"STAY WITH US, LORD" (Luke 24:29)

1st Reading Isaiah 49:3,5-6 Psalm Ps. 40:2 and 4ab.7-8a.8b-9.10 (R.8a and 9a) 2nd Reading 1 Corinthians 1:1-3 Gospel John 1:29-34 UNITE AND GUIDE Dear friends, we find ourselves within a new liturgical season after the season of Christmas, which ended a few days ago with the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. Today is the 2nd Sunday in Ordinary Time. In Ordinary Time, our focus is the message of life that the Lord gives us. Our Lord leads us to do what he did, namely, to give our lives for others in a more generous way. To this end, we come to see Ordinary Time as a season more of action and discipleship and less of being expecting and spectating witnesses. We no longer watch, but we also act. The first reading from Isaiah 49:3, 5-6 drives in thoughts about an ideal (or perfect) servant of God. He is ideal because in him resides an ideal vocation. Thus, what God intends to effect in the life of Israel. He becomes ideal because our vocations are modelled after the mission of...

1st Reading       Isaiah 60: 1-6 Psalm                  Ps. 72: 1-2.7-8.10-11.12-13 (R. cf. 11) 2nd Reading     Ephesians 3:2-3a.5-6 Gospel                Matthew 2:1-12 BE SUSTAINED IN FAITH AND HOPE Dear friends, today is the second Sunday of January and the second Sunday of the year. Today, we celebrate the feast of the Epiphany of the Lord. This feast reminds us of the triumph of light over darkness. Epiphany means "shining upon something." Carried further, the feast helps us to know the manifestation of Christ to the world; manifestation as "the light that shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it" (Jn. 1: 5).  The first reading for this Sunday mentions the word 'light' two times (v. 1 and v. 3). The idea communicated is that there is darkness (Isaiah 60:2). Remember that we are reading from Isaiah 60, and it falls within the third division...