Daily Gospel Reflection for January 22, 2026

Once my youngest child started school, I found myself with a bit of free time and began praying about what to do next. It was not long before I read in the bulletin that they were starting a Mother’s Day Out at St. Mary’s church.I convinced myself it would be a perfect fit for my gifts, talents, and lifestyle. After all, hadn't I written a pre-school syllabus? Wasn’t three my favorite age? I knew it was the Holy Spirit nudging me, so I took the leap!

 

It was the perfect fit. Being around children brought such joy to my life. Their eyes were filled with wonder. What they said kept a permanent smile on my face. After preschool was over, I paused at the Adoration chapel. I guess you could say I was peopled out. After spending five hours in a room full of three-year-olds, teaching them, hearing them call my name, and asking me to listen to their stories with a “You know what, Miss Ellen?” had a way of making me peopled out. I needed a prayer pause to quiet my soul, listen with my heart, and seek God’s face. He met me there and refreshed my soul.

 

In Mark’s Gospel, we read that even Jesus withdrew with His disciples toward the sea. I knew just how He felt when He instructed His disciples to get the boat ready in case the crowd might crush Him.

 

At the end of a busy day, it is all right to dream of boating away to a deserted island where noise and people are absent. This is a call for your soul to refresh, restore, and retreat in the presence of God. After all, you, too, may be peopled out.