2nd Week, Ordinary Time, Monday, 19-01-2026

1 Samuel 15:16-23 / Mark 2:18-22   

To be pragmatic is to look at things and situations sensibly and realistically in a way that is based on practical rather than theoretical considerations.

And pragmatic views and solutions are easily and readily acceptable because the results are appealing and achievable.

Also to be pragmatic is to act immediately on the opportunities and to “strike while the iron is hot”.

In the 1st reading, Saul was being pragmatic about the booty from his victory over the Amalekites.

Instead of eliminating everything from the king right down to the livestock, which was the practice of that time, Saul kept the best sheep and oxen.

His intention was to offer it as a sacrifice to God.

But Samuel pointed out to Saul with these words:

“Is the pleasure of the Lord in holocausts and sacrifices,

or in obedience to the voice of the Lord?

Yes, obedience is better than sacrifice,

Submissiveness better than the fat of rams.

Rebellion is a sin of sorcery,

presumption a crime of teraphim.”

Those were hard and sharp words that will remind us of this:

That God’s ways are not man’s ways

God’s thoughts are not man’s thoughts.

Instead of being only sensible and practical, let us listen to what the Lord God has to say.

Let us believe that God’s ways are higher than our ways, and when we obey the voice of the Lord, we will be blessed abundantly.

2nd Ordinary Sunday, Year A, 18.01.2026

Isaiah 4:3, 5-6 / 1 Cor 1:1-3 / John 1:29-34

There are many sayings that we have heard and remembered. 

Some are famous and popular sayings, and we remember them because they are like the wisdom sayings of life. 

For example, we will surely know this saying: “Sometimes we win, sometimes we lose.”

That is like the cycle of life, sometimes up, sometimes down. 

Another one is this: “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” That tells us that appearance is only skin deep. There is more to discover when we go deeper. 

And there is this one that states a principle of life: “Honesty is the best policy.” That saying is practical and undeniable. 

Those sayings are short, but they express the truths of life, and they also guide us through life. 

Although actions speak louder than words, yet words are also necessary as they form our thoughts, and our thoughts are then expressed in our actions. 

So yes, actions speak louder than words, yet, what we say, we must do, and that will show the integrity of our words and actions. 

The gospel passage features John the Baptist, and what he says about Jesus. 

John the Baptist is often called the greatest of the prophets, because it was he who pointed out Jesus as the Lamb of God. 

But John the Baptist tells us something interesting. 

He didn’t know that Jesus is the Lamb of God. 

He was sent by God to baptise for the forgiveness of sins. 

And God said this to him: The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and rest is the one who is going to baptise with the Holy Spirit. 

And when John the Baptist saw the Holy Spirit coming down on Jesus after His baptism, then he knew that Jesus is the Lamb of God. 

That was the testimony of John the Baptist, and it also signalled that his mission would soon be over. 

As we listen to the testimony of John the Baptist, we will remember two of his most profound sayings. 

When Jesus began his mission, the disciples of John the Baptist were feeling concerned that John the Baptist was becoming irrelevant and being pushed out of the scene. 

But John the Baptist said this: A man can only lay claim to what is given to him from above. 

John the Baptist knew what he was called to do.

And with the appearance of Jesus, John the Baptist knew that his mission was over, and he had to let go of the attention, and move out of the scene. 

And with that, John the Baptist also made this astonishing profound 6-worded statement: He must increase, I must decrease. 

John the Baptist was the greatest of all the prophets. 

He laid claim to the power given to him by God to accomplish his mission. 

He was the bright light until Jesus the true light appeared. 

With that, John the Baptist knew that Jesus must increase, and he must decrease. 

Those two sayings of John the Baptist are also the foundations of our Christian life. 

They are also the foundations of our relationship with Jesus and with others. 

It is said that human beings long for acknowledgment and appreciation. 

It is like there is a hole in the heart that needs to be filled. 

So, we may look for attention, for praise and compliments, so as to fill that hole in the heart. 

We want to excel, to prove our capabilities, and also, we want to be in the spotlight and in the limelight. 

And yet, even when we have all that, we don’t seem to be contented, to be satisfied, to be happy. 

That is the human tendency that had afflicted famous figures like Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan and Napoleon Bonaparte, right down to ordinary people. 

But then that hole in the heart cannot be filled by worldly achievements and accomplishments. 

It can only be filled by knowing what God has given us and what He wants us to do. 

Whether it is a glorious achievement of making a discovery or invention, or a simple task of caring and serving the poor and the sick, when the task is over and the time is up, let us like John the Baptist, graciously step aside. 

We need to know when to step aside, so that Jesus can increase, and we must decrease.

When we decrease, then the hole in the heart will also decrease, and then our hearts will finally be at rest in the loving heart of Jesus, the Lamb of God.

1st Week, Ordinary Time, Saturday, 17-01-2026

1 Samuel 9:1-4, 17-19; 10:1 / Mark 2:13-17  

We have heard and read about some people who made a drastic career change in mid-life.

They may be professionals earning a high salary, and yet they made a career switch to something that is totally different from what they were doing.

They may even be executives or directors and they switched to become a chef, or an artist or a musician, and we wonder why.

In the gospel, Levi was a tax-collector and he was sitting in the customs house doing his usual thing.

How he ended up being a tax-collector was not told to us, but he was not really happy because he was scorned and despised by his own people.

So when Jesus called him, Levi decided to leave the security of his job and followed Jesus.

The time has come for Levi to find meaning and fulfillment for his life and he knew it when Jesus called him.

Any change in life would require us to consider many factors like job security and financial stability.

But if it is Jesus calling us to follow Him, then we need to ask ourselves what is it that we are really for in life.

Jesus calls us to a life of happiness, peace and joy.

When we hear His voice, may we also know that when we follow Jesus, we will be blessed abundantly and He will also take care of us.

1st Week, Ordinary Time, Friday, 16-01-2026

1 Samuel 8:4-7, 10-22 / Mark 2:1-12   

It is said that human beings can withstand hard labour.

But they may be crushed by the hardness of their own hearts.

Human hearts become hardened because of many reasons.

It could be because of anger, bitterness and resentment.

Or it can be out of loneliness, sadness and self-pity.

In the gospel, the paralytic had his share of suffering and pain.

But he was able to bear with it and continue to live on because he had good friends who cared for him.

And those friends even managed to send him to Jesus even though the crowd made it almost impossible.

When Jesus saw their faith, He forgave the sin of the paralytic and then cured him.

But the scribes who were there thought that what Jesus said was blasphemous.

Even when the paralytic was cured, the scribes would not accept it as their hearts were hardened.

May we always be aware of the state of our hearts.

More so, let us remember that our hearts is the home of Jesus.

Let us clean up our hearts with repentance and ask Jesus to fill our hearts with peace, joy and love.

1st Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, 15-01-2026

1 Samuel 4:1-11 / Mark 1:40-45   

Generally speaking, there are three types of responses to our prayers.

One is “Yes” and that could mean that God answered our prayer immediately because probably there was an urgency for it.

The other is “No” and we have to believe that God has something better for us.

The third would be the most common, and that is “Wait” and that would mean that we have to be patient and trust in God.

For the leper in the gospel passage, he would have been praying to God for a cure.

There was no “Yes” to his prayer, and he had waited and waited.

Finally when he came before Jesus, the leper was desperate and he also didn’t know what to expect.

His prayer “If you want to, you can cure me” had that tone of resignation, and he was prepared to accept a “No” and give up hope.

The reply of Jesus was astonishing as well as astounding: Of course I want to! Be cured!

It was like Jesus was waiting eagerly to say “Yes” to the leper’s prayer.

Let us believe that our prayers will be heard by Jesus.

And it will be answered in God’s time and at the right time.

And it will be answered in an astounding and astonishing way that will make us believe that God loves us so much.

1st Week, Ordinary Time, Wednesday, 14-01-2026

1 Samuel 3:1-10, 19-20 / Mark 1:29-39     

The urban lifestyle is a busy and hectic lifestyle.

There are schedules and deadlines to meet, as well as tasks and assignments to complete.

As such, we are gauged and assessed on what we can do, how much we can do and how quickly we can do it.

So the focus is on doing the tasks at hand and being able to complete them.

In the gospel, Jesus had a full day of activity.

After leaving the synagogue, He went to Peter’s house to cure the mother-in-law of her fever.

After sunset, He was exercising His healing ministry.

He cured the sick and He cast out devils from the possessed.

And then in the morning, long before dawn, He went to a lonely place to pray there.

Jesus was busy, but it was not about doing and completing tasks.

Rather, He was with people in their need and being with them.

It was more a ministry of human presence than just doing a task.

And it was in prayer that Jesus entered into the presence of God and to be renewed and strengthened.

Let us follow Jesus in His mission by being present to others.

People are not tasks to be worked on. 

People are human beings that need the human touch and human presence.

Let us in our humanness, be God’s presence to others.

1st Week, Ordinary Time, Tuesday, 13-01-2026

1 Samuel 1:9-20 / Mark 1:21-28   

Every person has an identity and a character.

That identity and character are expressed in what the person says and do.

For a person of authority, he exercises it for the good of others.

Whatever he says or does is an expression of that authority.

Jesus taught with authority, and His teaching made a deep impression on the people.

One sabbath, He went to the synagogue, and He exercised His authority with His teaching.

But in the synagogue just then, there was a man possessed by an unclean spirit and creating a disturbance.

In a holy place of prayer, Jesus exercised His authority by casting out that evil spirit.

The authority of Jesus was not just in words but also in deeds.

But that authority was not just to cast out evil spirits.

That authority was one of compassion for a person who suffered under evil oppression.

Let us submit ourselves to the authority of Jesus with obedience.

We belong to Him and He will protect us and answer our prayer needs.