3rd Week in Ordinary Time
23th January 2024 (Tuesday)
Psalter: Week 3
Reading of the Day
First Reading: 2 Samuel 6:12b-15, 17-19
In those days: David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with rejoicing. And when those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal. And David danced before the Lord with all his might. And David was wearing a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the horn. And they brought in the ark of the Lord and set it in its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings, and the peace offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts and distributed among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, a cake of bread, a portion of meat, and a cake of raisins to each one. Then all the people departed, each to his house.
Psalm 24:7, 8, 9, 10 (R. see 8ab)
R/.Who is the king of glory? It is the Lord!
Alleluia
V/. Alleluia R/. Alleluia
V/. Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have revealed to little children the mysteries of the kingdom.
R/. Alleluia
Gospel: Mark 3:31-35
At that time: The mother of Jesus and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.” And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”
Daily Gospel Reflection
Highlight: Rise beyond!
Guidlines: All of us belong to one God and one family of God. What is required is a constant awareness of this oneness of God’s family
1. “Who are my mother and my brothers?” “Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and brother”. Thereby, Jesus makes his priorities clear. Belonging to God is higher and more important than belonging to the human group.
2. Spiritual family is higher and more important than natural family. Doing God’s will is higher and more important than mere formal duties.
3. Thus, Jesus does not allow himself to be confined or conditioned by natural affinities. Jesus owns up his mother and his sisters and brothers, not by blood relationship, but only by adhering to God’s will.
4. This is a crucial challenge and urgent exigency. Sadly, we are living in a society that is fragmented by various divisive factors like caste, region, religion, language, culture, rite, et cetera.
5. Subsequently, nepotism, favouritism, and communalism are rupturing the sense of unity. These secondary affinities are overriding and even substitute the core identity of one family of God’s children and brothers and sisters. Consequently, a good number live and promote these affinities and their interests and agendas, detriment to the larger concerns and growth.
6. In fact, these are very limiting and narrow demarcations. These are signs and effects of a narrow mind and narrow inner space. They fail to recognise that the Relationship with Christ is not a matter of lineage or blood, but of heart, inner space and commitment
7. Unfortunately, these narrow factors do not exempt the spiritual domain as well. Those who belong to Christ are not merely those who are baptized, or those who bear the Christian name, or are members of the Church, or remain close to the Church, or do actively some religious activities.
8. The only criterion and way to belong to Christ, to be owned by Christ, and to become his family is to do God’s will..
Practice: Every division and disunity is a sign of inner narrowness. Therefore, let us enlarge our hearts and foster the spirit of a spiritual and fraternal family
