--- title: Daily Gospel Reflection for January 16, 2024 description: Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel. image: https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Daily%20Gospel%202.png --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/daily-gospel/dgr-01162024#) [DAILY GOSPEL REFLECTIONS](https://www.catholicmom.com/daily-gospel/tag/daily-gospel-reflections) # Daily Gospel Reflection for January 16, 2024 Jan 16, 2024 12:30:00 AM  |  by [Mary Pedersen](https://www.catholicmom.com/daily-gospel/author/mary-pedersen) Receive Daily Gospel Reflections in your inbox ![featured image](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Daily%20Gospel%202.png) *Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.* --- ***Today's Gospel: [Mark 2:23-28](https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/011624.cfm)*** The Sabbath was made for Mama! No rest for the weary. Day after long, hot, grueling day, the Israelites slaved away in Egypt—without a break, without a Sabbath. When God released His people from slavery, He guarded their physical, mental, and spiritual health through the fourth commandment, “Remember the Sabbath day—keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8). Today’s Gospel refers to Exodus, reminding us of God’s gracious intention of making the Sabbath a gift: > “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.” Mark 2:27 The Sabbath lifts the weight off our backs through rest and restores our souls through worship. Keeping the Sabbath releases us from the slavery of working twenty-four/seven. I remember the hard days of seemingly endless work demanded by raising six children. Weekends often flew past in the blur of hauling children to sport practices, cleaning the basement, or catching up on the piles of laundry. I was often exhausted and if anyone needed a Sabbath, a day of rest, it was Mama. When honoring the Sabbath, our family experienced some of our best memories. After attending Mass, we’d take the family for a hike at a reserve centre, enjoy breakfast by a lake, indulge in a much-needed nap, or visit with family and friends. Honoring the Sabbath keeps us rested and refreshed for the next week. It directs our focus on what’s truly important in a world wishing to enslave us. Jesus proclaimed, “The Sabbath was made for man." Or, as I would say, “The Sabbath was made for Mama!”   #### Ponder:   How will your family be more intentional in honoring the Sabbath?   #### Pray: Lord, You made the Sabbath for our good. Help our family to honor the Sabbath through worship and rest.   --- > [Click to tweet:](https://ctt.ac/gUOj3) > [The Sabbath lifts the weight off our backs through rest and restores our souls through worship. #DailyGospel](https://ctt.ac/gUOj3) ![Daily Gospel 2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Daily%20Gospel%202.png?width=2135&name=Daily%20Gospel%202.png)   --- Copyright 2024 Mary Pedersen ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Fdaily-gospel%2Fdgr-01162024%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Fdaily-gospel%2Fdgr-01162024%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Fdaily-gospel%2Fdgr-01162024%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Daily%20Gospel%20Reflection%20for%20January%2016%2C%202024) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Fdaily-gospel%2Fdgr-01162024%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Fdaily-gospel%2Fdgr-01162024%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Mary Pedersen](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Mary%20Pedersen.png) ### [Mary Pedersen](https://www.catholicmom.com/daily-gospel/author/mary-pedersen) Mary Pedersen serves as "first preacher" to six and grand-preacher to ten! She holds a doctorate in preaching from the Aquinas Institute of Theology, with her thesis, "Parents as First Preachers: Naming Grace in the Domestic Church." She writes and speaks on topics of faith and family, and has been known on probably far too many occasions, to shout out a woo-hoo! Mary blogs at MaryPedersen.com. ## Related Blog Articles [ Daily Gospel Reflection for January 11, 2020 Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/daily-gospel/daily-gospel-reflection-for-january-11-2020) [ Daily Gospel Reflection for February 8, 2021 Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/daily-gospel/daily-gospel-reflection-for-february-8-2021) [ Daily Gospel Reflection for March 8, 2021 Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/daily-gospel/daily-gospel-reflection-for-march-8-2021) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! 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