January 31, Wednesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Memorial of Saint John Bosco, Priest
Daily readings: 2 Samuel 24: 2. 9-17, Mark 6: 1-6
David enjoyed God’s favour on all accounts as long as he trusted in him. After having subjected many foreign nations and established internal peace and prosperity, David checks his military strength. Thus, he commits a grave sin of pride and self-exaltation. David is content with the exhibition of an imposing military strength. When God bestows David and Israel victory after victory by His gracious might, there is no need for David to seek his honour and power.
The self-seeking pride of the rulers is shattered not only in Israel but throughout history, including the present time. Be it national pride or individual pride, it is a sin against God. It is an important lesson for all times. David’s guilt increases as he resists God’s will. Many times, our conscience is dormant or silent due to our pride. God uses external agents to awaken it, as Joab did to David. When we ignore God’s voice, we head towards serious sins in life.
The people of Jesus’ time are blind to Jesus’ divine authority as they are conditioned by his earthly origin. They take him for granted on account of their familiarity with his relatives. Yes! It is true that familiarity breeds contempt! Thus, Jesus’ preaching in the Synagogue becomes a stumbling block for them to stumble. The miracles of Jesus are manifestations of his divine power and an invitation to belief.
In the case of the people in the Synagogue, they become a cause of their unbelief. That is why Jesus does not perform many miracles except for a few healings. This can happen to us as our familiarity with some people can make us take them for granted, and we are blind to seeing God working in and through them. Discipleship toward Jesus requires abiding in him, embarking on a journey of faith, and actively witnessing him before others.
Holy Mother Church honours St. John Bosco, a 19th-century Italian priest who reached out to the young, especially the homeless boys. He became their father, teacher and guide. He founded a Religious Order for priests and brothers. The Religious Order for priests and brothers he founded is known as the Salesians. With the help of St. Mary Mazzarello, he also established an Order for Salesian Sisters.
Call to Action for Catholic Living: Listening to one’s conscience guarantees walking in the path of holiness. How much do I listen to my conscience?
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
Latest News
