MONDAY OF THE FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - 2021

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

The kingdom of God is close at hand:
repent and believe the Good News. MK1:15

HEBREWS 1:1-6

My Soul's Beloved,

Step by painful step God has been leading the children of Adam to the fullness of time when You, His Son, born of Woman, would come into the world. The invisible God is visible and tangible in You, the radiance of God, the perfect image of the eternal Father, full of grace, goodness, truth, beauty, and wisdom. The world is sustained by the power of the Eternal World of the Father, the world You redeemed, ransomed, saved, and delivered from captivity, enslavement, and bondage to sin. 

You took upon Yourself the sins of the world, all its ugliness, and consequences which is death. You paid the price of our iniquity and restored our fellowship with God once again. Grant us this grace, that we may never forget, become complacent, and take for granted the cost to God, the Sacrifice of His only Son, for the redemption of the world. 

You are now raised high in glory and majesty far above all the angels and have been given the Name above every other name, Jesus, the only Name that has the power to save. 

The Father of Love has given You, His only Son to us not only to be our Lord, our Redeemer, our Savior, our Deliverer but also as our Brother, our Friend, and our Bridegroom. To You alone, we offer along with all the angels and saints, our love, worship, and adoration gladly and joyfully not only in this life but eternally in the life to come.

PSALM 97: 1-2,6-7,9

My Soul's Beloved,

Long before You became incarnate and came into the world to redeem it, patriarchs, prophets, priests, and sages spoke, wrote, and prayed with longing for the One who was to come - the Kings of Kings, the Lord of Lord, the Messiah, the Deliverer. 

The world waited with longing for You while it walked in darkness, in sin, in exile, in captivity, far from home. They wept, they mourned, they groaned, they cried out to God for deliverance, for justice, for mercy, for salvation, for redemption, waiting in hope for the dawn of the day of the Lord.

Now we have seen God's glory. We have experienced God's love. We are aware of the price God paid to redeem the world and we are overwhelmed by God's goodness, mercy, and tender compassion for us, sinners. 

Thank You, Father, for giving up Your Son, Jesus, for the life of the world. Thank You, Jesus, for acquiescing in joyful obedience to Your Father's will. Thank You, Holy Spirit, for the power of Love made visible in the Son and in the power of the Resurrection.

MARK 1:14-20

My Soul's Beloved,

Suffering and sorrow patiently endured for the sake of the Kingdom of God is the surest way and the shortest road to eternal, blissful union with God. 

John the Baptist's public ministry ended with his arrest while Yours had just begun with this proclamation, ‘The time has come and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News.’ John came to prepare the Way, You are the Way. He preached repentance for the forgiveness of sins, You have the power to forgive every sin committed by a repentant sinner, he preached the Kingdom of God was at hand, You are heir to God's Kingdom and You make the Kingdom present in us. Believing the Good News has the power to save because You are the Good News that saves. 

You began Your public ministry by choosing Your disciples. The first two, as narrated by Mark, are Simon and Andrew. They were ordinary, hardworking, simple men, brothers, who were good at their trade of fishing but had no other special skills. You walked along the Sea of Galilee, stopped to watch them at work, and extended an invitation to them, 'Follow me and I will make you into fishers of men.’ Their response was immediate, 'And at once they left their nets and followed him.'

Mark continues, '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.'

You come to us, You meet us where we are, You extend a personal invitation to us to follow You. What is our response? Peter, Andrew, James, and John were the first to be called, the first to be chosen, and of the Twelve privileged to be closest to You. They were chosen over the others to witness events and miracles the others did not. We must always remember that You chose who You will and do what You will, for You are God to refuse what You ask is darkness, utter sadness, and dismay. To assent to You in all things is the sure road to perfect joy and peace in this life and eternal bliss in the life to come.