He appointed Twelve to be with Him - Mk 3:13 -19
Today, the evangelist Mark recalls the event that took place right at the beginning of Jesus' public activity. Saint Mark noted that: Jesus went up the mountain.The mountain is a unique place. It is a place where God meets man. It is on the mountain that Moses meets God and received the Tablets of the Commandments. It is on the mountain that God meets the prophet Elijah. It is on the mountain that Jesus was transfigured, and he meet his Father. Jesus also calls Disciples on the mountain. Jesus has climbed the mountain; God meets man on the mountain. God waits and has summoned those whom He Himself wanted. Jesus calls a man to Himself, but only the one He wants! They, however, were not indifferent to the call of God and have come to Him.
It is God who chooses his Apostles, it is God who chooses those whom he wants. Choosing a man is strictly connected with choosing the whole man with his entire history, past and future. With its advantages and disadvantages. God chooses, God calls. He is waiting for an answer. Will you gather all your strength and try to climb this mountain, and will you want to hear what God has for you? Or maybe you will skip this trouble and be deaf to His cry? Try to listen and do not miss this silent cry of Jesus, drowned out by today's world.
When Jesus calls his disciples to come to him, he is calling those he knows. He called them to come to Him because He wanted to. He does not announce to them in advance that He will now choose His Apostles but invites them to meet him so that no one will seek favor from Him. They go to Jesus expecting nothing.
The disciples chosen by Jesus as Apostles will be sent by Him to preach and cast out demons. The Apostles in the church are most often associated with such tasks. However, the purpose for which Jesus first called the twelve is different. Saint Mark writes: "he appointed twelve to be with him. Before “sending them forth to preach and to have authority to drive out demons”, He placed a more important request: to be with Him.
The Twelve are very different from each other. Jesus gives one a new name, another a nickname. Each of them is different, and each has its own life story. They remind us - the people who accompany Jesus today. Everyone has their own baggage of experiences, and yet, regardless of its content, Jesus wants us to be with him.
Do not wonder how to respond to Jesus' call. Take time to sit with Him a little, to accompany Him. Let all expectations and memories fall silent, so that you can hear His voice.
January 22 - Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children
“A great prayer for life is urgently needed, a prayer which will rise up throughout the world. Through special initiatives and in daily prayer, may an impassioned plea rise to God,
the Creator and lover of life, from every Christian community, from every group and association, from every family and from the heart of every believer”.
(Pope Saint John Paul II, Evangelium Vitae)
The US Bishops' Conference established January 22 as a day of prayer for the protection of life. It marks the anniversary of the infamous Roe v. Wade verdict, setting a precedent for legalizing abortion in all US states. The over 60 million abortions since the 1973 decisions of Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton reflect with heartbreaking magnitude what Pope Francis means by a “throwaway culture.”
However, we have great trust in God’s providence. We are reminded time and again in Scripture to seek the Lord’s help, and as people of faith, we believe that our prayers are heard. That is why the American bishops declared January 22 "Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children." The date is the anniversary of the US Supreme Court judgments that legalized "abortion on demand" throughout the United States.
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM), no. 373, designates January 22 as a particular day of prayer and penance, called the "Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children”: “In all the Dioceses of the United States of America, January 22 (or January 23, when January 22 falls on a Sunday) shall be observed as a particular day of prayer for the full restoration of the legal guarantee of the right to life and of penance for violations to the dignity of the human person committed through acts of abortion.”
As individuals, we are called to observe this day through the penitential practices of prayer fasting and/or giving alms. Another way to take part is through participating in special events to observe the anniversary of Roe v. Wade. Call your local diocese or parish to find out what events might be taking place in your area.
The bishops' appeal calls not only for prayers, acts of penance and alms, but also for a keen interest in activities aimed at restoring the legal protection of life. On January 21-29, there is also a novena "9 days for life" for unborn children. Each day is accompanied by a reflection on the commitment to building a civilization of life. For more information and Prayer please visit www.usccb.org
Please remember:
The prohibition to kill a human being, especially an innocent one, is not a religious prohibition, but the universal obviousness. Let me mention the Italian lawyer Norberto Bobbio, who as a non-believer, even anti-clerical, defended the right of unborn children to life. What is more, he said that social consent to abortion is undermining the foundations of democracy. He justified it this way: the greatest value of democracy is that it protects all members of our community, especially the weakest. If a democracy allows for the killing of the weakest, it actually affects its identity. By agreeing to perform abortions, we cease to be a truly democratic community. Yes, faith certainly supports the attitude of respect for the conceived life, but refusal to abortion results from something deeper than faith. It results from our very humanity.
Until Tomorrow
fr. george