English Español Mary Immaculate
Catholic Church / Pacoima, CA

Mission of Christ and Mission of the Church



3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

“Your words, Lord, are Spirit and life.”Ps. 19

We have been anointed by the Spirit, like Jesus, to carry out the same mission with which He came to this world.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. He has anointed me to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, to set the oppressed free, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”Luke 4:18

This is the text Jesus quotes from Isaiah, affirming that He has come to fulfill it. He is the Anointed One and came to accomplish this mission, which continues today through the Church, His body, with Him as the head. All of us, with the various gifts and charisms we have received, are called to continue this mission of being the light of the world, opening the eyes of the blind and proclaiming the good news of salvation.

What Jesus has done for us; He asks us to do for others. “Freely you have received; freely give.” “As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” “You are the light of the world; let your light shine before others, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

We are anointed with His same Spirit, called to be citizens of Heaven, His ambassadors on earth. This is our divine vocation: to be guided by the Spirit as children of God, with Christ as our head, to make His Kingdom present, as He teaches us to pray in the Lord’s Prayer.

Building His Kingdom on earth begins by allowing Him to reign in our hearts and in every aspect of our lives so that we may become seeds of His Kingdom. By following us, many will come to follow Him. Living the values of the Gospel is to make His Kingdom present and to build it. We can do this in different ways, according to the gifts and charisms of each person, as we are not all the same. Some are better suited to works of corporal mercy, while others excel in spiritual works.

“If the whole body were one part, where would the body be? The parts are many, but the body
is one.” The eye cannot say to the hand, don’t need you,” and the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”1 Co 12

We need one another and complement one another. Not all of us have the same talents and charisms, just as the body needs different parts. Similarly, the mystical body of Christ comprises various groups and individuals with diverse charisms and gifts.

It is essential to remain united to the head, for only then can we serve Christ and be fruitful, becoming living members of His body who place their gifts at the service of others, just as the members of the body do. Everyone is necessary; Christ needs us all.

“So that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other… Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”1 Corinthians 12

Devotions, Explained! | St. Blaise Blessing of the Throat

Perhaps it’s an example of divine providence that the feast of St. Blaise falls on Feb. 3 – right in the middle of cold and flu season! This fourth-century Armenian saint was a bishop and martyr and is venerated as the patron of those who suffer from illnesses of the throat.

On his feast day, Catholics traditionally receive a blessing of the throat. This blessing is administered by a priest, deacon or a lay minister who follows the rites and prayers designated for a layperson. During the blessing, the minister takes two candles that were blessed on the feast of the Presentation and makes a cross in front of the throat, saying “Through the intercession of Saint Blaise, bishop and martyr, may God deliver you from every disease of the throat and from every other illness.” A priest or deacon will then make the sign of the cross.

Weekly Readings

Sunday: Neh 8:2-4a, 5-6, 8-10/Ps 19:8, 9, 10, 15 (see Jn 6:63c)/1 Cor 12:12-30 or 12:12-14, 27/Lk 1:1-4; 4:14-21
Monday: Heb 9:15, 24-28/Ps 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4, 5-6/Mk 3:22-30
Tuesday: Heb 10:1-10/Ps 40:2 and 4ab, 7-8a, 10, 11/Mk 3:31-35
Wednesday: Heb 10:11-18/Ps 110:1, 2, 3, 4/Mk 4:1-20
Thursday: Heb 10:19-25/Ps 24:1-2, 3-4ab, 5-6/Mk 4:21-25
Friday: Heb 10:32-39/Ps 37:3-4, 5-6, 23-24, 39-40/Mk 4:26-34
Saturday: Heb 11:1-2, 8-19/Lk 1:69-70, 71-72, 73-75/Mk 4:35-41
Next Sunday: Mal 3:1-4/Heb 2:14-18/Ps 24:7, 8, 9, 10/Lk 2:22-40 or 2:22-32

Observances for the Week

Sunday: 3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time; Celebrate Catholic Schools Week
Monday: St. Angela Merici, Virgin
Tuesday: St. Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church
Friday: St. John Bosco, Priest
Next Sunday: The Presentation of the Lord, World Day for Consecrated Life

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