2 Sm 5:1-7, 10 Ps 89:20, 21-22, 25-26 Mk 3:22-30

Weekly Guide for Daily Prayer The Daily Reflections

"If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.
And if a house is divided against itself,
that house will not be able to stand." Mark 3:24-25

This expectation from today’s Gospel continually grabbed my attention while reflecting upon today’s readings. It is a passage that I feel so many of us can relate to and do so on many different levels.

I am writing this reflection shortly after putting the two children I babysit to bed. Through the course of the night, they exhibited typical behaviors of a 4 and 6 year old. The 4 year old would do something to annoy the 6 year old and in turn the 6 year old would do something that pushed the 4 year old’s buttons. I sat them down in an attempt to talk about the importance of treating each other well. I hope that during my time with them, they will begin to understand that if someone does something hurtful to you, offending them in turn does not make it any better.

It is somewhat undeniable that every family or close-knit group of people quibbles at times. At times, one person is more to blame than another. But, at the end of every quibble it is important to remember that “family is family”; a strong bond that will not let you down. Thus, it is important to treat one another with respect.

During the time of the primary elections in the United States, this passage is also applicable. Some of the candidates are earnestly working to communicate the importance of our nation bonding together during these times. By allowing one's political affiliation to separate them from another person, they are doing no good. It is important to recognize the commonality that each person possesses and work towards a common good.

These are just a few examples of ways that I found today’s Gospel to apply to my life and the current events taking place. It reminds me to not let the little negative things that occur during my interactions with others get to me me. But rather, recall the importance of relationships and treating each person with the respect they deserve.