Mark
	English: Douay-Rheims	Latin: Vulgata Clementina	Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000)
	Mark 3
31.	And his mother and his bretheren came; and standing without, sent unto him, calling him.	Et veniunt mater ejus et fratres : et foris stantes miserunt ad eum vocantes eum,	ερχονται ουν οι αδελφοι και η μητηρ αυτου και εξω εστωτες απεστειλαν προς αυτον φωνουντες αυτον
32.	And the multitude sat about him; and they say to him: Behold thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee.	et sedebat circa eum turba : et dicunt ei : Ecce mater tua et fratres tui foris quærunt te.	και εκαθητο οχλος περι αυτον ειπον δε αυτω ιδου η μητηρ σου και οι αδελφοι σου και αι αδελφαι σου εξω ζητουσιν σε
33.	And answering them, he said: Who is my mother and my brethren?	Et respondens eis, ait : Quæ est mater mea et fratres mei ?	και απεκριθη αυτοις λεγων τις εστιν η μητηρ μου η οι αδελφοι μου
34.	And looking round about on them who sat about him, he saith: Behold my mother and my brethren.	Et circumspiciens eos, qui in circuitu ejus sedebant, ait : Ecce mater mea et fratres mei.	και περιβλεψαμενος κυκλω τους περι αυτον καθημενους λεγει ιδε η μητηρ μου και οι αδελφοι μου
35.	For whosoever shall do the will of God, he is my brother, and my sister, and mother.	Qui enim fecerit voluntatem Dei, hic frater meus, et soror mea, et mater est.	ος γαρ αν ποιηση το θελημα του θεου ουτος αδελφος μου και αδελφη μου και μητηρ εστιν

31. There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent to him, calling him.
32. And the multitude sat about him, and they said to him, Behold, your mother and your brethren without seek for you.
33. And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren?
34. And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
35. For whoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.

THEOPHYL. Because the relations of the Lord had come to seize upon Him, as if beside Himself, His mother, urged by the sympathy of her love, came to Him; wherefore it is said, And there came to him his mother, and, standing without, sent to him, calling him.

CHRYS. From this it is manifest that His brethren and His mother were not always with Him; but because He was beloved by them, they come from reverence and affection, waiting without. Wherefore it goes on, And the multitude sat about him, &c.

BEDE; The brothers of the Lord must not be thought to be the sons of the ever-virgin Mary, as Helvidius says, nor the sons of Joseph by a former marriage, as some think, but rather they must be understood to be His relations.

PSEUD-CHRYS. But another Evangelist says, that His brethren did not believe on Him. With which this agrees, which says, that they sought Him, waiting without, and with this meaning the Lord does not mention them as relations. Wherefore it follows, And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother. or my brethren? But He does not here mention His mother and His brethren altogether with reproof, but to show that a man must honor his own soul above all earthly kindred; wherefore this is fitly said to those who called Him to speak with His mother and relations, as if it were a more useful task than the teaching of salvation.

BEDE; Being asked therefore by a message to go out, He declines, not as though He refused the dutiful service of His mother, but to show that He owes more to His Father's mysteries than to His mother's feelings. Nor does He rudely despise His brothers, but, preferring His spiritual work to fleshly relationship, He teaches us that religion is the bond of the heart rather than that of the body. Wherefore it goes on, And looking round about on them which sat about him, he said, Behold my mother and my brethren.

CHRYS. By this, the Lord shows that we should honor those who are relations by faith rather than those who are relations by blood. A man indeed is made the mother of Jesus by preaching Him; for He, as it were, brings forth the Lord, when he pours Him into the heart of his hearers.

PSEUDO-JEROME; But let us be assured that we are His brethren and This sisters, if we do the will of the Father; that we may be joint-heirs with Him, for He discerns us not by sex but by our deeds. Wherefore it goes on: Whoever shall do the will of God, &c.

THEOPHYL. The does not therefore say this, as denying His mother, but as showing that He is worthy of honor, not only because she bore Christ, but on account of her possessing every other virtue.

BEDE; But mystically, the mother and brother of Jesus means the synagogue, (from which according to the flesh He sprung,) and the Jewish people who, while the Savior is teaching within, come to Him, and are not able to enter, because they cannot understand spiritual things. But the crowd eagerly enter, because when the Jews delayed, the Gentiles flocked to Christ; but His kindred, who stand without wishing to see the Lord, are the Jews who obstinately remained without, guarding the letter, and would rather compel the Lord to go forth to them to teach carnal things, than consent to enter in to learn spiritual things of Him. If therefore not even His parents when standing without are acknowledged, how shall we be acknowledged, if we stand without? For the word is within and the light within.

Catena Aurea Mark 3

The Ghent Altarpiece (wings open)

Jan van Eyck

1432
Oil on wood, 350 x 461 cm

Saint Marianne Cope

Franciscan Media

Image: Photograph of Mother Marianne Cope | anonymous

Saint Marianne Cope

Saint of the Day for January 23

(January 23, 1838 – August 9, 1918)

Saint Marianne Cope’s Story

Though leprosy scared off most people in 19th-century Hawaii, that disease sparked great generosity in the woman who came to be known as Mother Marianne of Molokai. Her courage helped tremendously to improve the lives of its victims in Hawaii, a territory annexed to the United States during her lifetime (1898).

Mother Marianne’s generosity and courage were celebrated at her May 14, 2005, beatification in Rome. She was a woman who spoke “the language of truth and love” to the world, said Cardinal José Saraiva Martins, prefect of the Congregation for Saints’ Causes. Cardinal Martins, who presided at the beatification Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, called her life “a wonderful work of divine grace.” Speaking of her special love for persons suffering from leprosy, he said, “She saw in them the suffering face of Jesus. Like the Good Samaritan, she became their mother.”

On January 23, 1838, a daughter was born to Peter and Barbara Cope of Hessen-Darmstadt, Germany. The girl was named after her mother. Two years later the Cope family emigrated to the United States and settled in Utica, New York. Young Barbara worked in a factory until August 1862, when she went to the Sisters of the Third Order of Saint Francis in Syracuse, New York. After profession in November of the next year, she began teaching at Assumption parish school.

Marianne held the post of superior in several places and was twice the novice mistress of her congregation. A natural leader, three different times she was superior of St. Joseph’s Hospital in Syracuse, where she learned much that would be useful during her years in Hawaii.

Elected provincial in 1877, Mother Marianne was unanimously re-elected in 1881. Two years later the Hawaiian government was searching for someone to run the Kakaako Receiving Station for people suspected of having leprosy. More than 50 religious communities in the United States and Canada were asked. When the request was put to the Syracuse sisters, 35 of them volunteered immediately. On October 22, 1883, Mother Marianne and six other sisters left for Hawaii where they took charge of the Kakaako Receiving Station outside Honolulu; on the island of Maui they also opened a hospital and a school for girls.

In 1888, Mother Marianne and two sisters went to Molokai to open a home for “unprotected women and girls” there. The Hawaiian government was quite hesitant to send women for this difficult assignment; they need not have worried about Mother Marianne! On Molokai she took charge of the home that Saint Damien de Veuster had established for men and boys. Mother Marianne changed life on Molokai by introducing cleanliness, pride, and fun to the colony. Bright scarves and pretty dresses for the women were part of her approach.

Awarded the Royal Order of Kapiolani by the Hawaiian government and celebrated in a poem by Robert Louis Stevenson, Mother Marianne continued her work faithfully. Her sisters have attracted vocations among the Hawaiian people and still work on Molokai.

Mother Marianne died on August 9, 1918 and was beatified in 2005 and canonized seven years later.

Reflection

The government authorities were reluctant to allow Mother Marianne to be a mother on Molokai. Thirty years of dedication proved their fears unfounded. God grants gifts regardless of human shortsightedness and allows those gifts to flower for the sake of the kingdom.

This Must be the First Photograph of Two Saints Together [St. Marianne Cope/St. Damien de Veuster]
Two New American Saints, Three Notable Firsts, Bl. Marianne Cope & Bl. Kateri Tekakwitha
Mother Marianne Becomes An American Saint
People Need to Believe in Miracles, Says Woman Cured of Infection [ Bl. Marianne Cope]
Nun's remains miraculously healed New York woman, Vatican says
Pope advances sainthood causes of Marianne Cope, Kateri Tekakwitha (Catholic Caucus)
Vatican Group Confirms Second Miracle Attributed to Marianne Cope

Information: St. John the Almsgiver

Feast Day: January 23

Born: 550 at Arnathus, Cyprus

Died: 616 at Arnathus, Cyprus

Patron of: Knights Hospitaller

Information: St. Ildephonsus

Feast Day: January 23

Born: 607 at Toledo, Spain

Died: January 23, 667

Holy Spirit Interactive Kids: A Saint a Day

St. John the Almsgiver

Feast Day: January 23
Born:(around)550 :: Died:619

St. John was born at Arnathus, in Cyprus, Greece and came from a rich family. He married and had a child. John was a good Christian who used his wealth and position to help poor people. When John's wife and child died of a disease, John became a priest and then a bishop.

In 608, he was given a very important position and made the patriarch of Alexandria, Egypt. St. John went to his new ministry determined to heal the divisions among his people. He made himself a promise that he would practice "charity without limits."

As he had come to serve, the first thing he did was ask for a complete list of his "masters" - the poor. When they were counted, the poor of Alexandria numbered 7,500. St. John promised to be their personal protector.

As patriarch, St. John made many changes to the way things were done and set new rules. He was respectful and kind, but firm. He set aside two days each week, Wednesday and Friday, and made himself available for anyone who wanted to see him.

People lined up in queues and waited patiently for their turn. Some were rich. Some were homeless and penniless. St. John treaded them all with the same respect and attention. When he found out that the church funds had eighty thousand pieces of gold, he divided it all among the hospitals and monasteries.

He set up a system so that poor people received enough money to support themselves. Refugees from neighboring areas were welcomed warmly. When the Persians attacked and robbed the people of Jerusalem of their wealth, St. John sent money and supplies to the suffering people. He even sent Egyptian workmen to help them rebuild their churches.

When people asked how St. John could be so charitable and unselfish, he had an amazing answer. Once when he was very young he had a dream or vision. He saw a beautiful girl and she represented "charity." She told him: "I am the oldest daughter of the King. If you are devoted to me, I will lead you to Jesus. No one is as powerful with him as I am. Remember, it was for me that he became a baby to redeem humankind."

St. John never grew tired of telling about that vision. He gently led the rich to be generous. He helped the poor trust that God would always be there for them. Because of his great charity, he is called "the almsgiver."

St. John died peacefully on November 11, 619.

CATHOLIC ALMANAC

Tuesday, January 23

Liturgical Color: Green

Today the Church
commemorates the Espousal of
the Virgin Mary to St. Joseph.
This feast was first celebrated in
the early 1500’s. Parents can
look to Our Lady and St. Joseph
as role models in raising their
own children.

Catholic Culture

Ordinary Time: January 23rd

Optional Memorials of St. Vincent of Saragossa, deacon & martyr; St. Marianne Cope

MASS READINGS

January 23, 2018 (Readings on USCCB website)

COLLECT PRAYER

Almighty ever-living God, mercifully pour out your Spirit upon us, so that our hearts may possess the strong love by which the Martyr Saint Vincent triumphed over all bodily torments. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

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Recipes (1)

Soft Molasses Cookies

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Activities (1)

Practical Suggestions for Christian Living (Anointing of the Sick)

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Prayers (2)

Novena for Church Unity
Octave of Prayer for Christian Unity
Old Calendar: St. Raymund of Penafort, confessor; St. Emerentiana, virgin and martyr; St. John the Almoner (hist)
St. Vincent of Saragossa, one of the greatest deacons of the Church, suffered martyrdom in Valencia in the persecution under Diocletian. He was born in Huesca, Spain.
St. Marianne Cope was an immigrant from Germany. As a Sister of St. Francis in Syracuse, New York, she founded the first two Catholic hospitals in central New York. In 1883, she went to Hawaii to care for those suffering from leprosy (Hansen's Disease). She died on August 9, 1919 and canonized in 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI.
According to the 1962 Missal of St. John XXIII today is the feast of St. Raymond of Penafort which is now celebrated on January 7 on the General Roman Calendar. It is also the commemoration of St. Emerentiana whose veneration is connected with that of St. Agnes. She was venerated at Rome not far from the Basilica of St. Agnes-Outside-the-Walls on the via Nomentana. The acts of St. Agnes make Emerentiana her foster sister; according to this source, while still a catechumen she was stoned at the tomb of the youthful martyr where she had gone to pray.
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

St. Vincent of Saragossa
Vincent of Saragossa was one of the Church's three most illustrious deacons, the other two being Stephen and Lawrence. He is also Spain's most renowned martyr. Ordained deacon by Bishop Valerius of Saragossa, he was taken in chains to Valencia during the Diocletian persecution and put to death. From legend we have the following details of his martyrdom. After brutal scourging in the presence of many witnesses, he was stretched on the rack; but neither torture nor blandishments nor threats could undermine the strength and courage of his faith. Next, he was cast on a heated grating, lacerated with iron hooks, and seared with hot metal plates. Then he was returned to prison, where the floor was heavily strewn with pieces of broken glass. A heavenly brightness flooded the entire dungeon, filling all who saw it with greatest awe.
After this he was placed on a soft bed in the hope that lenient treatment would induce apostasy, since torture had proven ineffective. But strengthened by faith in Christ Jesus and the hope of everlasting life, Vincent maintained an invincible spirit and overcame all efforts, whether by fire, sword, rack, or torture to induce defection. He persevered to the end and gained the heavenly crown of martyrdom. —The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch
Patron: Portugal; vine dressers; vinegar makers; vintners; wine growers; wine makers.
Symbols: Deacon holding a ewer; deacon holding several ewers and a book; deacon with a raven; deceased deacon whose body is being defended by ravens; deacon being torn by hooks; deacon holding a millstone.
Things to Do:
- Read this account of St. Vincent's martyrdom.
- Pray to St. Vincent for those ordained deacons in the Church, especially those in your own parish.
- Read Acts of the Apostles 6:1-7 to discover the role of deacons in the early Church.
- Cook a Spanish dish in honor of St. Vincent.
St. Emerentiana
St. Emerentiana was a Roman virgin, the foster sister of St. Agnes who died at Rome in the third century. Already as a catechumen she was conspicuous for her faith and love of Christ. One day she boldly upbraided the idolaters for their violent attacks on the Christians. The enraged mob retaliated by pelting her with stones. She died in the Lord praying at the tomb of St. Agnes, baptized in her own blood.
A church was built over her grave which, according to the Itineraries, was near the church erected over the place of burial of St. Agnes, and somewhat farther from the city wall. In reality Emerentiana was interred in the coemeterium majus located in this vicinity not far from the coemeterium Agnetis.
Patron: Those who suffer from digestive disorders.
Symbols: Young girl with stones in her lap, usually holding a palm or lily.

St. John the Almoner
St. John was married, but when his wife and two children died he considered it a call from God to lead a perfect life. He began to give away all he possessed in alms, and became known throughout the East as the Almoner. He was appointed Patriarch of Alexandria; but before he would take possession of his see he told his servants to go over the town and bring him a list of his lords-meaning the poor. They brought word that there were seventy-five hundred of them, and these he undertook to feed every day.
On Wednesday and Friday in every week he sat on a bench before the church, to hear the complaints of the needy and aggrieved; nor would he permit his servants to taste food until their wrongs were redressed. The fear of death was ever before him, and he never spoke an idle word. He turned those out of church whom he saw talking, and forbade all detractors to enter his house. He left seventy churches in Alexandria, where he had found but seven.
A merchant received from St. John five pounds weight of gold to buy merchandise. Having suffered shipwreck and lost all, he had again recourse to John, who said, "Some of your merchandise was ill-gotten," and gave him ten pounds more; but the next voyage he lost ship as well as goods. John then said, "The ship was wrongfully acquired. Take fifteen pounds of gold, buy corn with it, and put it on one of my ships." This time the merchant was carried by the winds without his own knowledge to England, where there was a famine; and he sold the corn for its weight in tin, and on his return he found the tin changed to finest silver.
St. John died in Cyprus, his native place, about the year 620.
Lives of the Saints, by Alban Butler, Benziger Bros. ed. [1894]
Things to Do:
- See Saint John the Merciful, Patriarch of Alexandria and The Life of St John the Almsgiver by Leontius
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
BIBLICAL REFLECTIONS AND PRAYERS FOR THE EIGHT DAYS
Day Six: Let us look to the interests of others
The witness of the Scriptures is consistent that God always makes a preferential option for the poor: the right hand of God acts for the powerless against the powerful. Similarly, Jesus consistently warns against the dangers of greed. Despite these warnings, however, the sin of greed often infects our Christian communities and introduces a logic of competition: one community competing against the next. We need to remember that insofar as we fail to differentiate ourselves from the world, but conform to its divisive competing spirit, we fail to offer ‘a refuge for the needy in distress, a shelter from the storm’.
Vatican Resources

The Word Among Us

Meditation: 2 Samuel 6:12-15, 17-19

Saint Vincent, Deacon and Martyr (Optional Memorial)

David . . . came dancing before the Lord with abandon. (2 Samuel 6:14)

Prayer can take many forms. Consider the scene in today’s first reading, when David brought the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem. He not only had many sacrifices offered, but he also danced before God with childlike abandon. This probably wasn’t what most people expected of their king. They were likely surprised at his lack of decorum. Yet David was so filled with joy that he couldn’t help but dance freely before the God who had been so good to his people.

Our prayer, too, can and should take many forms. Don’t you sometimes feel like dancing before God in your prayer time? Go ahead! How about singing a song? Give it a try. What about marching around the room like the Israelites marched around Jericho? Or walking meditatively through the forest, delighting in God’s gift of the created world? Or letting out a big laugh because the Lord has made you joyful? Or maybe kneeling before the Lord, saying the name of Jesus over and over again?

These, as well as so many other forms of prayer, can be just as valid as sitting before God in silence, praying the Rosary, or talking to God as familiarly as you would talk to your neighbor.

We can sometimes feel constrained by structured forms of prayer. Certainly, traditional prayers have their place and can be very effective in helping us build up our relationship with God. But God also wants us to feel free to express ourselves spontaneously. An unscripted expression of praise, love, or gratitude may very well help us break through to a deeper relationship with God.

Remember that God is your Father. He loves you as his very own child. Children are naturally spontaneous and free, and you can be this way before God. He delights in seeing his children coming before him in many different ways. Why not take a chance and become a little spontaneous as you let your Father know how much you love him?

“Jesus, as you rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, teach me also to express my joy and worship. You are great, O Lord, and I take delight in you!”

Psalm 24:7-10
Mark 3:31-35

Marriage = One Man and One Woman Until Death Do Us Part

Daily Marriage Tip for January 23, 2018:

(Reader Tip) Every anniversary we write love letters to each other and take a “couple” picture. Put them together in a binder to treasure for years to come.

Regnum Christi

January 23, 2018 – Stronger Than Blood

Tuesday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time

Mark 3:31-35

His mother and his brothers arrived. Standing outside they sent word to him and called him. A crowd seated around him told him, “Your mother and your brothers and your sisters are outside asking for you.” But he said to them in reply, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking around at those seated in the circle he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”

Introductory Prayer: Today I want to encounter you as a friend and brother, Lord. I believe that you want to encounter me and transform me. Thank you for working in my heart, calling me to a deeper identification with you. I trust that you will lead me along paths of growth and fruitfulness.

Petition: Lord, help me to put my will in conformity with yours.

1. Maybe He Needs a Break: Jesus was very busy. Perhaps he was tired. Perhaps his mother arrived to give him a bit of food or a word of encouragement. But we find in today’s Gospel a Christ who is strong. He has strengthened himself through intimate contact with the Father. He has filled his heart with a love for souls. He finds nourishment in doing the Father’s will. Surely his mother was encouraged by what she found. Do I let the will of God be my strength? Does prayer transform me to the point where charity and evangelization become my natural way of being?

2. Closeness for the Right Reason: As Jesus taught and healed, people were naturally attracted to him. Yet simply being physically close to him did not count. One had to open one’s heart to receive his message of conversion. He was looking to transform people, to make them capable of living as sons and daughters of God. If I am willing to learn Jesus’ standards and act as he does, then I can be close to him. He will allow me into his intimacy if I make God’s will mine.

3. Accompanying Christ: There is a mysterious reality here. I can actually bring consolation to Christ’s heart. I can accompany him on his divine mission. I must be willing to renounce my will and do only the will of the Father. Can Christ point to me and say, “He is my brother; she is my sister; she is my mother”? I must look at my life and see what is not in conformity to his will. I must make a firm resolution to show my faith and love in the very thing that is most difficult for me.

Conversation with Christ: Lord, you give me this short life in order to become part of your family. I want to make the Father’s will my own as you did. Help me to put God’s will above everything else, so that it becomes what I most deeply desire. Then I will truly be yours.

Resolution: Today I will make an act of charity towards someone with whom I find it difficult to get along.

Homily of the Day

January 23, 2018

The first reading shows David and all Israel bringing the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem in triumphal procession. The Ark contained the tablets of the 10 commandments which God personally wrote on and gave to Moses. For the Israelites, it was the most sacred thing in the world because it was the sign of God’s election of Israel as His own people so they adored the Ark which contained the tablets.

The Ark was also a symbol of God’s presence among men and so its religious significance was paramount. So when it was brought into Jerusalem, the whole community rejoiced, danced and sang in total abandon. When have we truly been happy beyond compare because of the Lord? Do we always welcome His presence in our lives, even if this means to give up some things? Have you ever been a fool for Christ as David was when he danced with abandon as the Ark was being brought to Jerusalem?

The gospel message is very striking. Jesus puts spiritual ties as more important than blood relationship. Family is important but doing the will of God is more important. Man was created to know God, to love Him and to serve Him. The family is the place where a man learns to do God’s will. So if the family has fulfilled its mission, then we will have many people who are always doing things for God and their fellowmen. Jesus also grew up in a family and there he was taught to love God above all things. When we love God first, we are already loving our families because we are becoming bridges of hope for them and saving them even if they do not care so much for God. We must believe that a Christian’s acts always save others, including his family.

One Bread, One Body

Language: English | Español

All Issues > Volume 34, Issue 1

<< Tuesday, January 23, 2018 >>

St. Marianne Cope St. Vincent of Saragossa

2 Samuel 6:12-15, 17-19
View Readings

Psalm 24:7-10

Mark 3:31-35
Similar Reflections

CELEBRATING THE SACRAMENTS

"David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom into the City of David amid festivities." —2 Samuel 6:12

When David brought the ark of God to Jerusalem, he gave the distinct impression that God was really present at the ark. After every six steps of the procession with the ark, David "sacrificed an ox and a fatling" (2 Sm 6:13). Then David, the king of the nation, put on his dancing clothes and "came dancing before the Lord with abandon" (2 Sm 6:14). The musical accompaniment for all this was "shouts of joy and to the sound of the horn" (2 Sm 6:15). "Then David offered holocausts and peace offerings before the Lord" (2 Sm 6:17). Finally, he blessed the crowd and gave each person "a loaf of bread, a cut of roast meat, and a raisin cake" (2 Sm 6:18-19).

When we enter a church building or receive Holy Communion, what impression do we give? Would an observer of our actions conclude that we believed Jesus' Body and Blood were in the tabernacle? When we receive Communion, does it look as if we are receiving God Himself into our persons? We may not sacrifice fatlings, dance with abandon, play the horn, or bake a few thousand raisin cakes, but in some visible way we should express our faith that the Lord's most intense presence on this earth is in Holy Communion. "We have that spirit of faith of which the Scripture says, 'Because I believed, I spoke out' " (2 Cor 4:13). If we believe we're receiving Jesus, God Himself, in Holy Communion, we should show it.

Prayer: Father, may my worship inspire believers and challenge unbelievers.

Promise: "Whoever does the will of God is brother and sister and mother to Me." —Mk 3:35

Praise: St. Marianne left her hospitals in New York and answered the call to serve lepers in Hawaii.