Friday 19 January 2024

Today is Friday the 19th of January, in the second week of Ordinary time.

The monks of Pluscarden Abbey sing: Ego vos elegi ‘I have chosen you out of the world, so that you might go out and bear fruit, fruit that will last.’ As you listen to this chant, hear those words addressed to you, because they are addressed to you. God knows all your strengths and all your weaknesses and has chosen you to bear fruit for him.

Ego vos elegi de mundo, ut eatis,
Et fructum afferatis: et fructus vester maneat.




Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Mark.

Mark 3:13-19

Jesus went up the mountain and called to him those whom he wanted, and they came to him. And he appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles, to be with him, and to be sent out to proclaim the message, and to have authority to cast out demons. So he appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); James son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Yesterday’s prayer started with a huge crowd hurrying to be with Jesus. Today he is picking out those he wants to be particularly close to him in the future. What do you think he is looking for as he makes his choice?

In any case, why, as you see it, is Jesus being so selective here?

Notice that he wants these chosen individuals both to “be with him”, but also to “be sent out” to proclaim the message. How do these two elements find a place in your own life of faith?

As the passage is read again, add your own name to the list of these called. What difference does that make to the way that you hear these words of the evangelist Mark?

What response do you want to make to being called in this way? Make it now, in your own words.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.