Daily Gospel Reflection for February 7, 2021 - 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

Today's Gospel: Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Mk 1:29-39

One thing that really stands out in today’s Gospel reading is the fact that Jesus “went off to a deserted place” to pray. Jesus is God, and so the fact that He prayed seems unusual and even unnecessary. But of course, He does this as an example for all of us. We need to go away to pray.

Like so many things in life, prayer is about showing up. It’s not about having the right equipment, or waiting for the perfect time, or not starting yet because you just aren’t “feeling it.” You don’t need to have the right stuff to pray; you have a human soul - that’s the right stuff.

We don’t need to wait for the right time to pray; God is outside of time, and from the beginning of time, He’s been waiting for you to take just one small step toward Him.

Even if you are very busy, you can set aside time to pray each day. You can set the timer on your phone for 5 minutes, turn your phone face down nearby, close your eyes, and place yourself in the presence of God. You don’t have to pray a Rosary or a litany or even read the Gospels. Those things are great, but not required.

You only have to breathe in, breathe out, and place yourself in God’s presence. Allow Him to see you. Allow Him to love you. Invite Him in. And when your mind wanders, nudge it back to God. And then nudge it again if you need to, and again, until the timer rings.

That’s it. Show up. And then show up again tomorrow, and the next day. And see if you need to wrangle your mind less. See if your 5 minutes grows. See what happens when you invite God in.

Ponder:

In what ways is God calling you to go away and pray today?

Pray:

Lord, help me to find those places in my life where You are calling me to spend more time with You. Help me to see Your presence in my life, even when I am busy and distracted. Amen.