February 5
Memorial of Saint Agatha, Virgin and Martyr
Give a Mass Offering
Mass Intentions
9:00 AM – Fr. Lisile Pottorff / Sue & Snady Hoddinott
Prayer for Spiritual Communion
My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there, and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
Readings
First Reading
1 Kings 3:4-13
Solomon went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, because that was the most renowned high place. Upon its altar Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings. In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night. God said, “Ask something of me and I will give it to you.” Solomon answered: “You have shown great favor to your servant, my father David, because he behaved faithfully toward you, with justice and an upright heart; and you have continued this great favor toward him, even today, seating a son of his on his throne. O LORD, my God, you have made me, your servant, king to succeed my father David; but I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act. I serve you in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted. Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong. For who is able to govern this vast people of yours?”
The LORD was pleased that Solomon made this request. So God said to him: “Because you have asked for this– not for a long life for yourself, nor for riches, nor for the life of your enemies, but for understanding so that you may know what is right– I do as you requested. I give you a heart so wise and understanding that there has never been anyone like you up to now, and after you there will come no one to equal you. In addition, I give you what you have not asked for, such riches and glory that among kings there is not your like.”
Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 119:9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
R. (12b) Lord, teach me your statutes.
How shall a young man be faultless in his way?
By keeping to your words.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
With all my heart I seek you;
let me not stray from your commands.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
Within my heart I treasure your promise,
that I may not sin against you.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
Blessed are you, O LORD;
teach me your statutes.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
With my lips I declare
all the ordinances of your mouth.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
In the way of your decrees I rejoice,
as much as in all riches.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
Gospel Acclamation
John 10:27
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Mark 6:30-34
The Apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.” People were coming and going in great numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat. So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place. People saw them leaving and many came to know about it. They hastened there on foot from all the towns and arrived at the place before them.
When Jesus disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.
“Lord, teach me your statutes.”
Reflection
An important passage for us is in our first reading today. We learn again: how we approach the Lord in prayer matters. When the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream with the incredible offer to grant him anything he desired, rather than ask for all the riches in the world or any number of things he could have, he sincerely asks for an understanding heart for the purposes of leading and shepherding the Lord’s flock entrusted to him. In other words, he asks not from a place of selfishness, but he asks for this so that he may be faithful to the Lord in his life. With such a request, his heart is again revealed to the Lord such that it moves him to not only grant Solomon this understanding heart, but he also promises Solomon the riches that he could’ve asked for but didn’t.
Clearly in Solomon’s heart must have been the command that David gave to him at his death (we heard this part of the narrative a couple days ago in 1 Kings 2:4ff). Keep the commands of the Lord, give him your whole heart and soul, have confidence that he will be with you. If you do this, the Lord will produce great fruit through you.
Solomon wanted to be like his father David, who showed him the way of humility.
For us, we too should strive to approach the Lord in our prayer as Solomon did. If we approach with humility of heart from a disposition of being of service to the Lord, we shouldn’t be surprised if the Lord then bestows a superabundance of grace upon us. As is always the case, the Lord has our flourishing in mind and whenever we turn to him, he is prepared to exceed all of our expectations.
Ah! The caveat, however, is that we must not waste the gifts the Lord has given us. Solomon had all the wisdom in the world, a brilliant mind capable of being a faithful shepherd, but in the end his temptation toward the lesser, earthly luxuries leads him terribly astray. How could that have happened with such wisdom in his head/heart? As evidenced throughout the Old Testament, there is always temptation during a time of great prosperity to forget attributing all blessings to the Lord. This temptation can lead us easily toward self-reliance and toward the false sense that somehow I don’t really need God, or I seem to be doing everything in life just fine on my own ability.
Peace,
Fr. Foley
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