"HAVE PATIENCE WITH ALL THINGS, BUT CHIEFLY HAVE PATIENCE WITH YOURSELF.

DO NOT LOSE COURAGE IN CONSIDERING YOUR OWN IMPERFECTIONS,

BUT INSTANTLY SET ABOUT REMEDYING THEM - EVERY DAY BEGIN THE TASK ANEW."

                                                                            - Saint Francis de Sales

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

2 Samuel 1:1-4, 11-12, 19, 23-27 

After the death of Saul,

When David had returned from defeating the Amalekites, he stayed at Ziklag for two days.

On the third day a man arrived from the camp of Saul with his clothes torn and dirt on his head.

When he approached David, the man threw himself to the ground in homage. David asked him,

"Where are you from?" And he answered, "I have escaped from the Israelite camp." David then said,

"Tell me what happened." And the man told him,

 

"The soldiers fled from the battle but many of them fell and died. Saul and his son Jonathan they too are dead."

At this, David took hold of his clothes and tore them and his men did the same.

And they mourned, weeping and fasting until evening, for the death of Saul and his son Jonathan,

for all the people of Judah and for the nation of Israel.

 

"Your glory, O Israel, is slain upon your mountains! How the mighty ones have fallen!

Saul and Jonathan, beloved and cherished, neither in life nor in death were they parted;

swifter than eagles they were and stronger than lions. Women of Israel, weep over Saul who clothed you in precious scarlet.

How the valiant have fallen! In the midst of the battle Jonathan lies slain on your mountains.

I grieve for you, my brother Jonathan; how dear have you been to me! Your love for me was wonderful,

even more than the love of women. How the valiant have fallen! The weapons of war have perished!"

 

Ps 80:2-3, 5-7

Let us see your face, Lord, and we shall be saved.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

Mark 3:20-21

They went home. The crowd began to gather again and they couldn't even have a meal.

Knowing what was happening, his relatives came to take charge of him. "He is out of his mind," they said.

 

Gospel Reflection ：

REFLECTION:

Learn from the patience of Jesus.

There were many things that Jesus did that didn't make sense to his fellow Jews.

Even his family found it hard to understand and accept. Indeed,

our faith requires us to embrace things that may conflict with the practices or values of the world.

Let us learn from the patience of Jesus and the ancestors of our faith – the saints – who faced challenges in being countercultural.

In our struggles with being misunderstood,

let us pray that the Spirit of God grants us the grace to endure and remain steadfast in living a lifestyle aligned with God.