16 January, 2023 | Memorial St Joseph Vaz | Monday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

 Gospel: Mk 1: 14-20 

The 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."

Reflection: 

 Today's reading presents to us the completion of John’s mission and the entry of Jesus’ in terms of preaching the good news and gathering disciples for Himself. Obviously, these simple men of various social backgrounds and temperaments that Jesus have chosen needed to see, learn, assimilate and imbibe much from Him. Being with Jesus was an inevitable formation they required for the new mission they are called to carry out. No philosophy or theology but the formation of their hearts after the mould of Jesus’ own heart which entails breaking free from what they were before. We can grow more like Jesus in our own discipleship, when we challenge ourselves with the question: ‘How would Jesus act in the situation I’m in, right now? 

“The life of Saint Joseph Vaz teaches us, genuine worship of God bears fruit not in discrimination, hatred and violence but in respect for the sacredness of life, respect for the dignity and freedom of others and loving commitment to the welfare of all.”   (Pope Francis at the Canonisation of St Joseph Vaz, Sri Lanka2015)

Action Plan: 

Reflect on your own calling and ask yourself, “How true and committed you are to your specific vocation. 

Read and Reflect: