Memorial of Saint Scholastica, Virgin Gospel: Mark 7:1-13 The New Teaching of Jesus
Today, the Church celebrates the memorial of Saint Scholastica. The Gospel for today’s Mass is taken from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Mark, which reveals a debate between Jesus and the Pharisees and scribes who came from Jerusalem.
In our daily lives, we often pay close attention to our outward appearance before others. For instance, when attending public events, we may beforehand arrange for a haircut, take a bath, and put on attire reserved only for festive occasions. Likewise, when conversing with others, we are particularly mindful of our external presentation, as we always wish to display our best side to the world. The Pharisees were much the same; they placed great emphasis on their outward appearance. Thus, upon noticing that Jesus and His disciples did not observe the customs they rigidly upheld, they began to reproach them: “Why do Your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?”
Similarly, when we participate in the Mass, we often fixate on the demeanor of the priest, lectors, and altar servers at the altar, yet we neglect the presence of God. In our minds, if those serving at the altar—the priest, lectors, and altar servers—do not conduct themselves in the sacred liturgy exactly as we envision, we are quick to pass judgment upon them.
Today, let us imitate Saint Scholastica, seeking Christ with single-hearted devotion rather than pursuing mere external rituals. For while the liturgy holds importance, our personal relationship with Jesus Christ is of far greater significance. Saint Scholastica was devoted to the Savior Christ throughout her entire life, and her thoughts were always in harmony with His. Having been united with the Lord Jesus through the Sacrament of Baptism, we are called to be conformed to Him in every aspect.
As we celebrate anew the Memorial of the Virgin Saint Scholastica, we pray, O Lord, that, following her example, we may serve you with pure love and happily receive what comes from loving you. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Monday of the Fifth Week in Ordinary Time Gospel: Mk 6:53-56 Jesus Who Heals
Today’s Gospel, taken from the Gospel according to St. Mark, tells us that after Jesus arrived in Gennesaret, people from there and the surrounding areas brought all the sick to the place where they had heard Jesus was. Some of the crowds even laid the sick in the streets, all sharing a common hope that Jesus would heal them.
This reminds me of scenes I’ve witnessed in life: At airports and hotels where celebrities are staying, some fervent fans, commonly known as “sasaeng fans” online, will go to the airport to greet their idols once they know when their idols will arrive. Some even book rooms at the hotels where the celebrities are staying, just to have close contact with their idols. They do this so they can post the latest updates about their idols on social media, enabling those who share the same interest to learn about their idols’ latest moves through their efforts and giving themselves a chance to have zero-distance contact with their idols.
The same is true for some Christians: They regard a certain priest as an idol. When that priest is transferred from the parish due to work reasons, they will choose to follow the priest they are fond of. Some Christians will insist on staying rooted in the parish where they once worked with the priest they view as an idol, not to demonstrate their enthusiasm but to preserve this memory. These are the people in today’s Gospel passage who pursued Jesus.
Today, let us pray to Jesus, asking the Savior Jesus to grant us a calm mind, so that we may not be obsessed with worldly idols. Instead, let us wholeheartedly pursue Jesus Christ, yearn for the Kingdom of God that Jesus Christ proclaims, and eagerly desire to encounter Jesus in the sacraments. Let us maintain a good relationship with Jesus Christ. And let us ask Jesus Christ to bestow His Holy Spirit upon us, so that under the illumination of the Holy Spirit of God, we may continuously carry out God’s will and practice all that Christ has taught. In this way, through what God has accomplished in us, others may see God’s infinite mercy and together become merciful disciples of the Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
February 8, 2026 The Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time Gospel: Mt 5:13 – 16 Salt of the Earth, Light of the World
In our daily lives, salt is an extremely common substance. From a material perspective, salt can serve as a seasoning, be used for anti-inflammatory purposes, and also exist within the human body to maintain its metabolism. Light can be used for illumination, driving away darkness. It can also be a form of energy, such as laser light, which can melt metal. Light can also be intangible, like a person’s gaze or the radiance of human nature.
In liturgical practices, we can also encounter holy salt. During the Easter Vigil Mass, the priest blesses the holy salt and mixes this blessed salt into clean water. Then, the Easter candle used in that Mass is dipped into this water three times to bless the baptismal font. In this way, we see the salt and light mentioned by Christ in the Gospel. When we receive baptism through this font and are united with Christ, it symbolizes that the salt of Christ’s humanity becomes a part of our bodies. In this sacrament of initiation, we have also received the light of Christ, which is what St. John refers to as “the true light that enlightens everyone” (cf. Jn 1:9). Having received this light, we are called to live out this light and bring it to the world.
Today, each of us has received the baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. Therefore, let us live out the true light in our daily lives and become the “salt” that promotes reconciliation between the created world and God, between ourselves and the created world, and between ourselves and God, so that the world created by God according to His holy will may be restored to the harmony it had when God first created it. Amen.
全属于祢 
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