Thursday, January 28 2016 Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church

Reading 1 2 Sm 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 PS 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 Ps 119:105

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

Gospel Mk 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."

REFLECTION 

GOING TO EXTREMES

"Let him who has ears to hear Me, hear!" –Mark 4:23

When you receive any revelation, blessing, encouragement, strength, or hope from reading the daily Scriptures and the commentary in this book, you must share what God has given you. "The gift you have received, give as a gift" (Mt 10:8). "In the measure you give you shall receive, and more besides" (Mk 4:24). The more you share from God's Word, the more you will receive. If you don't share what you receive, what little you "have will be taken away" (Mk 4:25).

The Bible and even this book, One Bread, One Body, will eventually mean much more to you or very little. We can see this in the attitude people have toward the Bible. They usually love it or hate it. Some say the Bible is God's Word, the greatest book of all times, and the revelation of God's love. They have received so much from the Bible "and more besides." Others see the Bible as an archaic, confusing, and outdated hodgepodge of ancient folklore. If they ever had any appreciation of the Bible, it has been taken away from them. Share the Word or lose it.

PRAYER:	Father, may I sow Your Word bountifully and reap bountifully (2 Cor 9:6).
PROMISE:	"By Your blessing the house of Your servant shall be blessed forever." –2 Sm 7:29
PRAISE:	St. Thomas was literally pure and followed Jesus the Lamb all his life (see Rv 14:4). He shared all he learned from the study of scripture, and the Lord Jesus showed him rich visions of Himself as his reward.