A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark
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.”
In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus says two things that relate to the first reading from Saint Paul. First, he says that a lamp is to be placed on a lampstand; second, referring to spiritual capacity, he says, “To the one who has, more will be given.” Paul writes Timothy, encouraging him “not to be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for his sake; but bear your share of hardship for the Gospel with the strength that comes from God.” Through Paul’s imposition of hands in apostolic succession, Timothy is stirred into flame with a spirit of courage, power, love, and self-control. Through the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation, that same power of the Holy Spirit is manifested whenever I give testimony to the Lord everywhere and at every opportunity. As the psalmist says, “Proclaim God’s marvelous deeds to all the nations.”
God, help me understand how to put the words of Scripture and the work of the Holy Spirit into practice today. I ask for today because tomorrow’s path is uncertain. Today I ask for abundant grace to receive all the gifts you wish to measure out to me so that I can measure it out in abundance to others. Saints Timothy, Titus, and Paul, pray for us!
Lord, teach me to do your will; I want to bring into your light all the obstacles that keep me from you—a difficult, scary thing to ask—in order to receive your grace more abundantly.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.