Reading and meditation on the Word of God on Saturday of the second week in ordinary time, January 24th, 2026, Memorial of Saint Francis of Sales, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

Delivered by Thia Santos from Church of Divine Mercy Shah Alam in the Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 2 Samuel 1: 1-4.11-12.19.23-27; Rs psalm 80: 2-3.5-7; Mark 3: 20-21. THE WAY OF GOD IS FREE OF OBSTACLES Our meditation today is entitled: The Way of God is Free ofObstacles. In the Gospel of Mark chapter 3, Jesus is described serving so manypeople that He and His apostles did not have time to eat. The crowd came withhope, pain and inner wounds were carried, prayers were raised, and Jesusremained fully present for them. His ministry is like a continuous flow of grace, unstoppableby human fatigue, time, or limitations. In the perspective of faith, this isnot just busyness, but a sign that God's will is at work: saving, restoring,and delivering. God never stops working. He does not sleep. However, interestingly, the larger the work that is done, thegreater the misunderstandings that arise. Jesus' relatives considered Himinsane, because they saw Him as unguarded and beyond the limits of humanreasonableness. This situation illustrates the fact that God's way is notalways easy for human logic to understand. Even those closest to us can become"obstacles" through wrong judgment, not because of evil, but becausethey do not understand God's actions. If we look at the story of King David, his various successesin warfare demonstrate one powerful spiritual principle: God's way isunstoppable. David did not win by personal strength alone, but because hewalked in God's will. When God desires restoration and victory for His people,any obstacle of any magnitude will be removed. The history of salvation showsthat God's work is always moving forward, transcending human limitations andpenetrating situations that seem impossible. So we always see that in God thereare many surprises. This does not mean that the life of the believer is free ofproblems. Obstacles, challenges, and struggles are a natural part of a worldwounded by sin and weakness. But faith teaches something deeper: obstacles arenever able to make God's way dead. In divine providence, even obstacles can beused as a path of formation, refinement of motivation, and maturation of love.What appears to be a delay or failure often becomes a space for God to affirmdirection and purify the heart. In times of very difficult situations, Godstill provides room for a way out. Therefore, "God's way without obstacles" does notmean without a cross, but a path that will surely reach its goal. God's willwill go on, until it reaches its fullness: union with the eternal Triune God.Our duty is to remain faithful, even if we are misunderstood, even though weare tired, even though our prayers have not been answered immediately. For whena person walks in God's will, he is not pursuing the success of the world, butis following the never-ending stream of salvation—the ever-open path to eternallife. Letus pray. In the name of the Father ... O heavenly God, free us always from allthe obstacles that obscure us in Your path to lead us to eternal salvation.Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit... In the name of theFather ...