It’s interesting that Jesus waited for the proper timing to start His ministry. The Gospel today tells us that He began His ministry only “after John [the Baptist] was arrested.” How interesting that the eternal Son of God, One who is not bound by time, respected the timing of the universe to begin His earthly mission. 

Last year, I finally admitted to myself that I needed to lose weight. I enrolled in an online 100-day fitness challenge where we were taught how to eat and exercise optimally. Although I had not been to a gym for a gazillion years, I took that giant leap forward and just started. Day after day, my weight dropped. But not without the struggle of waking up, working out, and eating the same kind of food every day. I started at 77.4 kilos, and on day 100, I weighed in at 67.5 kilos—a victory I thought I wouldn’t reach! 

Time won’t wait for us, and Jesus knew that. The journey will entail pain and suffering, but we have to start today. Migs Ramirez (emiguelframirez@gmail.com)

reflect

It’s 2025. What are you going to start today? 

Father, I want to do Your will each day. Help me to start moving so that I may contribute to something good today. Amen.

St. Hilary of Poiters, pray for us.

God has spoken to His people by using different methods and by speaking through prophets over the years. Jesus, His Son, is the definitive revelation of God’s love—His life and words tell us about the Father. Jesus and the Father are one, along with the Holy Spirit. We come to know the Father by knowing Jesus. We cannot know one without knowing the other.

¹ Brothers and sisters: In times past, God spoke in partial and various ways to our ancestors through the prophets; ² 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, ³ who is the refulgence of his glory, the very imprint of his being, and who sustains all things by his mighty word. When he had accomplished purification from sins, he took his seat at the right hand of the Majesty on high, ⁴ as far superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. ⁵ For to which of the angels did God ever say: You are my Son; this day I have begotten you? Or again: I will be a father to him, and he shall be a Son to me? ⁶ And again, when he leads the first born into the world, he says: Let all the angels of God worship him. 

Responsorial Psalm | Psalm 97:1, 2, 6, 7, 9

R: Let all his angels worship him.

¹ The Lord is king; let the earth rejoice; let the many isles be glad. ² Justice and judgment are the foundation of his throne. (R) ⁶ The heavens proclaim his justice, and all peoples see his glory. ⁷ Let all his angels worship him. (R) ⁹ Because you, O Lord, are the Most High over all the earth, exalted far above all gods. (R)

Gospel | Mark 1:14-20

Mark believes that the arrest of John the Baptist precipitates the ministry of Jesus—His coming out to proclaim the Gospel. It is a watershed moment in the history of our faith and of the world. The proclamation of the Gospel has begun. Its message in both word and deed will transform the world. Jesus then immediately calls His Apostles, the men who will continue the ministry of the Gospel, when He returns to the Father.

Gospel Acclamation

The Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the Gospel.

¹⁴ After John had been arrested, Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the Gospel of God: ¹⁵ “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel.” ¹⁶ As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. ¹⁷ Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” ^{18 T}hen they left their nets and followed him. ¹⁹ He walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. ²⁰ Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him.

Reflect:

When did you receive the call of Jesus to follow Him? Describe the circumstances that led to your response to His call.

Read the Bible in one year! Read MATTHEW 5 - 8 today.

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, churches all over the world were forced to cancel the public celebration of the sacraments, most specially the Holy Eucharist. That was one of the most difficult decisions the Church had to make to flatten the curve of transmission of the virus. It was also one of the most difficult recommendations the faithful had to abide by. Parishioners were texting and messaging me, saying they cry almost every day knowing that they will not be able to receive the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist.

It felt weird, after 24 years in the priesthood, to celebrate Mass with no one in the congregation. Masses were live streamed on social media. But the longer the quarantine persisted, the weirder it felt talking to a camera without a live congregation participating. 

But one day, it hit me. My parish church might be empty, but the domestic Churches (i.e., the Churches in the homes) were full. The empty church might make it seem that the Church was dead, but the Church in individual families was very much alive. Parishioners sent pictures of them piously participating in the live stream Masses. 

Today, we read in the Gospel the call of the first disciples. Mind you, Jesus called them not to erect church buildings but to establish domus ecclesiae—home Churches, domestic Churches. And for the first centuries of Christianity, a domus ecclesiae was the norm. Believers gathered in their homes, prayed together, reflected on the Scriptures, and broke bread (see Acts 2:42-46).

The empty-church experience brought home the point that the success of the Church is not be measured by its seating capacity. The real success of a Church is measured by its sending capacity, i.e., when the Church is lived and made vibrant in the homes. Fr. Joel Jason

reflection question

Now that parish churches are open once again, does your home continue to be a domus ecclesiae? 

Send me, O Lord, to Christify the world. Amen.

Today, I pray for: _________________________________________