Monday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

Today's Mass Readings

We have probably played the game telephone, where students all line up single file, and the first student is tasked to whisper a phrase to the next person in line, and that person whispers to the next person, until the end. We also know how it turns out, the initial phrase begins “the cat jumped over the moon,” and ends up as “a frog kissed a princess”—nowhere near what was first intended.

While the scriptures don’t particularly work like that—what was written was intended—the prophets of old only relayed what they heard whispered as figures and hints. Our ability to grasp what it meant was limited. Now, however, we have God speaking to us directly! Jesus Christ, the real WORD of God, has spoken to us plainly, directly, and without reserve.

What do we hear today him speaking to us: “The kingdom is here, repent and believe.” God’s kingdom of peace, of meaning, of purpose, of love, is here. We have many voices, however, speaking to us, voices of power, voices of pleasure, of hopelessness, of doubt, of many things that cloud our ability to hear Jesus.

Whom do you hear?

Reflection by Fr. Etienne Huard, OSB