Monday, January 23, 2012

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
The phrase "heart of Christ" can refer to Sacred Scripture, which makes known his heart, closed before the Passion, as the Scripture was obscure. But the Scripture has been opened since the Passion; since those who from then on have understood it, consider and discern in what way the prophecies must be interpreted.
-- St. Thomas Aquinas, Expositio in Psalmus

READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: 2 Samuel 5:1-7, 10
(David Becomes King of Israel and Judah)
1 Then came all the tribes of Israel to David to Hebron, and spoke, saying, Behold, we are your bone and your flesh.
2 In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel: and Yahweh said to you, You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.
3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and king David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Yahweh: and they anointed David king over Israel.
4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. 
5 In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months; and in Jerusalem he reigned thirty-three years over all Israel and Judah.
6 The king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who spoke to David, saying, Except you take away the blind and the lame, you shall not come in here; thinking, David can’t come in here.
7 Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion; the same is the city of David.
10 David grew greater and greater; for Yahweh, the God of Armies, was with him.
Psalms: Psalm 89:20-22, 25-26
20 I have found David, my servant. I have anointed him with my holy oil,
21 With whom my hand shall be established. My arm will also strengthen him.
22 No enemy will tax him. No wicked man will oppress him.
25 I will set his hand also on the sea, And his right hand on the rivers.
26 He will call to me, ‘You are my Father, My God, and the rock of my salvation!’
Gospel: Mark 3:22-30
22 The scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul,” and, “By the prince of the demons he casts out the demons.”
23 He summoned them, and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan?
24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
26 If Satan has risen up against himself, and is divided, he can’t stand, but has an end.
27 But no one can enter into the house of the strong man to plunder, unless he first binds the strong man; and then he will plunder his house.
28 Most assuredly I tell you, all of the children of men’s sins will be forgiven them, including their blasphemies with which they may blaspheme;
29 but whoever may blaspheme against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”
30 — because they said, “He has an unclean spirit.”