1st MONDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Mark 1:14 – 20) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

“Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Mk 1:17)

FIRST READING - 1 Sm 1:1-8

"Her rival, to upset [Hannah], would torment her constantly, since the Lord had closed her womb."

A reading from the First Book of Samuel

¹ There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of Ephraim. His name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. ² He had two wives, one named Hannah, the other Peninnah; Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children. ³ Each year this man went up from his city to worship and offer sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were ministering as priests of the Lord. ⁴ When the day came for Elkanah to offer sacrifice, he used to give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters, ⁵ but he would give a double portion to Hannah because he loved her, though the Lord had closed her womb. ⁶ Her rival,^[a] to upset her, would torment her constantly, since the Lord had closed her womb. ⁷ Year after year, when she went up to the house of the Lord, Peninnah would provoke her, and Hannah would weep and refuse to eat.^{[b] 8} Elkanah, her husband, would say to her: “Hannah, why are you weeping? Why are you not eating? Why are you so miserable? Am I not better for you than ten sons?”

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Mk 1:14-20

"Repent, and believe in the gospel."

✠From the Gospel according to Mark

¹⁴ After John had been arrested,^[a] Jesus came to Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: ¹⁵ “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

^{[b] 16} As he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting their nets into the sea; they were fishermen. ¹⁷ Jesus said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.” ¹⁸ Then they abandoned their nets and followed him. ¹⁹ He walked along a little farther and saw James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John. They too were in a boat mending their nets. ²⁰ Then he called them. So they left their father Zebedee in the boat along with the hired men and followed him.

1st MONDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Mark 1:14 – 20)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear people of God

Today's Word of God, God the Father, calls all His children to listen to the teachings of Jesus Christ, urging everyone to repent, turn away from the path of sin, and return to God the Father.

For the Kingdom of God has come near and the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, to liberate humanity from the captivity of Satan.

To enter and enjoy happiness in the Kingdom of Heaven, God the Father desires all His children to be cleansed of sin, to keep our souls and bodies pure, chaste, holy, to knowing to fear and obey God, doing what God the Father has instructed, not acting according to our own will, not yielding to the temptations of Satan, the lusts, the passions, the sins, the disobedience to God the Father's holy will.

That is the way God the Father teaches His children: for those who wish to enter and inherit happiness in the Kingdom of Heaven, and to have eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven with God the Father in the future, then right here on earth, we must convert our lives, live in holiness, learn to love, knowing to give, knowing to submit to God the Father's holy will in all places and at all times, and learn to fear Him, to fear sin and knowing to avoid occasions of sin to obey Him at all times and in all places.

That also relies on God the Father’s providence and the proclamation of God's Word by His disciples to all humanity, and to His children living in this world.

As God the Father calls the disciples into His plan in this new era, they must resolve to abandon the path of sin, resolutely renounce all worldly pleasures and material possessions in order to follow God the Father to preach His Word, calling people to repent, abandon the path of sin, and cast out Satan from the souls and bodies that Satan is controlling.

God the Father also desires His disciples in this new era to follow the example of the Apostles of old, which is to abandon all things belonging to this world to follow God the Father to save souls for Him, casting out the horde of Satans from their brothers and sisters, leading their brothers and sisters out of Satan's captivity, out of the darkness of sin, to live in holiness, meekness, humility, simplicity, reverence and obedience to God's holy will in all places and at all times.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

19:00 Jan 12, 2026 - Prayer of Divine Mercy - The Way to Heaven