Tuesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time Or Optional Memorial of Saint Sebastian, Martyr Or Optional Memorial of Saint Fabian, Pope and Martyr Gospel: Mk 2:23-28 The Lord of the Sabbath
We often encounter people who are rigidly bound by tradition and are unable to adapt, adhering only to the previously established norms. They are like the Pharisees in today’s Gospel. When they saw Jesus’ disciples passing through the wheat fields on the Sabbath and, because they were extremely hungry, violated the regulations regarding the Sabbath set forth in the Mosaic Law by plucking ears of wheat to eat, the Pharisees accused them of breaking the Sabbath law (cf. Mk 2:23-24).
In Jesus’ time, many people did not believe that He was the Messiah. In their view, Jesus was merely the son of a poor carpenter (Joseph, Jesus’ foster father, was a carpenter), rather than the political Messiah they had been eagerly awaiting, one who would deliver them from the hands of the Romans. As a result, they looked down on Him. Therefore, they preferred to cling rigidly to the Mosaic Law rather than accept all that God was proclaiming to them through Jesus Christ. Sometimes, we, like the people who lived in the same era as Jesus, would rather hold fast to rules and regulations, live within the boundaries of our self-imposed rules, and judge and condemn others according to our own wills, instead of completely entrusting ourselves to God, carrying out God’s holy will in all things, strictly adhering to all that Christ has taught us, discerning God’s holy will through all the experiences in our lives, and living out the peace and joy that the Gospel brings us through our practical actions.
Today, the Church celebrates the memorial of the martyrdom of St. Sebastian and Pope St. Fabian. Pope St. Fabian was martyred during the period of persecution of the Church by the Roman Empire. St. Sebastian, who lived in the same era as him, frequently visited imprisoned Christians, bringing them food and comfort, and encouraging them to persevere in their faith. Later, his identity was discovered, and he was executed by the Roman Emperor Diocletian. Both of these saints bore witness to our Lord Jesus Christ in different ways and lived out the spirit of the Gospel. Similarly, we should be inspired by the Holy Spirit to boldly bear witness to the true faith.
Pope St. Fabian, St. Sebastian, pray for us, so that we may have the courage to bear witness to Christ. Amen.
Monday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time Gospel: Mark 2:18-22 Christian’s Fasting and Prayer
We often judge others based on the common lifestyles and the ways people handle different things, applying our own standards. To us, this seems so reasonable that we consider those who share similar ways of handling things as our friends. As for those who do not follow our lifestyles, we regard them as outsiders and are unwilling to associate with them. Similarly, when we see those who lead a consecrated life in the Church, who willingly entrust themselves to God and behave differently from us, at first, we may approach them and talk to them. However, as our interaction deepens and we find that their behaviors and manners are different from ours, we choose to distance ourselves from them and stop associating with them.
Dear brothers and sisters in the Lord! Since we have been reborn in Christ through the sacrament of Baptism, we should renounce all sinful behaviors, no longer live under the shadow of sin and death, and not continue to live in our past sinful ways as before. Instead, we should always live out the spirit of the Gospel and in all places, actively convey the love and affection of Christ to those whom we have distanced ourselves from and isolated, and encourage the world to join us in living out the joy of the Gospel.
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time Gospel: John 1:29-34 Christ, the Lamb of God Who Takes Away the Sin of the World
Today is the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time. We encounter John the Baptist once again.
When John saw Jesus approaching, he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (cf. John 1:29). By calling Jesus: “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” John led the Jewish people to recall how God had guided their ancestors out of Egypt. At that time, in obedience to God’s command, Moses instructed the elders of Israel to have each household prepare a Passover lamb. After it was slaughtered, they were to mark the lintel and doorposts of their homes with the lamb’s blood using hyssop, so that the destroyer would pass over houses covered by the blood of the lamb (cf. Exodus 12:21-28). This also reminded them of Abraham, the father of all nations, who obeyed Godes command to go to Moriah and offer his beloved son Isaac as a sacrifice to God (cf. Genesis 22:1-19). In John’s time, the lamb had come to symbolize the scapegoat that served as a sin offering for others.
Today, John directly pointed out the mission Jesus was to accomplish：to take away the sin of the world. This means Jesus would act as the true Passover Lamb, with the Cross as His altar. On this altar, He would offer Himself to the Father to atone for all the sins committed by humanity, reconcile the world with God, and free all people living under the power of sin and death. Our old self, marked by the death of sin, is united with His human flesh, crucified with Him. When He rose from the dead, we began a new life in Him.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ! By receiving the baptism of our Lord Jesus and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, we have become children of God. Let us imitate John the Baptist, always proclaiming the Gospel of Christ to the world and in all places. Let us also follow the example of Jesus Christ’s goodness and humility, contributing our part to the reconciliation between people and between humanity and nature.
St. John the Baptist, pray for us! Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God Who Takes Away the Sin of the World, have mercy on us!
全属于祢 
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