REFLECTIONS ON THE WORD – 01/21/22 (Friday)

Mark 3:13-14

13 And He went up on the mountain, and called to Him those whom He desired; and they came to Him. 14 And He appointed twelve, to be with Him, and to be sent out to preach

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Blessed Memorial of St. Agnes! St. Agnes was only twelve years old when she suffered martyrdom. She was ordered to commit idolatry and offer incense to a false god. But, she did not obey this because of her faithfulness to Jesus, her only Spouse. Even in the face of torture, she proclaimed the gospel through her words and actions, and she died as a virgin and martyr. This faithfulness is what God desires for us as we read in the gospel. Jesus went on the mountain and called the twelve to preach the gospel. The mountain is a symbolism for holiness and presence of God, and all of these are necessary to fulfill our mission in life. 

As Catholics, He has appointed us to preach the gospel to many people. We can do this in our words as we speak about God and lead people to His teachings. And, we can also preach through our actions by living the Catholic faith. But, why do we need to be holy in preaching the gospel? Because we are chosen by God to be His instruments, we can experience many temptations from the evil spirits who seek to prevent us from fulfilling our mission. The demons can influence many people, especially some of our families and friends, to criticize and persecute us when they see that we are following Christ. If we do not persevere in holiness, it will be easy for us to fall to sin such as by belittling them or by being angry with them. Unfortunately, some people stop from practicing the faith because of opposition from other people. This is why we should always remain in His presence, especially through prayers and sacraments. Through the sacraments and prayers, we won't just have the grace to do more good works, but we can also be protected by the mercy of God from such temptations. Jesus wants us to converse with Him always in our prayers, and He invites us to receive the graces that He give in the Eucharist and confession for our protection. 

May we imitate St. Agnes by being faithful to our Lord even at the last moment of our lives. May we always examine our conscience and actions, especially when we are struggling to persevere in holiness. Jesus will grant us wisdom to know His will and avoid sins, so we can be good examples to people around us. Let's also seek the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our Mother, so we can be protected from the temptations of the evil spirits and the distractions of the world. When we remain in the presence of Christ through our prayers and through the sacraments, He will exalt us to the mountain of holiness. 

Amen +

 

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +

 

May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. +  

Reflection by: Dominic