Mon., Jan. 11: 1 Sam 1:1-8; Mark 1:14-20

The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel. These words might make us think that Lent has ar­rived early, although the call to repentance and faith is a constant in the Christian life. The post-holiday blahs and midwinter doldrums are here. This is a good time to wake up and invigorate our spiritual lives by taking a quick inven­tory of our relationship with the Lord. We can ask ourselves: Have the holidays so upset my schedule that I’ve neglected prayer and meditation? Has holiday spending so exceeded my means that I’ve decided to economize by cutting back on donations to those in need? Let us restore sanity and balance to our lives by remembering that Christ’s call to ho­liness, generosity and love is always in season.

*Speak, Lord, your servant is listening