Archive for January 31, 2026

Blessed are the bold in spirit for the lord

Posted: January 31, 2026 by CatholicJules in Life's Journeys, Memory Book, Testimonies
0

Blessed are the bold in spirit for the Lord, for he will cause his face to shine upon those he sends our way.

This evening, as I made my way for the sunset mass with my wife and daughter, I had no intention of praying over anyone. My only focus was to go for the sacrament of reconciliation, even though I had gone the week before, because I had failed and I needed his grace to be whole again.

As I was waiting for the priest to come, I saw a brother in Christ’s mother walking past me with a walking stick. In my heart, I felt she was highlighted to me to pray for, and I would gladly do it once I was reconciled fully with God. Immediately after reconciliation, I sought her out and she was happy to see me because we have not seen one another for quite some time. I prayed over her and she was so happy after. I then made my way to my seat beside my family.

During mass, the Lord highlighted this young girl, no more than 13 or 14 years old. I could see she wore a brace under her blouse. I’ve seen her before when she was much younger; she was actually in crutches, but now she was walking on her own. The brace was very clear from her back, she must have had a twisted spine or was born that way. Suddenly I just felt a profound sadness to think that she had to struggle all her life in this condition. I prayed with all my heart to the Lord, saying, “Yes Lord, you are the Lord of the impossible. And if it is your will, you will heal her. So I pray that you release her from this bondage, her suffering at such a tender age.”

I thought to myself, did the Lord highlight her to me wanting me to pray for her? Was I worthy enough to pray for her and to be so bold as to pray for healing? I wasn’t clear. I just didn’t know why he highlighted her in that way to me. I wept internally for her, just thinking about what if she was my daughter. I spent the better half of the mass just lifting her up together with my mother, my mother-in-law, who are old, as well as for my ex-classmate from encounter school and a few others that came to mind at the Holy Eucharist.

My daughter noticed I was looking in that girl’s direction. She was sharing with me that she had a classmate who was wearing this same brace of sorts for more than seven years, but she’s finally rid of it. However, she was not completely healed, but at least she was now able to do things without wearing the brace any longer—so when mass ended, I was still looking her way. My daughter looked at me and said, “No, don’t do it.” She more or less knew that I had the intention of praying for her, but just didn’t know how to approach either her or her parents.

After mass, I waited at the foyer, but they didn’t come out. I told the Lord, “Well, if you want me to pray for her you will lead her my way.” Then, I left the church and made my way to the bus stop. We were waiting pretty long for the bus to come. Lo and behold, I saw the girl and her parents walking towards the bus stop. I thought to myself, do I have time? Do I have the courage to approach them? It didn’t take long for me to walk up to the father and introduce myself. I just asked him, “Hi, is this your daughter? May I know her name? And is it all right if I pray for her?” The father said, “Sure, go ahead.” “her name is Neve” I stood in front of the daughter touched her shoulder and started praying for her. She was so sweet. She was so very grateful and thanked  me. after that, So did the father. I just smiled at them and quickly got up the bus which had arrived and my family had  already got on.

As I sat down on the upper deck of the double-decker, I saw this old man whom I knew was a fellow parishioner. He was with a walking stick making his way up to the same deck on the bus, which impressed me because with a walking stick and that age, I myself would be hesitant to walk up the flight of stairs up.

As we reached the bus depot I noticed he made his way down first, I caught up with him and said, “Hey, where’s your wife?” They’ve always gone to church as a couple, but today the wife was missing. He told me that his wife Carol was sick. While we were still waiting to disembark, I said, “Is it all right if I pray for Carol and use you as a proxy?” I just held his shoulders and I prayed for Carol’s healing. He was so touched. We chatted for a while as we got off. He told me he’s already 80 years old, but he’s still working because it keeps his mind active and stable.

After that little conversation, as we parted our ways, I just thought to myself, how great is our God that He would allow someone like me to be His instrument of grace, even though I still feel so unworthy. So all glory be His, now and forever. Amen

Sunday Reflection with Dr Scott Hahn

Posted: January 31, 2026 by CatholicJules in Sunday Reflections
Tags: ,
0

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Zephaniah 2:3; 3:12-13
Psalm 146:6-10
1 Corinthians 1:26-31
Matthew 5:1-12

The Blessed Path

In the readings since Christmas, Jesus has been revealed as the new royal son of David and Son of God.

He is sent to lead a new exodus that brings Israel out of captivity to the nations and brings all the nations to God.

As Moses led Israel from Egypt through the sea to give them God’s law on Mount Sinai, Jesus too has passed through the waters in baptism. Now, in today’s Gospel, He goes to the mountain to proclaim a new law—the law of His Kingdom.

The Beatitudes mark the fulfillment of God’s covenant promise to Abraham—that through his descendants all the nations of the world would receive God’s blessings (see Genesis 12:3; 22:18).

Jesus is the son of Abraham (see Matthew 1:1). And through the wisdom He speaks today, He bestows the Father’s blessings upon “the poor in spirit.”

God has chosen to bless the weak and lowly, those foolish and despised in the eyes of the world, Paul says in today’s Epistle. The poor in spirit are those who know that nothing they do can merit God’s mercy and grace. These are the humble remnant in today’s First Reading, taught to seek refuge in the name of the Lord.

The Beatitudes reveal the divine path and purpose for our lives. All our striving should be for these virtues—to be poor in spirit; meek and clean of heart; merciful and makers of peace; seekers of the righteousness that comes from living by the law of Kingdom.

The path the Lord sets before us today is one of trials and persecution. But He promises comfort in our mourning and a great reward.

The Kingdom we have inherited is no earthly territory but the promised land of heaven. It is Zion where the Lord reigns forever. And, as we sing in today’s Psalm, its blessings are for those whose hope is in the Lord.

On Today’s Gospel

Posted: January 31, 2026 by CatholicJules in Personal Thoughts & Reflections
Tags:
0


Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. The lesson to be learned is usually that we should love others just as we would want to be loved. But the irony is that it also works both ways, that is, if we treat others with disdain and disrespect then they too will treat us the same way.

Isn’t it ironic that David’s temper flared when he heard the story of the man who sacrificed his neighbor’s lamb for a guest, not knowing that the story was about him, who did likewise, or even worse, by taking Uriah’s wife. No matter how loved David was, he still needed to be punished for his sins.

It is why we must always choose wisely our actions, to see if it is after the heart of the Lord our God. And if we choose to follow after him, carry our cross, then we should realize that we who are truly his disciples are empowered to do great things for him.

In today’s Gospel, as I reflect deeply on why the Lord rebukes his disciples for their lack of faith. He asked them, why do you fear? Not because he was with them, but because they had the power themselves to still the wind and the storms in his most precious name. Amen.

Saint John Bosco, Priest pray for us..


________

First reading
2 Samuel 12:1-7,10-17 ·
David’s penitence over Uriah

The Lord sent Nathan the prophet to David. He came to him and said:

‘In the same town were two men,
one rich, the other poor.
The rich man had flocks and herds
in great abundance;
the poor man had nothing but a ewe lamb,
one only, a small one he had bought.
This he fed, and it grew up with him and his children,
eating his bread, drinking from his cup,
sleeping on his breast; it was like a daughter to him.
When there came a traveller to stay, the rich man
refused to take one of his own flock or herd
to provide for the wayfarer who had come to him.
Instead he took the poor man’s lamb
and prepared it for his guest.’

David’s anger flared up against the man. ‘As the Lord lives,’ he said to Nathan ‘the man who did this deserves to die! He must make fourfold restitution for the lamb, for doing such a thing and showing no compassion.’
    Then Nathan said to David, ‘You are the man. So now the sword will never be far from your House, since you have shown contempt for me and taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.”
    ‘Thus the Lord speaks, “I will stir up evil for you out of your own House. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to your neighbour, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. You worked in secret, I will work this in the face of all Israel and in the face of the sun.”’
    David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’ Then Nathan said to David, ‘The Lord, for his part, forgives your sin; you are not to die. Yet because you have outraged the Lord by doing this, the child that is born to you is to die.’ Then Nathan went home.
    The Lord struck the child that Uriah’s wife had borne to David and it fell gravely ill. David pleaded with the Lord for the child; he kept a strict fast and went home and spent the night on the bare ground, covered with sacking. The officials of his household came and stood round him to get him to rise from the ground, but he refused, nor would he take food with them.



________

Gospel
Mark 4:35-41
‘Even the wind and the sea obey him’

With the coming of evening, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Let us cross over to the other side.’ And leaving the crowd behind they took him, just as he was, in the boat; and there were other boats with him. Then it began to blow a gale and the waves were breaking into the boat so that it was almost swamped. But he was in the stern, his head on the cushion, asleep. They woke him and said to him, ‘Master, do you not care? We are going down!’ And he woke up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Quiet now! Be calm!’ And the wind dropped, and all was calm again. Then he said to them, ‘Why are you so frightened? How is it that you have no faith?’ They were filled with awe and said to one another, ‘Who can this be? Even the wind and the sea obey him.’