FEBRUARY 7 Mon Weekday 1 Kgs 8:1-7, 9-13/Mk 6:53-56
8 Tue Weekday [Saint Jerome Emiliani; Saint Josephine Bakhita, Virgin]
1 Kgs 8:22-23, 27-30/Mk 7:1-13
9 Wed Weekday 1 Kgs 10:1-10/Mk 7:14-23
10 Thu Saint Scholastica, Memorial 1 Kgs 11:4-13/Mk 7:24-30
11 Fri Weekday [Our Lady of Lourdes] 1 Kgs 11:29-32; 12:19/Mk 7:31-37
12 Sat Weekday 1 Kgs 12:26-32; 13:33-34/Mk 8:1-10
13 SUN 6th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Jer 17:5-8/1 Cor 15:12, 16-20/Lk 6:17, 20-26
Readings from the 1st Book of Kings this week continue the history of Israel begun in the Books of Samuel. David’s son, Solomon, dedicates the temple in Jerusalem (Monday-Tuesday ), which initiates a “golden age”, (Wednesday) Then, there’s a rebellion of the northern Kingdom under Jeroboam which leads to its destruction. (Friday, Saturday) The northern kingdom (Israel) will be destroyed by the Assyrians in 722 B.C. In 586 B.C., the southern kingdom (Judah) will fall to Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians. The temple will be burned to the ground, Jerusalem destroyed, and Judah’s high-ranking citizens, including its king, deported to Babylon.
Readings from Mark’s Gospel this week bring Jesus into gentile territory. Jesus’ parable dismissing the prohibition against unclean food and other strictures (Tuesday) prepares for his journey into gentile territory and his missionary outreach there. (Wednesday-Thursday)
St. Josephine Bakhita (Tuesday), like St. Agnes and St Agatha, offers an heroic story of an abused woman sustained by God’s grace. St. Scholastica is a woman who brought about a storm. (Thursday)
Friday we remember Our Lady of Lourdes, a day of prayer for the sick.
The feast of the martyrs of Japan (February 6) occurs on Sunday. Remember the church in Japan.
For readings and scriptural commentary cf. www.usccb.org
For reading 1 Kings; https://bibleresources.americanbible.org/resource/1-kings
The Victor's Place 
Dear Father Victor, Thank you for helping us, as Father Alex Steinmiller, CP says, “be more effective messengers of the Word.” You have awakened us and in your hands, we are no longer naive about God’s presence in our life, and we seek Him for ourselves and others. Thank you for priests like you and Father Alex who live and breathe and grow in their faith and help others live and breathe and grow in their faith too! And last but not least, thank you for introducing us to GMC. Her reflections are the stuff of legend and most of my conversations with my sisters and best friend begin with, “what did GMC say today?”
LikeLike