21 January 2026 - Only By Grace Reflections

#CatholicFaith #DailyReflection #OnlyByGraceReflections #CouplesForChrist

NOTE: Please click the Subscribe key on YouTube and press the black notification bell to receive the daily reflections. Or, open in YouTube for easy access. View and Like. Thank you.

Topic: Can you commit to the path of simply doing good? (21 January 2026 - Only By Grace Reflections)

First Reading: 1 Samuel 17:32-33, 37, 40-51
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 144:1b, 2, 9-10
Alleluia: Matthew 4:23
Gospel: Mark 3:1-6

In today's Gospel reading, we find Jesus being watched closely by the Pharisees. The Lord was fully aware that what He is about to do would lead to conflict. He called forward the man with the withered hand, and when he had the crowd's attention, He asked the question, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?”

Jesus did something good, but He was fully aware that the Pharisees—and others like them throughout history—would be too hardened to grasp the beauty and greatness of His mercy, the good that He intended to accomplish by His Passion. Our Lord was angry and grieved, but that didn’t deter Him from His journey to Calvary. He wants nothing more than for His love to be given and received.

May we dedicate ourselves to doing good and turning our minds fully to Jesus. May we learn to soften and purify our hearts, that we may learn to embrace the poor around us.