Wednesday 26 January

Sts Timothy and Titus (M)

2 Timothy 1:1-8 or Titus 1:1-5; Psalm 96:1-3, 7-8, 10; Mark 4:1-20

Shema: “Hear, O Israel.”

Over the next five days, we reflect on Mark 4 where in four parables, Jesus unfolds the meaning of the reign of God. A parable is a succinct way of suggesting what the reign of God is like. Today’s key words, ‘hear’ and ‘listen’ echo the command of the Great Shema (Deut 6:4) which is about allowing the message to sink deeply into one’s heart and change one’s whole life. What type of soil am I? Do birds ‘consume,’ sun ‘scorch,’ and weeds ‘choke’ my listening to God speaking deeply within me?