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FRIENDS and SERVANTS of the WORD24 January 2025 Friday 2 Ordinary TimeSAINT FRANCIS di SALES WORD of the DAYJesus went up the mountain and summoned those whom he wanted and they came to him. He appointed Twelve, whom he also named Apostles, that they might be with him and he might send them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons: He appointed the Twelve: Simon, whom he named Peter; James, son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, whom he named Boanerges, that is, sons of thunder; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus; Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him. (Mark 3: 13-19) How shall I live this Word? The first thing we find in today’s gospel is that Jesus goes up on the mountain, and after having prayed, calls whom He wants. He makes use of His freedom and calls. Even the called answer freely, “they went to him.” The vocation is the meeting of two freedoms. In this call, three aspects are highlighted: discipleship, being with Jesus but in community, enjoying His intimacy, His company, being alone with Him. The mission: they were sent to preach, to proclaim the advent of the Kingdom and authority against evil, the power to expel demons. This happened with St. Francis of Sales, and today Jesus calls us to be disciples and missionaries and to have authority over evil. He calls us in freedom and expects a free response from us. What do we respond? Lord, thank you for the gift of our vocation, as St Francis de Sales,... read more
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FRIENDS and SERVANTS of the WORD23 January 2025 Thursday 2 Ordinary Time WORD of the DAYJesus withdrew toward the sea with his disciples. A large number of people followed from Galilee and from Judea. Hearing what he was doing, a large number of people came to him also from Jerusalem, from Idumea, from beyond the Jordan, and from the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon. He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him. He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases were pressing upon him to touch him. And whenever unclean spirits saw him, they would fall down before him and shout, “You are the Son of God.” He warned them sternly not to make him known. (Mark 3: 7-12) How shall I live this Word? Today’s gospel tells us that a great crowd followed Jesus, going from one place to another. People had found Jesus and with Him, hope; they were no longer without a goal; they had become pilgrims of hope. They continued to trust in Him, those who suffered from something, hoped that only touching Him could heal and so they threw themselves on Him to touch Him. Others tried to free themselves from what darkened their mind and heart. How important it is to bring hope into people’s hearts. Jesus offers this hope together with His community of disciples and today He asks us to be part of those who are bearers of hope, of those who live with joy in hope and want to share it with... read more
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FRIENDS and SERVANTS of the WORD22 January 2025 Wednesday 2 Ordinary TimeBLESSED LAURA VICUNA WORD of the DAYJesus entered the synagogue. There was a man there who had a withered hand. They watched Jesus closelyto see if he would cure him on the sabbath so that they might accuse him. He said to the man with the withered hand, “Come up here before us.” Then he said to the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” But they remained silent. Looking around at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart, Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately took counselwith the Herodians against him to put him to death. (Mark 3: 1-6) How shall I live this Word?In the face of Jesus’ question, “Is it lawful on a Sabbath day to do good or do bad, save a life or kill it?” The Pharisees and Herodians did not answer, and decided to conspire to kill him. If Jesus had asked the same question to Laurita Vicuña, the young blessed that the Salesian Family remembers, on this day, she would surely have answered immediately, ‘save his life.’ She, a young woman who has always lived “joyfully in hope”, did not hesitate to offer herself to save the life of her mother who was living with a man who also wanted to take advantage of Laurita, and she did what is good before the Lord. He... read more
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FRIENDS and SERVANTS of the WORD21 January 2025 Tuesday 2 Ordinary TimeSAINT AGNES WORD of the DAYAs Jesus was passing through a field of grain on the sabbath, his disciples began to make a path while picking the heads of grain. At this the Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?” He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry? How he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest and ate the bread of offering that only the priests could lawfully eat, and shared it with his companions?” Then he said to them, “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath. That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.” (Mark 2: 23-28) How shall I live this Word? The Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath, Jesus demonstrates His freedom in front of the opinion of the Pharisees, in relation to the action of His disciples who picked and ate the grain on the sabbath and reminds them, the similar action that David did with the bread. His freedom and His lordship over the Jewish practices, illuminate the life of the young martyr that we remember today. A thirteen-year-old girl who, having chosen God, did not hesitate to be consistent with her faith and with a freedom and a lordship not common to her age, faced martyrdom and was the master of her body, her purity, her chastity. Saint Agnes lived and understood that... read more
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FRIENDS and SERVANTS of the WORD20 January 2025 Monday 2 Ordinary Time WORD of the DAYThe disciples of John and of the Pharisees were accustomed to fast. People came to Jesus and objected,“Why do the disciples of John and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?”Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that day. No one sews a piece of unshrunken cloth on an old cloak. If he does, its fullness pulls away, the new from the old, and the tear gets worse. Likewise, no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the skins are ruined.Rather, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins.” (Mark 2: 18-22) How shall I live this Word? This gospel text, read in the light of hope, leads us to think that if the bridegroom’s friends cannot fast while he is present, so they cannot fall into despair and pessimism, because he is with them. When he will be taken away, there will be fasting. But what will sustain them, what will keep them standing, will be hope. In this turbulent world, as disciples of Jesus, we are sustained by hope, the certainty of His presence among us. The new wine must find new wineskins of hope. Is your heart that new wineskin that always welcomes hope? Lord, give us... read more
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FRIENDS and SERVANTS of the WORD19 January 2025 Sunday 2 Ordinary Time WORD of the DAYThere was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding. When the wine ran short, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, how does your concern affect me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servers, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now there were six stone water jars there for Jewish ceremonial washings, each holding twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told them, “Fill the jars with water.” So, they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Draw some out now and take it to the headwaiter.” So, they took it. And when the headwaiter tasted the water that had become wine, without knowing where it came from — although the servers who had drawn the water knew —, the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves good wine first, and then when people have drunk freely, an inferior one; but you have kept the good wine until now.” Jesus did this as the beginning of his signs at Cana in Galilee and so revealed his glory, and his disciples began to believe in him. (John 2: 1-11) How shall I live this Word? At Cana, the attentive presence of Mary becomes a sign of hope and joy, not only for the newlyweds, but for all those invited to the wedding. She, missionary of joy and hope, with her attentive presence,... read more
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FRIENDS and SERVANTS of the WORD17 January 2025 Friday 1 Ordinary Time WORD of the DAYWhen Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days, it became known that he was at home.Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them, not even around the door,and he preached the word to them. They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd, they opened up the roof above him. After they had broken through, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to him, “Child, your sins are forgiven.” (Mark 2: 1-5) How shall I live this Word? “Child, your sins are forgiven.” Who can say these words? Only Christ; only He could say this.In that context, sickness and sin were the same thing. Jesus lives the reality of His time. He accomplishes the mission entrusted to Him by the Father: the salvation of humankind. But at that time, the people could not understand this. Although the Messiah, the Savior for centuries was awaited, the scholars of the Torah could not accept that Christ was one of them. Those who recognize Jesus are the poor, the sick, the sinners, and even the demon-possessed. This is because a personal encounter with Jesus is created, a brief dialogue established, a contact with a presence that with His gaze and with His whole Self gives welcome, love, liberation, and healing. In the verses proposed by today’s liturgy, there are more people who participate in this encounter with Jesus: the paralytic, the friends,... read more
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FRIENDS and SERVANTS of the WORD16 January 2025 Thursday 1 Ordinary Time WORD of the DAYA leper came to him and kneeling down begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched the leper, and said to him,“I do will it. Be made clean.” The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean. Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once. Then he said to him, “See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed;that will be proof for them.” The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere. (Mark 1: 40-45) How shall I live this Word?Today’s Gospel puts before us an unusual figure, a leper, one who according to the social, political, and religious norms of the time had to stay away from everyone, isolated, without proximity. In this case, he is the one who goes to seek Jesus, kneels before Him and pleads for his healing. This man suffering because of his illness, recognizes the greatness of Jesus, turns to Him presenting his need for healing. Jesus’ response exceeds the leper’s expectations, goes beyond a response, “Moved with pity, He stretched out His hand, touched the leper”. He verbally manifested His will to heal him, “and immediately he was made clean.” This man who was previously... read more
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FRIENDS and SERVANTS of the WORD14 January 2025 Tuesday 1 Ordinary Time WORD of the DAYJesus came to Capernaum with his followers, and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught.The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are–the Holy One of God!” Jesus rebuked him and said, “Quiet! Come out of him!” The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him. All were amazed and asked one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority.He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.” His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee. (Mark 1: 21b-28) How shall I live this Word? Today’s Gospel begins by placing it in time and space. It was a Sabbath day, and the scene takes place in the synagogue. On the Sabbath day, Jews are required to refrain from doing any work and certain actions, and it is the day dedicated to the study of the Torah in the synagogue. In that sacred place Jesus “taught them as one who has authority”. The teaching of Jesus is not only doctrinal, made of words, but a teaching linked to life; it is witness in action. While Jesus teaches, there is the unexpected intervention of a man who interrupts the discourse of Jesus, “a man possessed by an impure spirit began... read more
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FRIENDS and SERVANTS of the WORD13 January 2025 Monday 1 Ordinary Time WORD of the DAYIn times past, God spoke in partial and various waysto our ancestors through the prophets; in these last days, he spoke to us through the Son, whom he made heir of all things and through whom he created the universe. (Hebrews 1: 1-2) How shall I live this Word? The letter to the Hebrews begins with clear verses: someone speaks and someone listens. The one who speaks is God, who in ancient times spoke through prophets. God reveals Himself to His messengers who are the prophets to prepare for the coming of the Emmanuel; God with us, the Savior. All the prophets have prepared the people for this event in salvation history.Now, the clarity of these verses is in manifesting how God speaks. God speaks through the Son, He is the incarnate Word, the One for whom everything was made. Then we ask ourselves, to whom does He speak? He speaks to us, to me, to you. He speaks to us through His Word which we find in the Bible, in the Liturgy of the day, in His Eucharistic presence, in the sacraments, and in personal and community prayer. He speaks to us through His brothers and sisters, from the nearest to the farthest. He also speaks to us in our conscience. “In the depths of our conscience, we discover a law that is not self-given, but which must be obeyed. This voice, which always calls us to love, to do good, and to flee from evil, resounds at the appropriate moment in the... read more
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