Friday 24 January 2025

Today is Friday the 24th of January, the feast of Saint Francis de Sales, in the 2nd week of Ordinary Time. The Porter’s Gate sings, ‘Walk With Me’. As you listen, you might like to ask Jesus to walk with you during this prayer time today… Let us lead with patience, with a gentle word Bearing every burden, laying down the old hurt When our feet are stumbling and the climb is steep All you people of good will, would you walk with me? Would you walk with me through the wilderness When we cannot see through our differences When the dust has settled and the votes are cast Would you walk with me? Let us lead with kindness, with a listening ear Hearing every story, laying down our old fears Though our hearts are broken and the pain runs deep All you people of good will, would you walk with me? Would you walk with me through the wilderness When we cannot see through our differences When the dust has settled and the votes are cast Would you walk with me? Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Mark. Mark 3:13-19 [Jesus] went up the mountain and called to him those whom he wanted, and they came to him. And he appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles, to be with him, and to be sent out to proclaim the message, and to have authority to cast out demons. So he appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); James son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. Then he went home. The Twelve were sent out “to proclaim the message”. What do you think that message is? Imagine you are one of the Twelve, being sent out today… what would you say? ‘Christ has no arms but ours,’ wrote Saint Teresa; ‘no hands, no legs but ours.’ As Christ sent out the apostles then, so too today Christ invites us to use our hands and arms and legs to proclaim and live out his message. How might you use yours? As you listen again, notice that phrase “those whom he wanted”, and ask yourself, “Do I believe Jesus invites me to be with him? Do I believe Jesus invites me by name? The Apostles were given a special calling, a particular vocation. But God has a purpose for every one of us, for every human life. How do you see your own calling? Can you talk with the Lord about this? Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.