Reflecting Him

Daily Reflection – 2/4/2026

Sacred Scripture

He departed from there and came to his native place, accompanied by his disciples. When the Sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished. They said, “Where did this man get all this? What kind of wisdom has been given him? What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands! Is he not the carpenter, the son of Mary, and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.” So he was not able to perform any mighty deed there, apart from curing a few sick people by laying his hands on them. He was amazed at their lack of faith. (Mark 6:1-6)

Reflection

Jesus returns to the place that formed him and meets surprising resistance. The crowd’s initial astonishment—“Where did this man get all this?”—quickly hardens into offense. They know his family, his trade, his ordinary origins, and that familiarity blinds them to the prophetic authority standing before them. Their rejection is not a reasoned disagreement with his teaching; it is a refusal rooted in expectation and the inability to see beyond what they already know.

Jesus names the pattern—“A prophet is not without honor except in his native place”—and then moves on. Because of their lack of faith he can do only a few healings there, and the text says he was amazed at their lack of faith. That amazement is sorrowful: proximity does not guarantee insight or openness. Even signs and words of life can be met with closed hearts.

This passage holds a double lesson. First, it exposes a painful human truth: those closest to us can be the least able to receive our gifts. Familiarity breeds assumptions that blinds people to growth and grace. Second, it offers a model for resilience. Jesus does not collapse into bitterness or self‑rejection. He preserves his identity and calling and continues his mission in neighboring villages where ears and hearts are ready.

For our lives this means two things. Grieve honestly when those you love do not recognize your gifts; the wound is real and deserves attention. Yet do not let that wound define your vocation or worth. Faithful persistence—continuing to teach, heal, and love where reception is possible—is itself a form of witness. Your calling is not contingent on universal approval; it is rooted in fidelity to the work entrusted to you.

Practically, name the hurt, seek consolation in prayer and community, and then act. Pray for those who cannot see you clearly; seek honest conversation where possible; and when acceptance is withheld, invest your energy where it bears fruit. Remember that God’s affirmation does not always come through family or hometown; it often comes through the quiet confirmation of lives touched by your gifts.

Prayer of The Day

“Lord Jesus, when I am hurt by those closest to me, hold me in your compassion. Give me courage to grieve, wisdom to let go where needed, and strength to continue serving where hearts are open. Amen.”

Daily Note

Pray as you can, not as you cannot. Speak plainly to God about your hurt; God hears and heals, and then sends you back into the world to love again.

Daily Reflection – 2/3/2026

Sacred Scripture

When Jesus had crossed again [in the boat] to the other side, a large crowd gathered around him, and he stayed close to the sea. One of the synagogue officials, named Jairus, came forward. Seeing him he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, saying, “My daughter is at the point of death. Please, come lay your hands on her that she may get well and live.” He went off with him, and a large crowd followed him and pressed upon him. There was a woman afflicted with hemorrhages for twelve years. She had suffered greatly at the hands of many doctors and had spent all that she had. Yet she was not helped but only grew worse. She had heard about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak.  She said, “If I but touch his clothes, I shall be cured.” Immediately her flow of blood dried up. She felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. Jesus, aware at once that power had gone out from him, turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who has touched my clothes?” But his disciples said to him, “You see how the crowd is pressing upon you, and yet you ask, ‘Who touched me?’” And he looked around to see who had done it. The woman, realizing what had happened to her, approached in fear and trembling. She fell down before Jesus and told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace and be cured of your affliction.” While he was still speaking, people from the synagogue official’s house arrived and said, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the teacher any longer?” Disregarding the message that was reported, Jesus said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid; just have faith.” He did not allow anyone to accompany him inside except Peter, James, and John, the brother of James. When they arrived at the house of the synagogue official, he caught sight of a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly. So he went in and said to them, “Why this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep.” And they ridiculed him. Then he put them all out. He took along the child’s father and mother and those who were with him and entered the room where the child was. He took the child by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means, “Little girl, I say to you, arise!” The girl, a child of twelve, arose immediately and walked around. [At that] they were utterly astounded. He gave strict orders that no one should know this and said that she should be given something to eat. ( Mark 5:21-43)

Reflection

Two people stand before us in today’s Gospel — Jairus and the woman who had been hemorrhaging for twelve long years. Two lives on the edge of emptiness. Two hearts carrying fear, exhaustion, and the quiet ache of “nothing has worked.” And yet, beneath all that pain, something else lived in them: a belief that Jesus could do what no one else could.

They believed before they saw.
They hoped before anything changed.
They reached for Him even when the world around them said it was too late.

Their stories are not ancient relics. They are mirrors held up to our own lives.

Because today, in 2026, many of us are living with blessings — and yet feel spiritually thin. Many are surrounded by noise — and yet feel hollow inside. Many are angry at the world — and yet starving for peace. Today’s Gospel is a wake‑up call, not to shame us, but to invite us to take an honest inventory of our faith.

Do we believe in Jesus, or do we simply admire Him from a distance? Do we follow His teachings, or do we selectively choose the ones that cost us the least? Do we speak of love, yet harbor division, resentment, or prejudice in the quiet corners of our hearts?

We cannot say we follow Christ and then unleash anger online as if our words carry no consequence.
We cannot claim His name and then diminish another person because of race, orientation, or any difference that God Himself created.

To follow Jesus is to be filled with Jesus.

Jairus knew that. The hemorrhaging woman knew that. They believed without seeing — and that is where we are called to stand.

To be filled with Jesus means we must encounter Him. Not theoretically. Not occasionally. But personally. That happens when we carve out time each day to sit with Him, speak to Him, and let Him speak into the places we hide. It happens when we admit our frailties, our emptiness, our longing. It happens when we recognize that the void we feel is not a failure — it is an invitation.

Because no matter how deeply we love the people in our lives, there is a love greater still. A love that steadies us when we are anxious, lifts us when we are weary, and reminds us that nothing is lost when Christ is near.

The reward of living a life shaped by His teachings is not simply that our own hearts are filled. It is that our lives begin to illuminate others. We become people who carry peace into chaos, compassion into division, and hope into despair. We begin to know Jesus — not as an idea, but as a presence.

Jairus knew Him. The woman knew Him. And you can know Him too.

Reach for Him when you feel lost. Call to Him when fear closes in. Touch the hem of His garment when you feel you have nothing left.

That is the faith that heals. That is the faith that changes us. That is the faith that changes the world.

Prayer of The Day

“Lord Jesus, you know the places in my life where fear, emptiness, or exhaustion have taken root. Touch me with your healing power and restore me to the fullness of life you desire for me. Teach me to reach for you with the same courage and trust as Jairus and the woman who touched your garment. Fill me so completely with your love that I may give myself in loving service to others.”

Daily Note

Where in your life do you need to “fight through the crowd” to reach Jesus? Name one place of fear, anger, or emptiness — and bring it to Him today with the simple prayer: “Lord, I reach for You.”

Daily Refection – 2/2/2026

Sacred Scripture

Jesus and his disciples came to the other side of the sea, to the territory of the Gerasenes. When he got out of the boat, at once a man from the tombs who had an unclean spirit met him. The man had been dwelling among the tombs, and no one could restrain him any longer, even with a chain. In fact, he had frequently been bound with shackles and chains, but the chains had been pulled apart by him and the shackles smashed, and no one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and on the hillsides he was always crying out and bruising himself with stones. Catching sight of Jesus from a distance, he ran up and prostrated himself before him, crying out in a loud voice, “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me!” (He had been saying to him, “Unclean spirit, come out of the man!”) He asked him, “What is your name?” He replied, “Legion is my name. There are many of us.” And he pleaded earnestly with him not to drive them away from that territory. Now a large herd of swine was feeding there on the hillside. And they pleaded with him, “Send us into the swine. Let us enter them.” And he let them, and the unclean spirits came out and entered the swine. The herd of about two thousand rushed down a steep bank into the sea, where they were drowned. The swineherds ran away and reported the incident in the town and throughout the countryside. And people came out to see what had happened. As they approached Jesus, they caught sight of the man who had been possessed by Legion, sitting there clothed and in his right mind. And they were seized with fear. Those who witnessed the incident explained to them what had happened to the possessed man and to the swine. Then they began to beg him to leave their district. As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed pleaded to remain with him. But Jesus would not permit him but told him instead, “Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in his pity has done for you.” Then the man went off and began to proclaim in the Decapolis what Jesus had done for him; and all were amazed. (Mark 5:1-20)

Reflection

The possessed man, in today’s scripture, was practically dead—perhaps even worse than dead. The poor soul was consumed by a host of demons, living in the tombs, and isolated from the community. What a hellish existence! He was in pain, crying out and hurting himself.

This is an image of the pain and suffering caused by sin. Sin separates a person from God and others. It shackles and chains a soul. It causes pain and suffering to everyone involved. In short, it causes spiritual death.

Jesus came to save all people from the captivity of sin. He wants to restore us to life and communion with himself and others.

The possessed man had an intimate encounter with God’s mercy. His running to and prostrating himself before Jesus was an act of repentance. After Jesus forgave and freed him from the oppression of the demons, he wanted to follow Jesus. Instead, Jesus told him, “Go home to your family and announce to them all that the Lord in his pity has done for you.” Jesus sent him on a mission to share Christ’s mercy with his loved ones and community. His exile ended, and his life was restored.

So too with our lives. Jesus waits for us to turn to him, acknowledge our shackles, and receive His love.

We need to admit that each of us bear the shackles of sin. Sometimes its extreme but, most often, its capable of being disguised and others may not see it. Hidden from others eyes, we let it stay with us.

But the moment of truth, the moment of facing our Savior could be as imminent as the moment we cease reading this.

What is the shackle (s) that bind you? That keep you away from God.

Is it the shackle of hypocrisy? Of discrimination? Of self-pride? Of bitterness? Of anger? Of selfishness? Of lust? Of bitterness? Of anger? Of entitlement? Of an addiction – drugs, alcohol, pornography? The list could fill a book.

Now is the moment we need to be truthful. Now is the time to face the shackle and ask the Lord to free us. Out of the darkest moments of our lives, God’s light shines the brightest. Jesus wants to extend his Divine Mercy to all people. Our own stories of what God has done for us can be powerful instruments of evangelization.

Walk in the light today and let his love and light shine through you.

Prayer of The Day

“Lord Jesus, unbind me that I may love you wholly and walk in the freedom of your way of life and holiness. May there be nothing which keeps me from the joy of living in your presence.”

Daily Note

We live in a contentious world. We live in a society where the differences between people are growing wider and louder. That contention strengthens the shackles that bind us. We can’t let that darkness envelop us. Jesus is ready and willing to free us from anything that binds us and that keeps us from the love of God. Are you willing to part with anything that might keep you from his love and saving grace?

Daily Reflection – 1/30/2026

Sacred Scripture

Jesus said to the crowds: “This is how it is with the kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come.” He said, “To what shall we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use for it? It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth. But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.” With many such parables he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it. Without parables he did not speak to them, but to his own disciples he explained everything in private. (Mark 4:26-34)

Reflection

Do you believe in God’s presence within you?

Before we all answer “yes,” the follow on question would have to be “ then what do you about His presence within you?’

Let’s walk that path together.

We begin by acknowledging that God, through the Holy Spirit, is within us each moment of our lives. We believe that.

But accepting His presence also means that we recognize His presence in the way we live our lives. We do that by placing our lives under the word of God. We live our lives not according to our own tastes, tendencies and preferences but rather that they are in conformity with His teachings, His word and His preferences.

For many, including me, that means a constant struggle with our ego which, at times, goes against His word. But we must, each day, examine our lives to determine those aspects that require change and conversion. Yes, that requires effort and disciple. But it is worth every second. Why?

Because His love is so encompassing and so eternal that it forgives us. A love that had no beginning is also a love that has no ending.

Think about that! Sometimes I tremble because of the enormity of His love. No matter what I have done, His love forgives me.

Yesterday, we talked about our self-image and how worthy we are because of His love. Couple the two thoughts and feel the magnitude about what that tells you about you.

Do you accept that? Then comes the answer to the second question . . . what do you do about His presence within you?

When Jesus tells His listeners that the Kingdom of God is like a grain of mustard seed which is the smallest seed on earth, but which becomes the greatest of all shrubs, He is inviting us to look at the world with new eyes.

It’s the little things make a big difference, and the Kingdom of God is built on little things. They are the mustard seeds that we plant, and Christ magnifies those actions and makes them abundant. There is a tendency of the human condition to focus on the big things or problems of life and that’s OK. But you and I can only affect life and the world around us. It’s not done at the expense of our call to love. For most of us, our call to love BECAUSE WE ARE LOVED should never come at the expense of His love.

You and I can do great things for God if you are willing to offer yourself to THE One who has planted in you the tiny seeds of love, generosity, mercy, justice and kindness.

Each of us needs to spend more time looking for mustard seed. To look for the first signs of His kingdom with faith and optimism. To never dismiss the small and insignificant. If we do that, we will not give up on ourselves, on others, or the church, or even on the world just because we see many signs of sin and brokenness.

Jesus Christ has called you and I to be His disciples. No matter what your situation or condition, He has something important for you to do. Believe that and it will change how you think and how you live in the world. Believe that and you will receive new enthusiasm and excitement about life. Believe that and you and the world will be different.

Prayer of The Day

“Dear Lord, I pray that you allow the seeds of your words to take deep root in my life and transform me unto a fruit-nearing disciple of your kingdom.”

Daily Note

Where are you spending your energy? Are you too focused on the big moments, or are you attentive to the small ways that Christ is calling you to serve? Are you planting mustard seeds that will grow into something amazing, or trying to replant cedar trees on a hilltop? This week, be attentive to the small parts of your relational life – and get ready to see some Kingdom size results.

Daily Reflection – 1/29/2026

Sacred Scripture

Jesus said to his disciples, “Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket or under a bed, and not to be placed on a lampstand? For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible; nothing is secret except to come to light. Anyone who has ears to hear ought to hear.” He also told them, “Take care what you hear. The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you, and still more will be given to you. To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” (Mark 4:21-25)

Reflection

Jesus doesn’t waste words in this passage. In just a few lines, He gives us the blueprint for a life that actually reflects Him — a life that doesn’t hide, shrink, or dim the light He has placed within us.

Light is meant to be seen. Light is meant to reveal. Light is meant to guide.

Just as natural light pushes back the darkness around us, the light of Christ pushes back the shadows within us — fear, doubt, shame, discouragement — and allows us to see clearly again. God’s desire is not simply to inform us, but to fill us with His Spirit so that His radiance becomes visible in our words, our choices, our presence.

Jesus has lit the lamp of your heart. He has illuminated your mind with His word. And He has no intention of watching you hide it under a basket.

He wants your life — your real, imperfect, ordinary life — to become a lampstand. A place where His truth, His goodness, and His love can be seen by others who are still searching for direction.

Our lives are not meant to be self‑contained.
We are meant to be gifts.
We are meant to give life.

We give life when we enlighten others. We give life when we choose honesty over silence.
We give life when we walk toward the light ourselves and refuse to pretend we don’t see what is true.

Even the smallest act of love, spoken from a heart that knows it is loved by God, can ripple outward in ways we may never see. Never underestimate the quiet power of your presence. Never forget the weight of your words. Never diminish the importance of your life in God’s eyes.

Then Jesus gives us a principle that touches every part of human experience:
“The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you — and more besides.”

It is the spiritual version of “use it or lose it.” The more we practice a gift, the more it grows. The more we share the light, the brighter it becomes. The more we give away the truth, the deeper it roots itself in us.

If we hoard what God gives, it withers. If we share it, it multiplies.

This is why teachers learn more by teaching. Why musicians grow by playing. Why faith deepens when it is lived, not stored.

Jesus is inviting us into a life of holy generosity — a life where we don’t cling to the light, but become the light.

So wrap yourself today in the truth of your importance to God. Let His love settle on you like warmth on your shoulders. Then walk into the world with that light — and let it show others the way home.

Prayer of The Day

“Lord Jesus, shine the light of Your truth into every corner of my heart. Free me from anything that blinds me — fear, sin, confusion, or self‑doubt — and fill me with Your clarity and peace. Teach me to walk in Your light and to share it generously, so that others may see Your goodness through my words and my actions.”

Daily Note

We live in a time when moral relativism is treated as wisdom — where people believe they can design their own truth, shape their own morality, and decide for themselves what is right. But discipleship is not self‑constructed. It is received. It is formed. It is lived in relationship with the One who created us.

So ask yourself today:

• Do I simply follow what I know is right, or do I help others see the truth with charity and courage?
• Have I ever stayed silent when I should have spoken?
• Do I defend the dignity of life in all its stages?
• Am I willing to stand up for someone when others tear them down behind their back?

The light Christ gives us is not meant to be hidden.
It is meant to be lived — boldly, humbly, and with love.

Daily Reflection – 1/28/2026

Sacred Scripture

On another occasion, Jesus began to teach by the sea. A very large crowd gathered around him so that he got into a boat on the sea and sat down. And the whole crowd was beside the sea on land. And he taught them at length in parables, and in the course of his instruction he said to them, “Hear this! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Other seed fell on rocky ground where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep. And when the sun rose, it was scorched and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it and it produced no grain. And some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit. It came up and grew and yielded thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.” He added, “Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.” And when he was alone, those present along with the Twelve questioned him about the parables. He answered them, “The mystery of the Kingdom of God has been granted to you. But to those outside everything comes in parables, so that they may look and see but not perceive, and hear and listen but not understand, in order that they may not be converted and be forgiven.” Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables? The sower sows the word. These are the ones on the path where the word is sown. As soon as they hear, Satan comes at once and takes away the word sown in them. And these are the ones sown on rocky ground who, when they hear the word, receive it at once with joy. But they have no roots; they last only for a time. Then when tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Those sown among thorns are another sort. They are the people who hear the word, but worldly anxiety, the lure of riches, and the craving for other things intrude and choke the word, and it bears no fruit. But those sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.” (Mark 4:1-20)

Reflection

Is that us? In today’s Gospel, Mark highlights the importance of hearing nine times. It’s at the heart of Jesus’ parable of the sower.

The human heart is like a field that can, at different times, be open or closed. The word of God comes to us as we are, with our faults and failings, our gifts and talents. We bear fruit each in our own way at our own time.

Some folks hear Jesus, but their hearts are hard-packed. The seed never penetrates at all. Other folks hear Jesus and get excited about Him, but when trouble comes, they bail. The third soil really stings. Here the word penetrates and deeply, but just as deep as other cares and worries. The word has competition and loses out to the other concerns of our heart. Those concerns choked out faith in Him.

Then there are those whose minds are open. At all times, they are willing to listen and to learn. He or she is never too proud or too busy to learn. They listen in order to understand. God gives grace to those who hunger for his word that they may understand his will and have the strength to live according to it.

Most readers of these reflections certainly have faith, to one degree or another. Even when that is the case, there are times in your lives when you question where God is. There may even be times when you feel you have lost the faith that once sustained you.

What do you do when you fall into a moment, a day or more, of doubting?

Then you must return to the basics of this life. Allow me to explain.

Start your day or moment by looking around at the moments in your life that fill you with love. Is it the warmth or love of someone close to you? Perhaps it’s the delightful smell of a newborn or the sweet scent of a child’s hair. Or it could be a beautiful sunrise or sunset that filled you with its beauty.

Hold those tangible moments of love or beauty or both close to you and give thanks that you have them.

Allow those moments to flood you, fill you, bring peace to you.

Now you are on a path that points you to peace and, with peace, comes the ability to breathe deeply and recognize that all that good and all that beauty didn’t just happen. It came because our Father wanted you to have that love so that you could love.

Slowly then give thanks to Him for the treasures that do surround you. Those treasures could be a person, an event, a minute that made you stop and say, “Thank you, God.”

Let that be enough for you. The seeds that were placed in your life will germinate in a new season of faith for you. Fruit that will lead to a deeper understanding of His word and drown out all the other words that are clamoring in your life.

Prayer of The Day

“Dear God, strengthen my heart to become the rich soil that hears Your Word, understands it, puts it into practice and action and finally bears for You abundant yield according to Your Holy Will”

Daily Note

The human heart is like a field that can, at different times, be open or closed. The word of God comes to us as we are, with our faults and failings, our gifts and talents. We bear fruit each in our own way at our own time.

Prayer is the measure to introduce us to the word of God. Prayer takes time, and by allowing God’s word to echo in our minds and hearts, it takes root and then bears fruit in life. Take a sentence or two from the gospel today, or even a word, and allow it be ‘your word’ for today. Like a bar of music, it can echo within you all day. The word of God will bear its fruit in you.

Daily Reflection – 1/27/2026

When Love Names Us Family

Sacred Scripture

Jesus’ mother and brothers came. As they stood outside, they sent someone to call him. The crowd sitting around Jesus told him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside asking for you”. He replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?”. And looking around at those who sat there he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. Whoever does the will of God is brother and sister and mother to me.” (Mark 3:31-35)

Reflection

Today’s Gospel offers an invitation so profound that, if we truly accept it, it reshapes the entire landscape of our lives. At first glance, Jesus’ words can sound harsh. Some hear Him speak about His mother and relatives and assume He is distancing Himself from His own family. But nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus is not rejecting His family — He is expanding it. He is opening the door wide and inviting us to step inside.

And the entry requirement is beautifully simple: To do the will of God.

But that raises a question that every honest believer wrestles with: How do we know the will of God? And even more challenging — do we trust that God’s will is present in both the joys and the sorrows of our lives?

Life is not a smooth road. There are seasons when blessings overflow, and God’s presence feels warm and unmistakable. But there are also seasons when the ground shakes beneath us — illness, loss, disappointment, loneliness — and in those moments, God can feel painfully distant. Yet the truth is this: God’s presence never changes. Only our perception does.

Think back to the hardest chapters of your life. Some people cling to God more tightly in those moments. Others feel abandoned and ask, “Where is God in all of this?” Both reactions are deeply human. But it is precisely in those moments of confusion and pain that we need God the most. We all know that bad things happen to good people. But when we are the good people facing the bad things, our clarity can blur and our trust can waver.

Still, God remains. God stays. God does not desert His children. And isn’t that the very definition of family? Love that does not walk away. Presence that does not evaporate. A bond that does not break. If we can accept that, then we can begin to understand what it means to do the will of God.

Being a Christian is not primarily about rules, doctrines, or checklists. It is first and always a relationship — one marked by trust, affection, loyalty, compassion, mercy, encouragement, and a love that binds hearts together. God offers us the greatest relationship imaginable: a union of heart, mind, and spirit with the very source of love itself.

God’s love never fails. Never forgets. Never compromises. Never abandons. We may wander, but God never stops pursuing us. He seeks the lost, calls the weary home, and loves us with a persistence that defies comprehension. That is the astonishing truth — the WOW factor — of today’s Gospel.

So take this into your heart today: Let His love flood you. Let His love wash over you as you are.
Let His love be your strength, your consolation, your daily companion. Because when we allow His love to surround us, we begin to recognize His will.
We trust Him. We speak with Him. We let His Word fill us. And slowly, steadily, we walk the path of His will — not out of fear, but out of love.

Prayer of The Day

“Lord, help me to always listen with an open heart. Help me to reflect upon Your words with faith. In this act of faith, allow me to grow deeper in my bond with You as I enter Your divine family. Jesus, I trust in You.”

Daily Note

There is a mysterious truth here: we can bring consolation to Christ’s heart. We can accompany Him in His mission. But to do so, we must be willing to surrender our will to the Father’s. Can Christ look at us and say, “There is my brother, my sister, my mother”? Today is the day to examine what in our lives is not aligned with His will — and to choose love again.

Daily Reflection – 1/26/2026

Sacred Scripture

The scribes who had come from Jerusalem said of Jesus, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “By the prince of demons he drives out demons.” Summoning them, he began to speak to them in parables, “How can Satan drive out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand; that is the end of him. But no one can enter a strong man’s house to plunder his property unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can plunder his house. Amen, I say to you, all sins and all blasphemies that people utter will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an everlasting sin.” For they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.” (Mark 3:22-30)

Reflection

There are moments in the Gospel when Jesus speaks with a clarity so sharp it cuts through every layer of our defenses. Mark 3:22–30 is one of those moments. His words are not abstract theology or distant warnings. They are a mirror — held up to the world, and held up to the human heart.

“A house divided against itself cannot stand.”

We often hear this passage and think immediately of the divisions around us: nations fractured, communities polarized, families torn apart. And yes, Jesus’ warning speaks to all of that. But there is another division, quieter and far more intimate, that can undo us long before any external conflict ever reaches our door.

It is the division within ourselves.

The division that forms when we refuse to forgive ourselves for the mistakes we drag behind us like chains. The division that grows when we speak harshly to our own souls, when we rehearse our failures more often than we remember God’s mercy. The division that deepens when we live in yesterday’s wounds instead of tomorrow’s hope.

A divided heart becomes vulnerable — not because God withdraws, but because we do. When we are at war within, darkness finds easy entry. A person who is fractured inside often becomes a person who fractures the world around them. A soul raging inwardly rarely brings peace outwardly.

But Jesus does not leave us there. His warning is not meant to condemn us; it is meant to wake us. Because the truth is this: No matter where we live, what we’ve done, or how long we’ve carried our shame, we are known and loved by God. Not tolerated. Not pitied. Loved.

Through Christ’s death and resurrection, the power of evil has been broken. The victory is already won. And through the Holy Spirit, that victory is not just Christ’s — it becomes ours. We are adopted as sons and daughters, welcomed into a love that does not waver, a mercy that does not run dry.

Jesus makes His home within us. Not in the perfect parts. Not in the polished parts. In all of us.

And because He dwells in us, we are never beyond healing. Never beyond restoration. Never beyond becoming whole again.

Self‑acceptance is not self‑indulgence. It is spiritual obedience. A kingdom divided cannot stand — and neither can a heart that constantly tears itself down. To grow, we must first stop wounding ourselves. To love others, we must first allow God to love us.

Today, let Him gather the scattered pieces of your heart. Let Him speak mercy into the places you’ve kept locked away. Let Him make you whole.

And then — rise. Walk forward in His love. Watch how others are drawn to the light you carry.

God bless you for who you are, and for who you are becoming.

Prayer of The Day

“Lord God, help me to see your love in me. Help me to always hold on to the belief that I reflect you. Protect me from the evil that seeks to separate me from others. Help me to recognize that by walking hand in hand with my brothers and sisters, we can bring about your kingdom on earth.”

Daily Note

Anthony de Mello once wrote that true growth comes not from pleasing others but from accepting ourselves as beloved and capable of compassion. When we see ourselves through God’s eyes, change becomes not a burden — but a blossoming.

Daily Reflection – 1/23/2026

Sacred Scripture

Jesus 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)

Reflection

When Jesus embarked on his mission, he chose twelve men for the task of preaching the kingdom of God and healing the sick in the power of that kingdom. In the choice of the twelve, we see a characteristic feature of God’s work: Jesus chose very ordinary people. They were non-professionals, who had no wealth or position. They were chosen from the common people who did ordinary things, had no special education, and no social advantages.

Jesus did not gather the elite, the educated, or the influential. He gathered ordinary people—fishermen, tradesmen, men with families, routines, and modest expectations for their lives. They were not chosen for what they had accomplished, but for what they could become under His direction and power.

The Gospel is strikingly silent about their personal dreams. It doesn’t tell us what Andrew hoped for, or what James imagined for his future, or what Simon thought his life would look like at fifty. It doesn’t linger on their expectations because the Gospel is not about the stories they were writing for themselves. It is about the story God was writing through them.

When they followed Jesus, everything changed. Their nets were left behind. Their familiar rhythms gave way to long walks across Galilee and Judea. They listened to His teaching, witnessed His healing power, saw His suffering, and stood in the light of His resurrection. Their lives unfolded in ways they never could have predicted. And yet the Gospel reduces all of that to one essential truth: Jesus called them, and they followed Him.

This is the Gospel’s quiet insistence for us as well. Our lives rarely unfold according to our plans. We can all name things that turned out differently—family situations we didn’t foresee, work that shifted beneath our feet, relationships that changed, successes that never materialized, dangers we didn’t avoid. But today’s passage reminds us that these expectations, however real, are not the center of our story.

What is primary is this: Christ has called us.
And the call is always paired with the grace to fulfill it.

There are no “special” Christians with unique gifts while the rest of us watch from the sidelines. The same Jesus who chose fishermen chooses us—ordinary people capable of extraordinary love when we allow His life to work through ours.

So the next time you find yourself beside someone whose life could be steadied, comforted, or lifted by the knowledge of a God who loves them, don’t wait for someone else to speak. Don’t assume God will send another messenger.

He already has.
That someone is you.

Prayer of The Day

Lord,
You call ordinary people and fill their lives with purpose.
Call me again today in a way I can recognize.
Give me the courage to follow where You lead
and the grace to be a quiet sign of Your love
to whoever needs it most.
Amen.

Daily Note

Today, pause long enough to notice the person right in front of you.
Not the crowd, not the world, not the abstract “someone” who needs help—
but the actual human being whose path crosses yours.

When you sense that quiet nudge—
that moment when you realize their life could be steadier
if they knew they were loved—
don’t wait for someone else to step in.

You are already called.
You are already equipped.
You are already sent.

Let your presence be the healing.
Let your kindness be the kingdom.
Let your ordinary life carry extraordinary grace.

Daily Reflection – 1/22/2026

Sacred Scripture

Jesus 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)

Reflection

Today in the Gospel we see something on which we can never focus enough: the great attractiveness of the Lord Jesus.

Mark tells us that such a large crowd of people were following Jesus that he needed to have a boat ready to push a little bit away from the shore so that the people wouldn’t crush him.

They were all pressing upon Jesus, who was curing and teaching. Even the demons couldn’t resist. When they saw him, they fell down before him — in other words, in begrudging adoration — and shouted, “You are the Son of God.”

We need constantly to ask whether Jesus maintains this attraction for us and others.

Many say they believe in him, but what they likely mean is that they believe he existed; they don’t really live by faith, committing themselves to him and being drawn fundamentally not by duty but by fascination, by love, by attraction. Those who are fascinated by Jesus will hunger for his word and become men and women whose lives are drenched by the daily dew of the Gospel.

Those who take Jesus seriously will, in union with him, go out as Good Samaritans to care for a wounded world. Jesus has never lost his attractiveness. He’s as attractive today as ever. But many times, our lives, our hearts, our minds, are so saturated with worldly cares and anxieties, with lesser hopes, with false gods that we place first in our lives, that the type of wonder, fascination, love and attraction we’re supposed to have toward Jesus is extinguished partially or fully.

You might be a person who for years has carried a hurt in your heart, a resentment against a family member or a friend that has alienated you from that person. That anger might be so much a part of you that you that you cannot imagine truly being able to forgive or to be forgiven. This gospel tells you it is not too late. Turn to Jesus and ask for mercy and believe that Jesus has the power to grant it.

You might be a person who for most of your life has struggled with a habit of sin. It might be prejudice or selfishness or some kind of addiction. As much as you have struggled against it, you have never been able to conquer it. It seems that you can never change. It is not too late. Turn to Jesus and ask him to remember you. Believe that he has the power to save you.

There might be someone in your life who you love and who you worry about all the time. You worry because this person is depressed, has made a mess of things, or lives without hope. Despite your prayers and efforts, that person has never been able to find happiness. It is never too late. Believe in a God who seeks out the lost and forgotten and will save even those who have no hope.

If Jesus could save a convicted criminal in the last moments of life and make him the first to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, then none of us can limit God’s power to save and to heal us. So turn to Jesus. Call out his name. Believe that despite our desperation, our doubt, and our unworthiness, he wants to share life with us. He intends to welcome us into paradise.

Prayer of The Day

Jesus, draw me close to You again.
Where my heart has grown crowded, clear space.
Where I have carried resentment, soften me.
Where I feel trapped in old patterns, free me.
Where I fear for those I love, remind me that Your mercy reaches farther than my worry ever could.
Let me feel again the pull of Your presence —
the beauty, the tenderness, the strength,
the love that has never stopped seeking me.
Make my life a place where Your grace can rest.
Amen.

Daily Thought

Jesus has never stopped being attractive — but sometimes our hearts forget how to look at Him. Today is an invitation to let ourselves be drawn again, not by duty or fear, but by the quiet pull of His love.