4th Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 07-02-2026

1 Kings 3:4-13 / Mark 6:30-34  

When we think about what are our basic needs, then it will surely come down to food, clothing and shelter.

That is essentially what we need to go on day to day.

When these needs are available and secured, we will begin to look at other needs.

Depending on what is our state of life and our direction in life, we will then determine our needs.

It may be emotional needs, like look for a life-partner and starting a family.

It may be intellectual needs, like going for further studies to achieve our ambition.

In the 1st reading, the Lord God asked Solomon what he wanted in life.

Solomon chose to ask for wisdom so that he will be able to govern God’s people.

God granted Solomon his request and other blessings besides.

In the gospel, Jesus and His disciples wanted to go off to a lonely place to rest and to be by themselves.

But the people kept following them, and when Jesus stepped ashore, He took pity on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd.

Although the people did not say what they wanted from Jesus, they are already saying something by following Jesus.

More than anything else, they wanted to hear the Word of life and the Word of love from Jesus.

The people showed us what it is that we really need, and that is life and love.

And they also showed us that Jesus can give us these two gifts.

Let us follow the people by listening to Jesus, and then we will have life and love.

4th Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 06-02-2026

Ecclesiasticus 47:2-11 / Mark 6:14-29   

Most of us may think that we are just ordinary people living ordinary lives.

Some of us may even think that our lives are so ordinary and simple that we won’t leave any impression in this world.

On the other hand, public figures like leaders, may wonder about what kind of legacy they will leave behind.

But it is not about what impressions they want to leave behind after they have passed on.

Rather, it is what people will think of them and how they will be remembered in the minds of people.

The 1 reading recalls the life of David, the great king of Israel.

David was remembered by how he defeated Goliath and won glory for God and for Israel.

Although David had sinned, he was repentant and God took away his sin.

On the other hand, king Herod was remembered as the man who gave in to the request of a dancing girl and ordered the execution of John the Baptist.

That also makes us think about not just what we leave behind after we have passed on.

We also need to think about what we leave in the minds and hearts of others.

May we leave in others experiences of God’s love and how we shared God’s love with them.

4th Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 05-02-2026

1 Kings 11:4-13 / Mark 7:24-30    

The book of Wisdom has this to say about life:

Length of days is not what makes age honourable, nor number of years the true measure of life (Wisdom 4:8-9)

The book of Wisdom goes on to say that understanding the truths of life and living an untarnished life, that is what makes a life well lived.

Putting it simply, a life well lived is a life that seeks to please God, and God will bless that person with His love.

In the 1st reading, as David comes to the close of his life, he wants to impart to his son Solomon the truths of life.

As much as David ruled over Israel for a length of time, he is considered as the greatest king who brought Israel to its glorious state.

But he also showed that as a king, he wanted to live a life that is pleasing to God, and God blessed David such that the Saviour would come from his line.

In the gospel, Jesus summoned His disciples and sent them off to preach the Good News of salvation.

They were to bring nothing with them except a staff to show the authority that was given to them.

They went off to preach repentance, cast out many devils and anointed may sick people with oil and cured them.

In short, the Good News brought people the truths of life and forgiveness and healing.

May we too live our lives according to the Good News and live a life pleasing to God and to be blessed by Him.

4th Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 04-02-2026

2 Samuel 24:2, 9-17 / Mark 6:1-6    

If we had listened and reflected on the 1st reading, we might have asked this question : what is the problem with doing a census of the population?

That is a logical thing to do so as to know the size of the population and especially the size of the army.

Yet it was David himself who called for the census; it was a form of pride.

Already in his time, Israel was the most powerful nation in the region.

In counting the people, and especially the army, David wanted to show-off his might to other nations.

But he forgot he was counting God's people, and God's people is not about numbers but rather their faith and trust in Him.

In a way, we could also see in the gospel how the people of Jesus home town "counted" Jesus and He fell short of their opinions, and hence they did not accept His wisdom and abilities.

So, when it comes to counting, let us count our blessings, but let us also give thanks and praise the Lord at all times.

With grateful and thankful hearts, we will not be thinking about what we have done for the Lord but rather what the Lord has done for us.

4th Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 03-02-2026 (Memorial of St. Blaise)

2 Samuel 18:9-10, 14, 24-25, 30 - 19:3 / Mark 5:21-43  

About St. Blaise (memoria of the saint of the day)

He was bishop of Sebastea in Armenia in the early 4th century.

He was born of rich and noble parents, received a Christian education and made a bishop while still quite young.

When persecution arose, he was given a divine direction to withdraw to a cave in the mountains which was frequented only by wild animals.

But these wild animals did him no harm and when they were sick or wounded, they would come to him for his blessing and he healed them.

Meanwhile, hunters who had been sent to capture animals for the amphitheater, found him surrounded by these animals.

Although greatly amazed, they seized him and took him back to the authorities.

On their way, they met a poor woman whose pig had been carried off by a wolf.

At the command of St. Blaise, the wolf restored the pig unhurt.

On another occasion a woman brought to him a little boy who was at the point of death owing to a fishbone stuck in his throat, and the saint healed him with a prayer and the sign of the cross over his throat.

On account of this and other similar cures, the intercession of St. Blaise has been invoked for all kinds of throat trouble.

St. Blaise was scourged and thrown into prison and deprived of food. But the woman whose pig had been restored secretly brought him provisions and little wicks to light up his dark dungeon.

St. Blaise was further tortured with iron combs tearing away his flesh and finally he was beheaded.

Although the intercession of St Blaise is invoked in the blessing of throats, the message and relevance of the prayer is in the expression of our faith in God our Saviour and Healer.

Through the intercession of St. Blaise and the saints, we turn to God and ask for His blessings of health in mind and body so that we can be of service to others especially those who are ill and need our care.

So we ask for God's blessings not just for ourselves but also for those in need of healing so that they too will experience the healing love of God

Prayer of blessing of throats :

"Through the intercession of Saint Blaise, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from every disease of the throat, and from every other disease. In the name of the Father and of the Son, + and of the Holy Spirit.

R. Amen."

The Presentation of the Lord, Monday, 02-02-2026

Malachi 3:1-4 / Hebrews 2:14-18 / Luke 2:22-40 

A major part of our lives is spent on waiting.

We wait for the baby to be born, we wait for our children to grow up and be independent, we wait for our retirement; we wait to return to the Lord. Indeed, we spend a lot of time waiting.

Besides that we also have to wait for people who are late, we wait for the bus or train and whatever.

But there is something interesting about waiting. Most of the time, whatever we are waiting for shows up sooner or later.

For Simeon and Anna, they had waited for a long time, and finally their hope was fulfilled.

When Mary and Joseph presented Jesus in the Temple, God's ancient promise of sending a Saviour was fulfilled and the Covenant was ratified with the presentation of Jesus in the Temple.

Yes, God has come to save His people and the blessing and lighting of candles and the procession is to symbolize that the light of salvation is already shining on the Church and on the world.

Yes, the light of salvation is shining and yet we still wait.

We wait for the light of the Holy Spirit to prompt us and lead us to fulfill God's work of salvation in our lives.

Like Mary and Joseph, Simeon and Anna, let us wait for the Lord in prayer, and have our candles lit, and be ready to do His will when He calls.

4th Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 01.02.2026

Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12-13 / 1 Cor 1:26-31 / Matthew 5:1-12  

It is good to have an ambition in life. 

When we were young, we were often asked what is our ambition, or what do we want to be in life. 

Well, there are many professions to consider, like being a doctor, lawyer, pilot, engineer, police officer, firefighter. 

Those are the usual and regular professions that we are quite familiar with. 

Of course, there are other unique professions that can also be considered. 

So, it could be being a singer, actor, fashion designer, social influencer, content creator, youtuber.

But of course, in the end what we dream of doing and what we eventually end up doing can be quite different. 

Whichever and whatever it is, the question is whether we are happy with what we are doing. 

A story goes that a young man asked a wise man, “Tell me Sir, in which field could I make a good career?” 

The wise men said with a smile, “Be a good human being. Because, there are a lot of opportunities in this area and very little competition.” 

We might want to think about that statement. 

Is it that difficult to be a good human being, such that there are many opportunities and very little competition? 

We know that if we want to be happy, we have to be a good person. 

And yet, we also know how difficult it can be to be a good person, in the midst of sinfulness, wickedness and evil. 

Sinfulness, wickedness and evil are like sharp fires that poke at our goodness and puncture us. 

And when we get irritated and frustrated, we react in retaliation with an eye for an eye, and a tooth for tooth, and we lose our happiness as well as our goodness. 

So, if being a good person is so difficult, then how can we become a good Christian? 

In the gospel, Jesus teaches us the way to happiness and to holiness. 

Happiness is the fruit of holiness. When we are holy, we will be happy. 

In the gospel, Jesus gave a teaching on what is called the Beatitudes. 

Beatitudes means blessings, and Jesus is teaching us the way of holiness so that we can receive the blessings of happiness. 

To be poor in spirit is to trust in the Lord God and to understand the heart of God. 

It can be as simple as choosing to like a flower or to love a flower. 

If we like a flower, we will just pluck it for our own pleasure. 

But, if we love the flower, we will help it to grow beautifully by watering it. 

Similarly, to be gentle is to have control over our anger. 

Just as we cannot see our reflection in boiling water, neither can we see truth in a state of anger. 

The person who can control his anger will also grow in gentleness and happiness. 

But the way to happiness is also not about looking for something external. 

It begins within, just as holiness begins within. 

It is said that if we spend our time chasing butterflies, they will fly away. 

But if we spend our time growing a beautiful garden, the butterflies will come, and we will also have a beautiful garden. 

So, there is no need to look around for happiness or to chase after it. 

Let the Beatitudes be our way of life. 

When we have a beautiful heart of gentleness, kindness, compassion, purity and charity, God will pour His blessings on us, and we will truly be happy.