Gospel: January 23, 2026

January 23, 2026 (Friday)

2nd Week in Ordinary Time

Psalter: Week 2 (Green/Red/White)

St. Vincent of Saragossa, deacon & martyr

St. Marianne Cope, virgin

Ps 57:2, 3-4, 6 & 11

Have mercy on me, God, have mercy.

See Also

China’s population falls again as births drop 

1st Reading: 1 Samuel 24:3-21*

Gospel: Mark 3:13-19

Then Jesus went up into the hill country, and called those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed Twelve to be with him, and he called them ‘apostles.’ He wanted to send them out to preach; and he gave them authority to drive out demons. These are the Twelve: Simon, to whom he gave the name Peter; James, son of Zebedee, and John his brother, to whom he gave the name Boanerges, which means ‘men of thunder’; Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alpheus, Thaddeus, Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.

Reflection:

He made this decision through prayer.

Despite being God, Jesus recognized the need to create a group of disciples to assist Him in His mission. By human standards, His choices may seem questionable. Yet, He made this decision through prayer and remained committed to it. This teaches us three lessons: First, we cannot accomplish everything alone. Jesus was not afraid to share His mission with others He recognized as possessing unique gifts significant to His purpose. We need others to realize our dreams, especially in fulfilling God’s mission of the Kingdom. Second, God’s ways defy human expectations. Even those the Lord calls to specific missions and ministries should learn to trust Him to help us overcome self-doubt and insecurity. Finally, anything done in prayer, no matter how imperfect or flawed, finds its place in God’s grand design and becomes an opportunity for grace.