DAILY READINGS & REFLECTION

JANUARY 20, 2024

SATURDAY OF THE SECOND WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

(OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF SAINT SEBASTIAN, MARTYR / SAINT FABIAN, POPE AND MARTYR)

FIRST READING

2 SAMUEL 1:1-4, 11-12, 19, 23-27

1 After the death of Saul, when David had returned from the slaughter of the Amal'ekites, David remained two days in Ziklag; 2 and on the third day, behold, a man came from Saul's camp, with his clothes rent and earth upon his head. And when he came to David, he fell to the ground and did obeisance. 3 David said to him, "Where do you come from?" And he said to him, "I have escaped from the camp of Israel." 4 And David said to him, "How did it go? Tell me." And he answered, "The people have fled from the battle, and many of the people also have fallen and are dead; and Saul and his son Jonathan are also dead." 11 Then David took hold of his clothes, and rent them; and so did all the men who were with him; 12 and they mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and for Jonathan his son and for the people of the LORD and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. 19 "Thy glory, O Israel, is slain upon thy high places! How are the mighty fallen! 23 "Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely! In life and in death they were not divided; they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions. 24 "Ye daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, who clothed you daintily in scarlet, who put ornaments of gold upon your apparel. 25 "How are the mighty fallen in the midst of the battle! "Jonathan lies slain upon thy high places. 26 I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan; very pleasant have you been to me; your love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women. 27 "How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished!"

The Word of the Lord
_

RESPONSORIAL PSALM

Response: Let us see thy face, Lord, and we shall be saved.

O LORD God of hosts,
how long wilt thou be angry with thy people's prayers?
Thou hast fed them with the bread of tears,
and given them tears to drink in full measure.
Thou dost make us the scorn of our neighbors;
and our enemies laugh among themselves.

GOSPEL

People were saying of Jesus, 'He is beside himself' 

MARK 3:19-21

Then he went home; 20 and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. 21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for people were saying, "He is beside himself."

The Gospel of the Lord
_

REFLECTION

DAILY QUOTE FROM THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS

Jesus' worried kinfolk, by Jerome (347-420 AD)

"In the Gospel we read that even his kinsfolk desired to bind him as one of weak mind (Mark 3:21). His opponents also reviled him saying, 'You are a Samaritan and have a devil' (John 8:48)."

(excerpt from LETTER 108, TO EUSTOCHIUM)
_

Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.