The Catholic Calendar for Wednesday, January 31, 2001
The Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
St. John Bosco
Details: http://www.christdesert.org/public_texts/martyrology/
Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Hebrews 12:4-7,11-15
Psalm 103:1-2,13-14,17-18
Mark 6:1-6
Full text: http://www.nccbuscc.org/nab/index.htm
A Reflection on Today's Scripture:
In today's First Reading St. Paul tells us that we must guard against
being a "bitter root". Being a bitter root might be thought of as a
habitual response that fails to see God's guiding hand in everything,
even the trials of life. It poisons whoever clings to it and tends to
diminish the hope and joy of others.
As followers of Christ we must not let difficulties diminish the
faith, hope and love that have been placed in our hearts. Further
more we must never do or say anything that might diminish them in
others. Instead we are expected, with God's grace, to accept the
trials of life with heroic courage knowing that in every circumstance
God is present and willing and able to transform us through them.
If that wasn't true we never would have been given the example of
Jesus who was rejected by his own family and neighbors. For anyone
less, the experience would have been cause for real bitterness; but,
because Jesus wasn't just anybody, but rather, the embodiment of
everybody created in the image and likeness of God, we have cause for
great hope.
Let us then pray that we might never more let bitterness poison us or
spill over onto others. Instead may the sweetness of Christ's love
which dwells in us by grace be for us a source of great joy and to
those we meet, a glimmer of God's transforming love.
- Donna Raye Nelson, ocds
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