord

Mass Reflection: Sunday, 24th January 2021

Jon 3:1-5, 10; PS 25:4-5, 6-7, 8-9; 1 COR 7:29-31; MK 1:14-20  

Our readings today call us to be decisive in our faith. God calls us as stewards to repent and renew our commitment to Him each day.
 
In our First Reading, God instructs the prophet Jonah to travel through the city of Nineveh and warns the people that the city would be destroyed due to their evil ways. When the people of Nineveh heard this, they declared a fast in repentance. The Lord saw this and had compassion for them.
 
Every moment is an opportunity to either grow closer to God or further away from Him. We can identify with the people of Nineveh when we recognize that our actions are not drawing us closer to God. We may be attached to certain sins or living in complacency — over time, that can weaken our commitment to the Lord and sever the relationship we have with Him.
 
When we become aware of our weaknesses, it should not cause us to despair. Instead, it should call us to act quickly as the people of Nineveh did. Jonah had been gone only a single day's walk before the people repented. We, too, should go no more than a single day without acknowledging our offenses towards God and renewing our commitment to Him with greater conviction. God wants to be compassionate towards us, but we must be willing to recognize our need to repent.
 
Our Gospel today shares Mark's account of Jesus calling His first disciples. In his account, Jesus approaches Simon and Andrew, and later, James and John. These four men were fishermen, casting their nets. Jesus states, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." In both instances, the men immediately abandoned what was before them and followed Christ.
 
Imagine if Simon and Andrew looked at their Savior and said, "Thanks for the offer, but we will finish up fishing and meet you later." That is no way a disciple should respond to Christ’s call. Yet, that is how we often respond to Jesus' offer to us, "Come after me." We can easily fall into the misconception that we have plenty of time to live active discipleship. We rationalize that we will eventually get around to deepening our commitment to prayer when we have time, even though we have been wanting to do so for months. We can justify that we are too busy right now to make time to go to confession regularly, but tell ourselves we will do it soon once our schedules ease up. But as faithful stewards of our time, we must change our ways and immediately follow Christ more intentionally, because Christ is calling us to act now, just like the first disciples did.
 
These men became members of Jesus' twelve apostles. They surrendered their entire lives to follow Christ. They left their jobs, homes and families, devoting their lives to God's work. We, too, are called to surrender our lives to the Lord so that He may work through us. We might think, “God isn't calling me.” But indeed, He is. Just as He called four ordinary fishermen, He is continuously calling each one of us. Renewing and reevaluating what God might be asking of us throughout our lives is a key component of our stewardship journey.
 
As we settle into this New Year, let us ponder the ways we can repent and renew our commitment to God. Let us ask ourselves, what are we casting our nets for? And are we willing to leave it behind for something much greater? If not now, when?

Mass Reading: Sunday, 17th January 2021

FIRST READING
A reading from the first book of Samuel 3:3-10. 19
Theme: Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.

Samuel was lying in the sanctuary of the Lord where the ark of God was,
when the Lord called, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ He answered, ‘Here I am.’ Then he
ran to Eli and said, ‘Here I am, since you called me.’ Eli said, ‘I did not call.
Go back and lie down.’ So he went and lay down. Once again the Lord called,
‘Samuel! Samuel!’ Samuel got up and went to Eli and said, ‘Here I am, since
you called me.’ He replied, ‘I did not call you, my son; go back and lie down.’
Samuel had as yet no knowledge of the Lord and the word of the Lord had
not yet been revealed to him. Once again the Lord called, the third time. He
got up and went to Eli and said, ‘Here I am, since you called me.’ Eli then
understood that it was the Lord who was calling the boy, and he said to
Samuel, ‘Go and lie down, and if someone calls say, “Speak, Lord, your
servant is listening.”’ So Samuel went and lay down in his place. The Lord
then came and stood by, calling as he had done before, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’
Samuel answered, ‘Speak, Lord, your servant is listening.’
Samuel grew up and the Lord was with him and let no word of his fall to the
ground.

The Word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm   Ps 39

Response Here I am, Lord! I come to do your will.

1. I waited, I waited for the Lord
and he stooped down to me;
he heard my cry.
He put a new song into my mouth,
praise of our God.

2. You do not ask for sacrifice and offerings,
but an open ear.
You do not ask for holocaust and victim.
Instead, here am I.

3. In the scroll of the book it stands written
that I should do your will.
My God, I delight in your law
in the depth of my heart.

4. Your justice I have proclaimed
in the great assembly.
My lips I have not sealed;
you know it, O Lord.

SECOND READING
A reading from the first letter of St Paul to the Corinthians 6:13-15.17-20
Theme: Your bodies are members making up the body of Christ.

The body is not meant for fornication; it is for the Lord, and the Lord for the
body. God who raised the Lord from the dead, will by his power raise us up
too.
You know, surely, that your bodies are members making up the body of
Christ; anyone who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him.
Keep away from fornication. All the other sins are committed outside the
body; but to fornicate is to sin against your own body. Your body, you know,
is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you since you received him from
God. You are not your own property; you have been bought and paid for.
That is why you should use your body for the glory of God.

The Word of the Lord.

Gospel Acclamation  1 Sam 3:9

Alleluia, alleluia!
Speak, Lord, your servant is listening:
you have the message of eternal life.
Alleluia!

Or   Jn 1: 41

Alleluia, alleluia!
We have found the Messiah which means the Christ
grace and truth have come through him.
Alleluia!

GOSPEL

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John 1:35-42

They saw where he lived, and stayed with him.

As John stood with two of his disciples, Jesus passed, and John stared hard

at him and said, ‘Look, there is the lamb of God.’ Hearing this, the two

disciples followed Jesus. Jesus turned round, saw them following and

said, ‘What do you want?‘ They answered, ‘Rabbi,’ – which means Teacher –

‘where do you live?’ ‘Come and see’ he replied; so they went and saw where

he lived, and stayed with him the rest of that day. It was about the tenth hour.

One of these two who became followers of Jesus after hearing what John had

said was Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter. Early next morning, Andrew

met his brother and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ – which means

the Christ – and he took Simon to Jesus. Jesus looked hard at him and

said, ‘You are Simon son of John; you are to be called Cephas’ – meaning

Rock.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Mass Reflection: Sunday, 17th January 2021

1 SM 3:3b-10, 19; PS 40:2, 4, 7-8, 8-9, 10; 1 COR 6:13c-15a, 17-20; JN 1:35-42   

Our readings today focus on the vital attributes of being a disciple of Christ. 

Our First Reading from Samuel unfolds the relationship between Samuel and the Lord. Samuel, who is serving under the priest Eli, hears Eli call him while he is sleeping. Samuel goes to Eli, yet Eli is not the one who is calling him. This happens three times before Eli realizes it is the Lord who is calling Samuel. Eli encourages Samuel to respond next time with, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.” 

If we put ourselves in Samuel’s shoes, we can wonder how many times the Lord has spoken to us but did not recognize His voice. God’s voice might already be present in the quiet of our hearts, in Scripture, or even in speaking through someone else. He speaks to us in various forms, but to recognize that it is Him, we must give Him a portion of our time by being still and listening to what He is calling us to do or not do. 

We can also put ourselves in Eli’s shoes, as Eli recognized it was the Lord speaking to Samuel, and he encouraged him to respond. Once Samuel responded to the Lord, “Samuel grew up, and the Lord was with him.” Without Eli, would Samuel have ever understood it was the Lord who was speaking? We can only hope! Thankfully, Eli was a good steward of his own wisdom and knowledge of the Lord. 

Often, we find ourselves in circumstances where we could share our knowledge of the Lord. Yet, we hold back. We cannot allow opportunities to share our faith pass us. To be a disciple of Christ means we are a good steward of the knowledge that has been gifted to him or her by God,  sharing it with others.  

Our Gospel today bears witness to Jesus’ first disciples. The two that were with John were his followers, which means they had heard of Jesus and believed in Him. Upon seeing Jesus, John proclaims, “Behold, the Lamb of God.” The lamb is a reference to the Jewish sacrificial offering at Passover. This title of Jesus reveals Him as Savior. Once they heard this, they immediately followed Jesus. They had to be with Him. Jesus turned to them and asked, “What are you looking for?” They responded with, “Rabbi, where are you staying?” 

Imagine Jesus asking you, “What are you looking for?" Or "What do you seek?” We might respond with answers like a better job, more kids, retirement, or any number of things that we think will make our lives better. The things we seek may be righteous, and God wants us to come to Him with everything — yet, as disciples of Christ, we should first and foremost seek the Kingdom of God. If we strive to respond to Jesus’ question in the same way the first disciples responded by asking, “Where are you, Lord?” then we will not be disappointed with the outcome. A disciple of Christ seeks the Kingdom of God first in his life. 

Our story of Jesus’ first disciples concludes with Andrew intentionally sharing the Good News of Christ to his brother, Simon Peter. Andrew had the gift of meeting the Lord and did not hoard it to himself. Instead, he sought his brother and proclaimed what he had experienced. This is a reminder for us. We are called to be missionary disciples — to seek the Lord and to share what we have found. Our faith is a gift! We should strive to share this gift with others. A disciple of Christ is a good steward of the Good News. 

Our journey as disciples of Christ is an ongoing adventure. To grow on this journey, we can seek first the Kingdom of God, listen to God’s voice in our lives, and be good stewards of what He has gifted us. With that, the Lord will respond with, “Come, and you will see!”

 

Mass Reflection: Sunday, 10th January 2021

January 10, 2021 — The Baptism of the Lord

IS 42:1-4, 6-7 or IS 55:1-11; PS 1-2, 3-4, 9-10 or IS 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6; ACTS 10:34-38 or 1 JN 5:1-9; MK 1:7-11

Our Christmas season concludes with the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Jesus was not baptized because He needed to repent — rather, He was revealing who He is and what He came to do. By submitting to the baptism of John, He affirmed His humanity, revealed His divinity as the Son of God, and signaled His mission to save man from sin.

 

Although Jesus’ baptism was just the beginning of His ministry, it revealed all that He came to accomplish. And it is from His mission that we can receive the Sacrament of Baptism — the moment we become adopted sons and daughters of God. From that moment, we belong to Christ — we become His stewards. Our lives should be a reflection of this relationship. The way we live and act should reveal Whose we are. Our readings today call us to reflect on what it means to be a Christian steward — to belong to Christ.  

 

In our First Reading, the prophet Isaiah shares a message of hope, “Why spend your money for what is not bread, your wages for what fails to satisfy? Heed me, and you shall eat well, you shall delight in rich fare.” We can take these words from Isaiah and ask ourselves, "Who is the king of our hearts?" As Christian stewards, it should be God. We often fill our thoughts and our lives with things that satisfy us only for a moment. If we truly do belong to Christ, then we will make Him our top priority. And what we fill our lives with should reveal that He is King. Remember, the Lord will satisfy the deepest longings of our hearts. He will fill us with a feeling of lasting peace and contentment. 

 

Our Second Reading from, 1 John, reminds us that belonging to Christ requires commitment, “For the love of God is this, that we keep his commandments.” In our fast-paced lives, we should ask ourselves, what commands our life? Is it God and His commands? Keeping Christ’s commandments will not only deepen our relationship with Him but also help us become better stewards to others, “In this way we know that we love the children of God when we love God and obey his commandments.” Through our faithfulness, we will become stewards of Christ’s love and mercy. It is out of love that God gave us these commandments, and if we truly belong to Christ, we will keep them. 

 

In our Gospel account of Jesus’ baptism, Mark reveals the intimate relationship between God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Once Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus and God the Father proclaimed, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” By our baptism, we have become God’s beloved sons and daughters. We, too, have access to an intimate relationship with God. But like all good relationships, it flourishes with effort. How we spend our time and share our gifts says a great deal about Whose we are. We must do our part as Christian stewards to spend time with the One to Whom we belong, and to serve the One we love. 

 

As we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord today, let us reflect on what it means to be a son or daughter of God. Let us resolve with conviction to make God the King of our hearts, live by His commands, and share with Him our time and gifts. Let us pray that our lives might be a reflection of our relationship with Christ. 

Mass Reading: Sunday, 10th January 2021

First reading     
Isaiah 55:1-11 
Come to me and your soul will live, and I will make an everlasting covenant with you
 
Thus says the Lord:
Oh, come to the water all you who are thirsty;
though you have no money, come!
Buy corn without money, and eat,
and, at no cost, wine and milk.
Why spend money on what is not bread,
your wages on what fails to satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and you will have good things to eat
and rich food to enjoy.
Pay attention, come to me;
listen, and your soul will live.
 
With you I will make an everlasting covenant
out of the favours promised to David.
See, I have made of you a witness to the peoples,
a leader and a master of the nations.
See, you will summon a nation you never knew,
those unknown will come hurrying to you,
for the sake of the Lord your God,
of the Holy One of Israel who will glorify you.
 
Seek the Lord while he is still to be found,
call to him while he is still near.
Let the wicked man abandon his way,
the evil man his thoughts.
Let him turn back to the Lord who will take pity on him,
to our God who is rich in forgiving;
for my thoughts are not your thoughts,
my ways not your ways – it is the Lord who speaks.
Yes, the heavens are as high above earth
as my ways are above your ways,
my thoughts above your thoughts.
 
Yes, as the rain and the snow come down from the heavens and do not return without watering the earth, making it yield and giving growth to provide seed for the sower and bread for the eating, so the word that goes from my mouth does not return to me empty, without carrying out my will and succeeding in what it was sent to do.
 
The word of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm      Isaiah 12
The rejoicing of a redeemed people
 
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
 
Truly, God is my salvation,
I trust, I shall not fear.
For the Lord is my strength, my song,
he became my saviour.
With joy you will draw water
from the wells of salvation.
 
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
 
Give thanks to the Lord, give praise to his name!
Make his mighty deeds known to the peoples!
Declare the greatness of his name.
 
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
 
Sing a psalm to the Lord
for he has done glorious deeds;
make them known to all the earth!
People of Zion, sing and shout for joy,
for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
 
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

Second reading
1 John 5:1-9 ·
Jesus Christ came by water and blood
 
Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ
has been begotten by God;
and whoever loves the Father that begot him
loves the child whom he begets.
We can be sure that we love God’s children
if we love God himself and do what he has commanded us;
this is what loving God is –
keeping his commandments;
and his commandments are not difficult,
because anyone who has been begotten by God
has already overcome the world;
this is the victory over the world –
our faith.
 
Who can overcome the world?
Only the man who believes that Jesus is the Son of God:
 
Jesus Christ who came by water and blood,
not with water only,
but with water and blood;
with the Spirit as another witness –
since the Spirit is the truth –
so that there are three witnesses,
the Spirit, the water and the blood,
and all three of them agree.
We accept the testimony of human witnesses,
but God’s testimony is much greater,
and this is God’s testimony,
given as evidence for his Son.
 
The word of the Lord.
 
Gospel Acclamation.    Jn1:29
 
Alleluia, alleluia!
John saw Jesus coming towards him, and said:
This is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.
Alleluia!

Gospel
Mark 1:7-11
'You are my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on you'
 
In the course of his preaching John the Baptist said:
‘Someone is following me, someone who is more powerful than I am, and I am not fit to kneel down and undo the strap of his sandals. I have baptised you with water, but he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.’
 
It was at this time that Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptised in the Jordan by John. No sooner had he come up out of the water than he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit, like a dove, descending on him. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on you.’
 
The Gospel of the Lord.

 

Mass Reflection: Sunday, 03rd January 2021

 IS 60:1-6; PS 72:1-2, 7-8, 10-11, 12-13; EPH 3:2-3a, 5-6; MT 2:1-12

Today, we celebrate the Epiphany of our Lord. "Epiphany" comes from the Greek word meaning “to manifest” or “to make known.” In other words, today we celebrate the first manifestation or revelation of Jesus as the Son of God. Our readings today remind us of God’s numerous manifestations in our lives and how we are called to share these manifestations with others. 

The Gospel account of the three magi traveling to meet the newborn Baby Jesus bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh is one that we know well. Yet, when we pause to reflect on this passage and unpack the richness of that moment when these men met Christ for the first time, we recognize that there is much to be said for us still today. 

As today's Gospel tells us, the magi traveled quite a distance as they followed the star, and “on entering the house they saw the child with Mary his mother. They prostrated themselves and did him homage.” Clearly these men knew that they were in the presence of their King, for one prostrates himself out of reverence and submission. They also came bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, which symbolize Christ’s kingship, divinity and humanity. These gifts make known to us Who Christ is — our Lord, our God and our Redeemer. 

Christ is still manifesting Himself to us today. We enter God’s house weekly. Upon entering His house, we are in His presence. Is meeting Christ our top priority each week? When we meet Him, do we give Him homage and show reverence knowing that He is our King? Do we offer Him our gifts — our time, talent and treasure? As Christian stewards, we are called to respond to Christ’s manifestation in the Eucharist with love, reverence and gratitude.   

And as Christ primarily manifests Himself in the Eucharist, He also manifests Himself in everyday moments — like a beautiful sunrise, a good conversation, a merciful spouse. He gifts us with little manifestations throughout our days and we often miss them. In order to recognize Him, we need an attitude of gratitude — a key component of a stewardship way of life. 

A faithful steward not only receives Christ gratefully, but also shares His goodness responsibly. St. Paul expresses this in our Second Reading in his letter to the Ephesians, “the mystery was made known to me by revelation… the Gentiles are coheirs, members of the same body.” St. Paul is sharing the Good News that has been revealed to him with the Gentiles. As a Christian steward, we too are called to share what has been revealed to us. We are called to manifest Christ to others by the way we live our lives.    

As we strive to become more faithful disciples of Christ, let us prepare our hearts to receive Christ’s many manifestations in our lives, both big and small, and let us be Christ to others. In other words, let us look at every moment through the lens of gratitude, and share what we receive with one another. God gifts us with countless little epiphanies! We just need a grateful disposition to receive them.

Mass Readings: Sunday, 03rd January 2021

First reading
Ecclesiasticus 24:1-2,8-12 ©

From eternity, in the beginning, God created wisdom

Wisdom speaks her own praises,

  in the midst of her people she glories in herself.

She opens her mouth in the assembly of the Most High,

  she glories in herself in the presence of the Mighty One;

‘Then the creator of all things instructed me,

  and he who created me fixed a place for my tent.

He said, “Pitch your tent in Jacob,

  make Israel your inheritance.”

From eternity, in the beginning, he created me,

  and for eternity I shall remain.

I ministered before him in the holy tabernacle,

  and thus was I established on Zion.

In the beloved city he has given me rest,

  and in Jerusalem I wield my authority.

I have taken root in a privileged people,

  in the Lord’s property, in his inheritance.’

The word of the Lord

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Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 147:12-15,19-20

The Word was made flesh, and lived among us

O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!
He has strengthened the bars of your gates
Zion, praise your God!

The Word was made flesh, and lived among us

He established peace on your borders,
he feeds you with finest wheat.
He sends out his word to the earth
and swiftly runs his command.

The Word was made flesh, and lived among us

He makes his word known to Jacob,
to Israel his laws and decrees.
He has not dealt thus with other nations;
he has not taught them his decrees.

The Word was made flesh, and lived among us

Second reading
Ephesians 1:3-6,15-18 ©

Before the world was made, God chose us in Christ

Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

who has blessed us with all the spiritual blessings of heaven in Christ.

Before the world was made, he chose us, chose us in Christ,

to be holy and spotless, and to live through love in his presence,

determining that we should become his adopted sons, through Jesus Christ

for his own kind purposes,

to make us praise the glory of his grace,

his free gift to us in the Beloved.

That will explain why I, having once heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus, and the love that you show towards all the saints, have never failed to remember you in my prayers and to thank God for you. May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a spirit of wisdom and perception of what is revealed, to bring you to full knowledge of him. May he enlighten the eyes of your mind so that you can see what hope his call holds for you, what rich glories he has promised the saints will inherit.

The word of the Lord

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Gospel Acclamation	cf.1Tim3:16

Alleluia, alleluia!

Glory be to you, O Christ, proclaimed to the pagans.

Glory be to you, O Christ, believed in by the world.

Alleluia!

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Gospel	John 1:1-18 ©

The Word was made flesh, and lived among us

In the beginning was the Word:

and the Word was with God

and the Word was God.

He was with God in the beginning.

Through him all things came to be,

not one thing had its being but through him.

All that came to be had life in him

and that life was the light of men,

a light that shines in the dark,

a light that darkness could not overpower.

A man came, sent by God.

His name was John.

He came as a witness,

as a witness to speak for the light,

so that everyone might believe through him.

He was not the light,

only a witness to speak for the light.

The Word was the true light

that enlightens all men;

and he was coming into the world.

He was in the world

that had its being through him,

and the world did not know him.

He came to his own domain

and his own people did not accept him.

But to all who did accept him

he gave power to become children of God,

to all who believe in the name of him

who was born not out of human stock

or urge of the flesh

or will of man

but of God himself.

The Word was made flesh,

he lived among us,

and we saw his glory,

the glory that is his as the only Son of the Father,

full of grace and truth.

John appears as his witness. He proclaims:

‘This is the one of whom I said:

He who comes after me ranks before me

because he existed before me.’

Indeed, from his fullness we have, all of us, received –

yes, grace in return for grace,

since, though the Law was given through Moses,

grace and truth have come through Jesus Christ.

No one has ever seen God;

it is the only Son, who is nearest to the Father’s heart,

who has made him known.

The Gospel of the Lord