January 22, 2022, Saturday of the 2nd week in Ordinary Time-C
2 Samuel 1:1-4, 11-12, 19, 23-27
Psalm 80
Mark 3:20-21
“He is out of his mind.” Mark 3:21
Lord, your own family thought you were crazy. What did you say or do for them to want to seize you and stop what you were doing? Could it have been the compassionate healing of the disabled man on the Sabbath? Maybe it was touching unclean lepers, not insisting your followers fast or dining with sinners and tax collectors? Was it the poor judgement you showed in their eyes by choosing that ragtag bunch for your closest followers? Lord, you surely went against the grain of the acceptable ways of your time. We must go against the grain of our time too. I’m called by you to be a witness to the truth of the gospel. The truth that got you killed. Much of what the world professes is not gospel. You ask us to respect life, honor marriage, love our enemies, do good to those who hurt us, forgive, and use our gifts and talents in service to others. Lord, today I pray for the grace to dare to be different. I ask for the courage to stand up for you and what is right—even to risk being thought of as crazy. Amen.