Gospel: January 6, 2024

(Saturday)

Saturday Before Epiphany

Psalter: Week 1 / (White)

St. Andre Bessette, religious

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 142:12-13, 14-15, 19-20

Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

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1st Reading: 1 Jn 5: 5-13Gospel: Mk 1: 7-11 (or Lk 3:23-38)He preached to the people, saying, “After me comes one who is more powerful than I am; I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.” At that time Jesus came from Nazareth, a town of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And the moment he came up out of the water, heaven opened before him, and he saw the Spirit coming down on him like a dove. And these words were heard from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved, the One I have chosen.”

Reflection:“The path of integration.”

Our journey of faith challenges us to take the path of integration. We are challenged to become integrated persons that we may hear the voice of God more clearly. Aside from the external noise, we also experience the deafening noise within us. We are torn apart from within that there are times when we could no longer hear God, dwelling within us, speaking to us. Worries, anxieties and hurts, for example, can bother us and make us deaf to hear the words of God. These negative feelings cause the inner noise that hinders us from hearing what God is actually telling us. The Holy Spirit is the one who gives us the needed serenity of heart that we may truly hear God’s voice. Indeed, God’s presence is felt through his voice speaking within us. The Gospel tells that when Jesus was baptized, heaven was opened, the Holy Spirit descended upon him and the voice of the Father was heard. While God is present in the world, he is also present in the inner recesses of our hearts. There in our inner self he always speaks to us, guiding us to choose whatever would manifest his divine presence in the world.