Called

The WORD today (See http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/011116.cfm) reminds me that God is calling us to follow Him.

 

When I was working for an outsourcing company, we had the assigned on-call person. You need not be in the office, but if there are problems with the systems the team is supporting, then you will be the one to be called, no matter what time it may be. Thus, you need to always be ready and prepared to respond when called. This is how we should be.

We should be ready when God calls us.

In the gospel, we see Jesus calling his first apostles. They were doing their thing and working when Jesus called them. What's inspiring is how they responded. They did not know Jesus, they did not know what he was expecting of them, but they quickly answered yes and followed him. We should too.

We are starting the week. We are in the first month of the year. So i believe this is a good time for us to be reminded of God's call. God is calling us to follow him. God is calling us to live right. God is calling us to love and serve Him. God is calling us to trust in and surrender to Him.

There are a lot of uncertainties as we start the year. A lot of fears and worries. But may we respond with faith to God's call. May we have faith and trust in him enough to obey, follow and surrender.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to love and serve you. Thank you for today and this week. Thank you for the reminder. Thank you for never getting tired of calling me. Help me have faith like your disciples who would just surrender and follow you. May I always respond yes to your call to me. Amen.

Blessed week!

 

In Christ,

-g-

 

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January 11, 2016

Monday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 305

 

Reading 1 1 Sm 1:1-8

 

There was a certain man from Ramathaim, Elkanah by name,
a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim.
He was the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu,
son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite.
He had two wives, one named Hannah, the other Peninnah;
Peninnah had children, but Hannah was childless.
This man regularly went on pilgrimage from his city
to worship the LORD of hosts and to sacrifice to him at Shiloh,
where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas,
were ministering as priests of the LORD.
When the day came for Elkanah to offer sacrifice,
he used to give a portion each to his wife Peninnah
and to all her sons and daughters,
but a double portion to Hannah because he loved her,
though the LORD had made her barren.
Her rival, to upset her, turned it into a constant reproach to her
that the LORD had left her barren.
This went on year after year;
each time they made their pilgrimage to the sanctuary of the LORD,
Peninnah would approach her,
and Hannah would weep and refuse to eat.
Her husband Elkanah used to ask her:
“Hannah, why do you weep, and why do you refuse to eat?
Why do you grieve?
Am I not more to you than ten sons?”

 

Responsorial Psalm PS 116:12-13, 14-17, 18-19

 

R. (17a) To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
or:
R. Alleluia.
How shall I make a return to the LORD
for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
R. To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
or:
R. Alleluia.
My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people.
Precious in the eyes of the LORD
is the death of his faithful ones.
O LORD, I am your servant;
I am your servant, the son of your handmaid;
you have loosed my bonds.
R. To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
or:
R. Alleluia.
My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people,
In the courts of the house of the LORD,
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
R. To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.
or:
R. Alleluia.

 

 

Alleluia Mk 1:15

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Kingdom of God is at hand;
repent and believe in the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

Gospel Mk 1:14-20

 

After John had been arrested,
Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the Gospel of God:
“This is the time of fulfillment.
The Kingdom of God is at hand.
Repent, and believe in the Gospel.”

As he passed by the Sea of Galilee,
he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea;
they were fishermen.
Jesus said to them,
“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Then they left their nets and followed him.He walked along a little farther
and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John.
They too were in a boat mending their nets.
Then he called them.

So they left their father Zebedee in the boat
along with the hired men and followed him