January 18, 2021 Monday of the 2nd Week in Ordinary Time-B
Hebrews 5:1-10
Psalm 110
Mark 2:18-22
“Rather, new wine is poured into fresh wineskins.” Mk 2:22
Lord, you came among us to shake things up. One of the lessons you have for us today from Mark’s gospel is that blind obedience to rules and regulations, habitual ritual observance, and spiritual laziness are like old wineskins; brittle and prone to fail. There is so much going on in our lives that it is so easy to fall into routine patterns of dividing up our day into: this time for God, this time for work, this time for ourselves. Lord, I ask myself do I obey the rules out of fear of punishment or out of a longing to please you and to offer myself to you? Do I pray out of habit or out of a sincere desire to connect with your heart? Do I look for ways to do your will in all areas of my life or do I look for ways to get by with the least amount of effort? Pour yourself into the new wineskin of my heart so that I may know you like a cherished friend. Transform my day today into a day of praise and thanksgiving in everything I think, say and do. Amen.