Tuesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time Or Optional Memorial of Saint Ansgar, Bishop Or Optional Memorial of Saint Blaise, Bishop and Martyr Gospel: Mark 5:21-43 Theme: Salvation through Faith
Today is Tuesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time, on which the Church celebrates the Optional Memorial of St. Blaise (Bishop and Martyr) and St. Ansgar (Bishop).
St. Blaise, Bishop, was an Armenian of the 4th century who first worked as a physician before becoming Bishop of Sebaste. Renowned for his medical skill, he often treated the poor free of charge, especially excelling in healing throat ailments—hence he is known as the Patron Saint of Throat Ailments. During the Roman persecution of Christians, he was arrested for his unwavering faith, endured flogging and being scraped with iron combs without yielding, and was ultimately beheaded as a martyr. To this day, the faithful pray to him for relief from throat troubles, and his feast day is February 3.
St. Ansgar, Bishop, was a French missionary of the 9th century, known as the “Apostle of the North.” Setting out from his monastery, he journeyed to Denmark and Sweden to preach. At a time when the local people practiced paganism, he integrated gently into their communities, built churches and established schools, mediated disputes, and gradually won their trust. Later appointed Archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen, he dedicated himself to Christianizing Northern Europe and is regarded as one of the founders of the Church in that region. He lived a humble and steadfast life.
Today, Mark presents us with two miracles performed by Jesus. The woman with a hemorrhage was convinced that if she could just touch Jesus’ cloak, she would be healed. By her faith in Jesus, she was indeed cured. Another model of faith for us is Jairus, the synagogue leader. When he learned Jesus had crossed to the other side of the sea, he pleaded with Jesus to heal his sick daughter, trusting in who Jesus was. Upon hearing his daughter had died, he did not blame the woman with the hemorrhage who had touched Jesus, accusing her of causing his daughter’s death; instead, he remained confident in Jesus, trusting that He would raise his daughter back to life. This is an excellent example.
Today, we are called to be Christians. At the beginning, like the woman with the hemorrhage and Jairus, we too held strong faith in Jesus. Yet the prince of this world often lulls us with material comfort, leading us to choose to trust in accumulating wealth and seeking worldly fame rather than trusting in God. Therefore, today, let us imitate the virtues of St. Blaise and St. Ansgar, follow Christ with full faith, and walk the path to holiness together.
St. Blaise, Bishop, St. Ansgar, Bishop, pray for us. Amen.
The Presentation of the Lord Gospel: Luke 2:22-40 Following the Example of Jesus ‘Parents, Conforming to God’s Holy Will
Today, the Church celebrates the feast of the Presentation of the Lord. The Gospel according to Saint Luke tells us: “When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord” (Luke 2:22).
If we carefully consult Scripture, we find in the Law of Moses these words: “When a woman gives birth to a male child, she shall be unclean for seven days, with the same uncleanness as during her menstrual period. On the eighth day, the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised” (Leviticus 12:2-3). And again, the same book records: “When the days of her purification are completed—whether for a son or a daughter—she shall bring to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting a year-old lamb for a holocaust offering, and a pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering. If she cannot afford a lamb, she may take two turtledoves or two pigeons: one for a holocaust offering and the other for a sin offering” (cf. Leviticus 12:6-8). Today, the Holy Family of Nazareth, in obedience to the Law of Moses, offered simple gifts to God (cf. Luke 2:21-24), setting for us an example of humility and conformity to His will. For this reason, in our lives, we must always remain humble, ever ready to fulfil God’s holy will, just as Abraham was prepared to do.
In fact, in Jesus’ time, many people lived like Simeon—under Roman rule, in a world of suffering and turmoil. They longed for a political leader to deliver them from such conditions. Thus, when Simeon, moved by the Holy Spirit, recognized the salvation that God had promised Israel, he could not help but praise God. To this day, the universal Church sings this beautiful canticle of Simeon in the Liturgy of the Hours, Similarly, in our world today, many suffer under the weight of sin or the pressures of life, longing for relief from earthly pain. By nature, they, like us, desire liberation from present sorrows. Simeon embraced the incarnate Christ in his arms and praised the God of Israel in a way he deemed fitting, setting for us an example of praising God in all circumstances. We too must, like Simeon, open our arms to receive “the true light that enlightens everyone” (John 1:9) into our hearts. Through penance and prayer, let us guard this new light, so that we may always live in its radiance, no longer dwelling in the shadow of death brought on by sin.
Today, the Church celebrates the Presentation of the Lord, calling us to imitate the Blessed Virgin Mary and her chaste spouse Saint Joseph, Simeon and Anna, and above all, Jesus Christ, who always cantered His life on the Father’s will. Let us, like them, fully commit ourselves to God, offering all that we are and have.
Almighty ever-living God, we humbly implore your majesty that, just as your Only Begotten Son was presented on this day in the Temple in the substance of our flesh, so, by your grace, we may be presented to you with minds made pure. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.Amen.
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time Gospel: Matthew 5:1-12a The Christian Beatitudes
Today is the Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time. I begin by wishing you all a joyous Sunday.
The passage from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Matthew, which we have just heard, tells us: Jesus went up the mountain and began to teach the crowds who had gathered around him about the Beatitudes. We know that the mountain is a symbol of God’s encounter with humanity. Therefore, the Beatitudes proclaimed on the mountain, along with the crowds and disciples who gathered with Jesus there, together form a prototype of the visible Catholic Church.
The eight Beatitudes mentioned in the Gospel passage—those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those persecuted for the sake of righteousness—embody the very philosophy of life of Jesus. He calls those who wish to follow him to be like him, to return love for love, and to manifest the Father’s mercy everywhere and at all times.
Today, we live in a world that is constantly filled with conflict and uncertainty. This world urgently needs us to infuse it with more certainty through our constant imitation of Christ’s actions, to bring more love and warmth to this cold world, and to restore it to the harmony of creation as it was in the beginning when God first made it.
全属于祢 
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