I know what my duty is. With the grace of God,

     I will carry it out to the end without hatred towards anyone,

     and without fear from anyone. 

 

 

St. Scholastica, virgin

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Genesis 1:1-19

In the beginning,

When God began to create the heavens and the earth, the earth had no form and was void;

darkness was over the deep and the spirit of God hovered over the waters.

God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.

God saw that the light was good and he separated the light from the darkness.

God called the light 'Day' and the darkness 'Night. There was evening and there was morning: the first day.

 

God said, "Let there be a firm ceiling between the waters and let it separate waters from waters."

So God made the ceiling and separated the waters below it from the waters above it. And so it was.

God called the firm ceiling 'Sky. There was evening and there was morning: the second day.

God said, "Let the waters below the sky be gathered together in one place and let dry land appear."

 

And so it was. God called the dry land 'Earth', and the waters gathered together he called 'Seas'. God saw that it was good.

God said, "Let the earth produce vegetation, seed-bearing plants, fruit trees bearing fruit with seed,

each according to its kind, upon the earth." And so it was. The earth produced vegetation:

plants bearing seed according to their kind and trees producing fruit which has seed,

according to their kind. God saw that it was good. There was evening and there was morning: the third day.

 

God said, "Let there be lights in the ceiling of the sky to separate day from night and to serve as signs for the seasons,

days and years; and let these lights in the sky shine above the earth." And so it was. God therefore made two great lights,

the greater light to govern the day and the smaller light to govern the night; and God made the stars as well.

God placed them in the ceiling of the sky to give light on the earth and to separate the light from the darkness.

God saw that it was good. There was evening and there was morning: the fourth day.

 

Ps 104:1-2a, 5-6, 10 & 12, 24 & 35c May the Lord be glad in his works.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

Mark 6:53-56

Having crossed the lake, they came ashore at Gennesaret, where they tied up the boat.

As soon as they landed, people recognized Jesus, and ran to spread the news throughout the countryside.

Wherever he was, they brought to him the sick lying on their mats; and wherever he went,

to villages, towns or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplace,

and begged him to let them touch just the fringe of his cloak. And all who touched him were cured.

 

Gospel Reflection ：

"Am I eager to hear the truth?"

People are running to spread the news about Jesus. They want everyone to hear as soon as possible.

And the crowds flock to see him, eager to touch him.

Modern media present us with so much information that we are in danger of being overwhelmed.

 

Our curiosity can be swept away by the flood of trivia,

gossip and scandal, distracting us from what is really important, both in temporal and spiritual matters.

So, do I reject fake news, sleaze and gossip, or have I become an avid consumer of this kind of material?

Am I eager to hear the truth? Am I eager to spread the truth and the Good News of Jesus Christ,

 

or do I get caught up in gossip? Saint Scholastica was so eager to keep talking about the things of God with her twin brother Saint Benedict,

that she prayed for torrential rain to fall all night, so that he wouldn't be able to return to his monastery.

 

May our use of the media serve the truth and serve the Lord. May it increase our solidarity with our neighbour,

and may it be for us another means to reach out to Jesus in prayer and reflection.