Reading and meditation on the Word of God on Monday of the first week in ordinary time, January 12th, 2026

Delivered Josephine Mercy Ho from the Parish of Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral in the Archdiocese of Makassar, Indonesia. 1 Samuel 1: 1-8; Rs psalm 116: 12-13.14.17.18-19; Mark 1: 14-20.REPENTANCE ANDAPOSTOLIC MISSION Our meditation today isentitled: Repentance and Apostolic Mission. There was a teenager who met theparish priest outside  the church afterattending morning mass. He still remembered the homily of the Pastor aboutrepentance, then he asked the priest he so admired. "How many times theLord Jesus talks about repentance?" He then got the answer that in Histeachings and talks the Lord Jesus speaks a lot about repentance. The teenager thenconcluded himself on what he believes, "So repentance must be done withearnest effort and with all the strength that one has, not only from oneselfbut also others who can help someone to be able to repent." The Priest sawthat the teenager was right in his conviction, so he said: "Go and make ithappen and you will get a new life." It is true on whatthe teenager believes. Repentance is part of the main mission of Jesus Christ.As a great task, the appeal or command to repent was already demanded longbefore Jesus was born into the world, the era of old testament. The last voicethat was very loud calling for repentance before Jesus Christ was John theBaptist. Jesus himself is the Word of Life that speaks about the importance ofhaving a new life. He is the One who forgives sins and gives the grace of repentanceto help people transform their lives. The Lord Jesuspraclaims His word to us today that this great mission of repentance would becompleted during His public ministry on earth. The proof of this accomplishmentof mission is His own suffering and death to save the world and all mankind.This radical act of the Lord Jesus was explained openly, first of all to thechosen apostles. The twelve apostles and the disciples were the first toreceive the great doctrine of repentance. On their shoulders lies an apostolicmission with a great task of repentance for everyone and all nations. The holy Church inthe recent years, through her Popes, encourages all members to do an ecologicalrepentance and transformation. Our mother earth is sufering a lot because of thedestructive way of human life that causes destruction of human life and itsenvironment. The apostolic mission of the Church with message of repentance inthis way applies to all places and people in the world today. The CatholicChurch is always present as the prophet who speaks and calls for repentance,and the Church's voice always reaches out to all humanity and places. There is aninseparable link between repentance and apostolic mission. Repentance is a wayof working and content carried by the Church's Mission. Let's pray. In the name of the Father... O Lord, bless us and enable us to repent from destroying the earth andhuman life in all aspects. Our Father who art in heaven ... In the name of theFather ...