Thursday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time

Light of the Gospel

Liturgical Cycle: A | Lectionary Cycle: I

Introduction

We hear David thank God for giving stability to his kingdom; he prays that God’s blessings may come down on the royal house.

In the Gospel, the parable presents Jesus’ message as a lamp that cannot be hidden; it will blaze brightly in the end time. We must respond generously to his message of light.

Opening Prayer

Lord, our God,
we can perceive the brightness
of the message of Jesus, your Son,
only in the shade.
Make our faith grow, give us trust,
that what we now see
in obscurity and mystery
may grow clearer in our minds
and more evident in our actions.
And never allow us to obscure or hide
the kindly light
of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

First Reading

2 Samuel 7:18-19, 24-29

After Nathan had spoken to King David,
the king went in and sat before the LORD and said,
“Who am I, Lord GOD, and who are the members of my house,
that you have brought me to this point?
Yet even this you see as too little, Lord GOD;
you have also spoken of the house of your servant
for a long time to come:
this too you have shown to man, Lord GOD!

“You have established for yourself your people Israel as yours forever,
and you, LORD, have become their God.
And now, LORD God, confirm for all time the prophecy you have made
concerning your servant and his house,
and do as you have promised.
Your name will be forever great, when men say,
‘The LORD of hosts is God of Israel,’
and the house of your servant David stands firm before you.
It is you, LORD of hosts, God of Israel,
who said in a revelation to your servant,
‘I will build a house for you.’
Therefore your servant now finds the courage to make this prayer to you.
And now, Lord GOD, you are God and your words are truth;
you have made this generous promise to your servant.
Do, then, bless the house of your servant
that it may be before you forever;
for you, Lord GOD, have promised,
and by your blessing the house of your servant
shall be blessed forever.”

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 132:1-2, 3-5, 11, 12, 13-14

R.        (Lk 1:32b) The Lord God will give him the throne of David, his father.
LORD, remember David
and all his anxious care;
How he swore an oath to the LORD,
vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob.
R.        The Lord God will give him the throne of David, his father.
“I will not enter the house where I live,
nor lie on the couch where I sleep;
I will give my eyes no sleep,
my eyelids no rest,
Till I find a home for the LORD,
a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob.”
R.        The Lord God will give him the throne of David, his father.
The LORD swore an oath to David
a firm promise from which he will not withdraw:
“Your own offspring
I will set upon your throne.”
R.        The Lord God will give him the throne of David, his father.
“If your sons keep my covenant,
and the decrees which I shall teach them,
Their sons, too, forever
shall sit upon your throne.”
R.        The Lord God will give him the throne of David, his father.
For the LORD has chosen Zion,
he prefers her for his dwelling:
“Zion is my resting place forever;
in her I will dwell, for I prefer her.”
R.        The Lord God will give him the throne of David, his father.

Alleluia Verse

Psalm 119:105

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
A lamp to my feet is your word,
a light to my path.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel

Mark 4:21-25

Jesus said to his disciples,
“Is a lamp brought in to be placed under a bushel basket
or under a bed,
and not to be placed on a lampstand?
For there is nothing hidden except to be made visible;
nothing is secret except to come to light.
Anyone who has ears to hear ought to hear.”
He also told them, “Take care what you hear.
The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you,
and still more will be given to you.
To the one who has, more will be given;
from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

Prayers of the Faithful

– Lord, let the light of our love shine when we are more understanding and friendlier to one another and when we share more readily with those in need, we pray:

– Lord, let the light of our joy shine on earth when we show more sympathy and affection to one another, when we are faithful to our friendships and concerned about our communities, we pray:

– Lord, let the light of our faith shine on earth when we, your sons and daughters, live as children of light before you and in the sight of people, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord God, Father of light,
the presence of Jesus, your Son
will be hidden in these simple signs
of bread and wine,
yet we ask you to let his Spirit of light
shine on us and on our world,
that we may understand ourselves
and what you call us to be and do,
and that we may see
how you take us by the hand,
through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Prayer after Communion

Lord our God,
you alone are light without shadows
and we are grateful
that you do not blind us with its brightness
but let it shine in the humanity
of your Son, Jesus Christ.
Let it also shine in our humanity,
in our concern for one another,
in our goodness and generosity of heart,
in our timid attempts to follow your Son,
Jesus Christ, our Lord for ever.

Blessing

Let your light shine! Or rather, let the light of Christ shine in you, for we are only lights of faith to the extent that we reflect the light of Christ’s message and life. May Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

REFLECTIONS

Eucharist.

Today’s liturgy is prayed in honour of Saint Thomas Aquinas, “the Angelic Doctor,” for both his innocence and his brilliance. He is also remembered in the Catholic Church for his mystical graces and his profound devotion to the Eucharist.

The Gospel invites us to be lamps that are lit to illuminate a world that passes through a difficult period of time. The dawn of the New Year brought along with it numerous challenges as well – Political instability and social unrest threaten peaceful coexistence in our neighbourhood; Practising religion and professing faith is no longer appreciated by society, and moreover, they are even punished and persecuted by the governments.

It is in such a darkened world the Word of God invites us to be lamps lit to illuminate the world. The Gospel message is as relevant for today’s world as it has been in the time of Jesus. We have received the faith, and by virtue of our baptism, we live in the light of Christ. This is the given situation. Now Jesus reminds us that the light that we have received is not meant to be hidden. It is meant to illuminate the whole surroundings with the light of Christ.

It is true that at this moment in history it seems that humanity is sinking into a pit of darkness, with growing inequalities, wars, the destruction of nature … Sadness and discouragement spread… darkness. In the midst of so much night, we are called to be light. We have received the gift of God, the Word, the Kingdom: we are light that we have to transmit to the world.
Let us shine, then, full of hope, joy and love, in the midst of so much hopelessness, sadness, selfishness and violence. So be it.

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Mark 4: 21-25

Living by the Measure of Christ: A Call to Humility and Mercy

“The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you” (Luke 6:38). These words of Jesus remind us that our way of judging, living, and loving will define how we are judged, both now and at the end of our lives. This is not merely a call to do good or avoid wrong but an invitation to adopt a Christ-like "style"—a daily way of living rooted in humility and mercy.

How do we measure others? Do we judge with a generous heart, filled with God’s love, or with selfishness and severity? Jesus makes it clear that the measure we use—our attitudes, actions, and judgments—will be the same measure used for us. If we act without mercy, we will face judgment without mercy. But if our lives are marked by compassion, forgiveness, and humility, we will receive abundant mercy in return.

True Christian living is marked by a willingness to embrace humility, even in the face of humiliation. Jesus, though God, chose to humble Himself, even to death on a cross (Philippians 2:6-8). He calls us to follow His example, rejecting worldly attitudes that prioritize pride, status, or personal gain over selfless love.

Do we see setbacks and sacrifices as punishments, or do we accept them as opportunities to align ourselves more closely with Christ? A Christian measure is one that values humility, accepts the cross, and places others before oneself. Let us pray for the grace to live by the measure of Christ, embracing humility and mercy as our guiding principles.

Living by the Measure of Christ: A Call to Humility and Mercy - Youtube

Use Them or Lose Them

It sounds unjust and awful that more will be given to the one who produces more and from the one who produces little, whatever little he or she has will be taken away. Sounds a bit like heartless capitalism! But this is neither capitalistic nor unjust or awful, but a simple law of nature. A glance at the evolutionary history informs us that those limbs and bodily faculties that remained unused gradually disappeared from our bodily configuration. Even within the life span of one single person, we know how the muscles degenerate when left unused, or doing crossword puzzles regularly sharpens the brain and delays dementia. No wonder the same logic applies to our spiritual faculties as well: You either use them or lose them. David was blessed twice over because he blessed God relentlessly with gratitude and humility.