About Today
Saturday 18 January 2025
Saturday of week 1 in Ordinary Time or Saturday memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness: come, let us adore him.
Year: C(I). Psalm week: 1. Liturgical Colour: Green.
Other saints: Our Lady of Arabia
Southern Arabia
The recent title ‘Our Lady of Arabia’ accorded to our Lady represents the patronage of the Blessed Virgin over the Arabian peninsula. The devotion to our Lady under this title began in the 20th century with the dedication of a chapel by the Carmelite fathers in honour of Our Lady of Arabia. In the space of a year, the chapel was soon enriched with the same indulgences as the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major, and the image – modelled after that of our Lady of Mount Carmel and solemnly blessed by Pius XII – was installed in it. In 1957, the Blessed Virgin under this title was declared the principal patroness of the Apostolic Vicariate of Kuwait, and the statue solemnly crowned on 25 March 1960. The 21st century saw a renewed effort in favour of the devotion to the Blessed Virgin in the newly constituted Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia, as emblematic of the missionary character of the Church in the Gulf. The Blessed Virgin Mary, under this title, was declared the principal patroness of the region in 2013 by the Congregation of Divine Worship, and the proper Masses to the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia in 2014.
Though the title is relatively recent, the Blessed Virgin is not a stranger to the region. On the contrary, her praises are mentioned even among Muslims in the Quran, which regards her as “chosen above all women” (Sura Al-Imran, 42). History bears witness to a flourishing devotion in honour of the Virgin Mary in the southern part of the Arabian peninsula before the arrival of Islam, as evinced by the churches dedicated in her honour.
The veneration historically shown toward the Blessed Virgin by the native inhabitants of the region has revived and increased in the modern day with the arrival of migrants from all corners of the globe, fulfilling the divine promise uttered in the Spirit by the holy Virgin herself: “All generations will call me blessed” (Lk 1:48). With trust in her powerful intercession, they praise the Lord who “casts down the mighty from their thrones and exalts the lowly”. The Mother of God shines as a beacon of hope for the Christian faithful, illuminating the providence and fidelity of God to those who trust in him amidst the anxieties of life. Whether through her journey to the hill country of Judah with the child in her womb, or her flight with the infant Christ from persecution by Herod, the Blessed Virgin serves as an exemplar for migrant faithful who are sustained by their faith in Christ the Lord. To the missionary Church in Arabia, the Mother of God reveals a life closely associated with her Son, and perpetually pointing to him. Thus, as it strives to be the leaven of the Gospel in the society in which it exists, the missionary Church in the Gulf makes the words of its Mother and Queen its own: “Do whatever he tells you”.
To their Mother and Queen therefore, on this day, the Christians of Gulf turn with filial confidence, that she “whose radiant glance banishes storms and tempests and brings back cloudless skies (may) look upon these her innocent and tormented children with eyes of mercy; that the Virgin, who is able to subdue violence beneath her foot, may grant to them that they may soon enjoy the rightful freedom to practice their religion openly, so that, while serving the cause of the Gospel, they may also contribute to the strength and progress of nations by their harmonious cooperation, by the practice of extraordinary virtues which are a glowing example in the midst of bitter trials” (Pius XII, Ad Caeli Reginam, 50).
Other saints: St. Margaret of Hungary OP (1242 - 1270)
18 Jan (where celebrated) Dominican Nun and Virgin.
Gospel Mark 2:13-17 Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?
At that time: Jesus went out again beside the lake, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he rose and followed him.
And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, ‘Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.’
Reflection on the painting
In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul refers to a familiar piece of wisdom: ‘bad company ruins good morals’. This insight is not uniquely Christian but is found across various cultures and traditions. we also say, ‘Show me your friends, and I’ll tell you who you are.’ Throughout history, there has been a shared belief that the people we surround ourselves with, will influence who we become. However, the phrase ‘bad company ruins good morals’ certainly did not apply to Jesus.
n today’s gospel, we see him intentionally associating with those deemed undesirable by society. When he calls Levi, a tax collector, to follow him, Jesus dines at Levi’s house, in the company of other tax collectors and so-called sinners. The scribes challenge this, asking his disciples, ‘Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ Their question reflects the assumption that such company corrupts. Yet, the reverse happens: rather than being diminished by their sin, Jesus elevates them through his goodness, much like a doctor healing the sick without contracting their illness. As sinners in various ways, we are all in need of the same transforming presence that Jesus offers to lift us up.
William Hogarth (1697–1764) is famous for his series of paintings and engravings that explore moral subjects. Here we see an interesting take on friends maybe mixing with some bad company. Hogarth's works, brimming with sharp satire and dark humour, critique the vices and follies of Georgian society while delivering cautionary tales about the dangers of moral decay. Sir John Soane acquired two of Hogarth’s renowned series, A Rake’s Progress and An Election.The four-part An Election draws inspiration from a real election in Oxfordshire in 1764, satirising the widespread corruption of both the Whig and Tory parties. In the first scene, which is our painting illustrated here today, titled The Election Entertainment, the Whigs host a chaotic banquet for influential friends. Amidst the debauchery, the Mayor collapses after overeating oysters, a servant tips a chamber pot out the window onto a Tory protest below, and one of the candidates, oblivious to his wig catching fire, flirts shamelessly with a rotund older woman. The scene vividly captures the absurdity and moral decline of the period.
An Election Entertainment,Painting by William Hogarth (1697–1764),Painted 1754-1755,Oil on canvas© Sir John Soane Museum, London
Saturday of week 1 in Ordinary Time or Saturday memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary
The Lord’s is the earth and its fullness: come, let us adore him.
Year: C(I). Psalm week: 1. Liturgical Colour: Green.
Other saints: Our Lady of Arabia
Southern Arabia
The recent title ‘Our Lady of Arabia’ accorded to our Lady represents the patronage of the Blessed Virgin over the Arabian peninsula. The devotion to our Lady under this title began in the 20th century with the dedication of a chapel by the Carmelite fathers in honour of Our Lady of Arabia. In the space of a year, the chapel was soon enriched with the same indulgences as the Papal Basilica of St. Mary Major, and the image – modelled after that of our Lady of Mount Carmel and solemnly blessed by Pius XII – was installed in it. In 1957, the Blessed Virgin under this title was declared the principal patroness of the Apostolic Vicariate of Kuwait, and the statue solemnly crowned on 25 March 1960. The 21st century saw a renewed effort in favour of the devotion to the Blessed Virgin in the newly constituted Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Arabia, as emblematic of the missionary character of the Church in the Gulf. The Blessed Virgin Mary, under this title, was declared the principal patroness of the region in 2013 by the Congregation of Divine Worship, and the proper Masses to the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia in 2014.
Though the title is relatively recent, the Blessed Virgin is not a stranger to the region. On the contrary, her praises are mentioned even among Muslims in the Quran, which regards her as “chosen above all women” (Sura Al-Imran, 42). History bears witness to a flourishing devotion in honour of the Virgin Mary in the southern part of the Arabian peninsula before the arrival of Islam, as evinced by the churches dedicated in her honour.
The veneration historically shown toward the Blessed Virgin by the native inhabitants of the region has revived and increased in the modern day with the arrival of migrants from all corners of the globe, fulfilling the divine promise uttered in the Spirit by the holy Virgin herself: “All generations will call me blessed” (Lk 1:48). With trust in her powerful intercession, they praise the Lord who “casts down the mighty from their thrones and exalts the lowly”. The Mother of God shines as a beacon of hope for the Christian faithful, illuminating the providence and fidelity of God to those who trust in him amidst the anxieties of life. Whether through her journey to the hill country of Judah with the child in her womb, or her flight with the infant Christ from persecution by Herod, the Blessed Virgin serves as an exemplar for migrant faithful who are sustained by their faith in Christ the Lord. To the missionary Church in Arabia, the Mother of God reveals a life closely associated with her Son, and perpetually pointing to him. Thus, as it strives to be the leaven of the Gospel in the society in which it exists, the missionary Church in the Gulf makes the words of its Mother and Queen its own: “Do whatever he tells you”.
To their Mother and Queen therefore, on this day, the Christians of Gulf turn with filial confidence, that she “whose radiant glance banishes storms and tempests and brings back cloudless skies (may) look upon these her innocent and tormented children with eyes of mercy; that the Virgin, who is able to subdue violence beneath her foot, may grant to them that they may soon enjoy the rightful freedom to practice their religion openly, so that, while serving the cause of the Gospel, they may also contribute to the strength and progress of nations by their harmonious cooperation, by the practice of extraordinary virtues which are a glowing example in the midst of bitter trials” (Pius XII, Ad Caeli Reginam, 50).
Other saints: St. Margaret of Hungary OP (1242 - 1270)
18 Jan (where celebrated) Dominican Nun and Virgin.
Gospel Mark 2:13-17 Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?
At that time: Jesus went out again beside the lake, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, ‘Follow me.’ And he rose and followed him.
And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, ‘Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.’
Reflection on the painting
In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul refers to a familiar piece of wisdom: ‘bad company ruins good morals’. This insight is not uniquely Christian but is found across various cultures and traditions. we also say, ‘Show me your friends, and I’ll tell you who you are.’ Throughout history, there has been a shared belief that the people we surround ourselves with, will influence who we become. However, the phrase ‘bad company ruins good morals’ certainly did not apply to Jesus.
n today’s gospel, we see him intentionally associating with those deemed undesirable by society. When he calls Levi, a tax collector, to follow him, Jesus dines at Levi’s house, in the company of other tax collectors and so-called sinners. The scribes challenge this, asking his disciples, ‘Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ Their question reflects the assumption that such company corrupts. Yet, the reverse happens: rather than being diminished by their sin, Jesus elevates them through his goodness, much like a doctor healing the sick without contracting their illness. As sinners in various ways, we are all in need of the same transforming presence that Jesus offers to lift us up.
William Hogarth (1697–1764) is famous for his series of paintings and engravings that explore moral subjects. Here we see an interesting take on friends maybe mixing with some bad company. Hogarth's works, brimming with sharp satire and dark humour, critique the vices and follies of Georgian society while delivering cautionary tales about the dangers of moral decay. Sir John Soane acquired two of Hogarth’s renowned series, A Rake’s Progress and An Election.The four-part An Election draws inspiration from a real election in Oxfordshire in 1764, satirising the widespread corruption of both the Whig and Tory parties. In the first scene, which is our painting illustrated here today, titled The Election Entertainment, the Whigs host a chaotic banquet for influential friends. Amidst the debauchery, the Mayor collapses after overeating oysters, a servant tips a chamber pot out the window onto a Tory protest below, and one of the candidates, oblivious to his wig catching fire, flirts shamelessly with a rotund older woman. The scene vividly captures the absurdity and moral decline of the period.
An Election Entertainment,Painting by William Hogarth (1697–1764),Painted 1754-1755,Oil on canvas© Sir John Soane Museum, London
