The Second Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year A - Sunday, January 18, 2026 (EPISODE-567)​

The Second Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year A - Sunday, January 18, 2026 (EPISODE-567)

Readings for Sunday, January 18, 2026 - Second Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year A
FIRST READING: Isa 49:3, 5-6
Ps 40:2+4, 7-8a, 8b-9, 10. "Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will."
SECOND READING: 1 Cor 1:1-3
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (John 1:14a+12a). Alleluia, alleluia! The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us. He enabled those who accepted him to become the children of God. Alleluia.
GOSPEL: John 1:29-34

Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 727445005 - LONDON, GREAT BRITAIN - SEPTEMBER 14, 2017: The "ecce agnus dei" (St. John the Baptist shows to Christ as Redeemer) on stained glass in church St. Michael Cornhill by Clayton and Bell from 19. Cent. Important information. Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: Renata Sedmakova
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Please listen to the audio recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers, and homily), for the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time. Year A - Sunday, January 18, 2026, by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-ep-567-the/s-8THbordmwdn  (EPISODE-567 )
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Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 727445005 - LONDON, GREAT BRITAIN - SEPTEMBER 14, 2017: The "Ecce Agnus Dei" (St. John the Baptist shows to Christ as Redeemer) on stained glass in the church St. Michael Cornhill by Clayton and Bell from 19. Cent. Important information. Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: Renata Sedmakova

GOSPEL THIS WEEKEND
Prologue:

The Church calendar year returns to Ordinary Time. This season takes up over half the year, and it's really the time when there are no major seasons, such as Christmas and Easter, or their preparatory seasons of Advent and Lent. This is the time, Ordinary Time, when the Kingdom of God quietly and slowly, but surely, grows in the ordinary and everyday moments and events of life.

Since the ordinary takes up such a big part of our year, it's important to appreciate the subtlety of this time. Whilst there may not be more dramatic and exceptional tones to this season, it's nevertheless really important. Except for the occasional Feast Day or Saints Day, or Memorial, the Church uses this time to quietly and progressively work its way through the flow of readings assigned for the year.

So we get a time to slow down, stop and breathe, and really deepen our appreciation of God's Word and God's values in the everyday moments of life. This is a time for hidden treasures to be uncovered. Treasures kept in ordinary clay jars, to use that Biblical image.

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Homily- 

Now that ordinary time has well and truly begun, it's wonderful that the Scriptures speak of commissioning and sending. It's also good from the outset of any new season to recall clearly just who we are following and why we're following Him, including what is it about Him that's so important, to be clear about our Lord and Master and His values and what His vision entails so that we can join in fully and with clear sight. Like Isaiah, we too have been formed by God, called by God to be a light to all nations, not just a few.

We're also called to be open, and particularly to open our ears to God's Word and open our hearts to God's values and ways of seeing things. And God's ways are often refreshingly different from our own ways. We're commissioned to keep God's Word by nurturing it deep in our hearts, cherishing God's Word and savouring it, and also to unstop our lips and use our mouths to speak of God's goodness.

Meanwhile, in the Gospel, John testifies that this is Jesus, the Son of God, the sacrificial and spotless Lamb who would take away the sins of all the world, the one on whom the Spirit rests. This is also the meaning to which our discipleship testifies in word and in action. 

All who have been baptised in Christ share that same Holy Spirit that rested on our Lord Jesus.(1)

We're called to undertake the same mission, being a light to others, the light of Christ, serving others, giving of ourselves in love, compassion and generosity, and to be instruments of God's mercy, kindness and justice. In the Gospel today, three names are used to describe Jesus.(3)

Firstly, He's called the Lamb of God, a symbol of strength and vulnerability. The Lamb of God takes away the sinful condition of the world. Twenty-one centuries down the track, there's still violence and hunger and sin and exploitation on a massive scale. The work of Jesus, the one who is strong enough to risk vulnerability so that others might have life, the work of God's Lamb is never done, and so the work of His disciples is never finished.(2)

Secondly, our Lord is called the one on whom the Spirit ascends and remains. Utterly filled with the Spirit and capable of giving His Spirit to others, Jesus has the power and the desire to heal, to forgive, to help in very practical ways, to work for justice and to show the Father's love to all.(3) 

Thirdly, Jesus is called the Son of God, or the Chosen One.

We can reflect deeply upon those names and descriptions of Christ, as our Lord asks Peter in another part of the Gospels, But you, who do you say I am? So it's really important at this time that we reflect upon how we name Jesus. Who is Jesus to us? What qualities of our Lord particularly move us and inspire us? The image we choose to describe our Lord at this time will reflect something of our growing understanding of the one whom we pledged ourselves to follow as disciples.(3) Such images include, but of course do not exhaust the list, those that include Jesus is the Divine Mercy.

Our Lord is also immeasurable and inexhaustible compassion. Christ is infinite love. The Lord is the suffering servant.

He is utter obedience. Christ is true peace. Our Lord is also self-forgetting rescuer.

He is the perfection of kindness and justice embracing. The Lord is the restorer of original innocence. Christ is perfect empathy, and so many more.

What are some of your favourite descriptions of our Lord? 

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References:

Fr Paul W. Kelly

(1) Fr Greg Friedman with the "Sunday Soundbite" for St. Anthony Messenger Press, on the Web at FranciscanRadio.org. Post by Christopher Heffron:    https://www.franciscanmedia.org/2nd-sunday-in-ordinary-time/

(2) Sr Veronica Lawson RSM.    https://www.ballarat.catholic.org.au/_uploads/ppage/files/Pastoral%20Ministry%20Office/19%20Jan%202020%20Reflection%20on%20the%20Gospel.pdf

(3) Sr Patricia Stevenson RSJ. Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart. Second Week Ordinary Time A.   https://www.sosj.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/2ndWeekOrdinaryTime-YearA.pdf

Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 727445005 - LONDON, GREAT BRITAIN - SEPTEMBER 14, 2017: The "Ecce Agnus Dei" (St. John the Baptist shows to Christ as Redeemer) on stained glass in the church St. Michael Cornhill by Clayton and Bell from 19. Cent. Important information. Editorial Use Only. Photo Contributor: Renata Sedmakova



(Sunday, January 18, 2026) (EPISODE-567)

The Lord be with you.
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{{Kindness and grace to you all}}

As one family in Christ, let us prepare to celebrate the sacred mysteries by recalling our sins.
Lord Jesus, you have revealed yourself as the way to the Father: Lord, have mercy.
You have poured out on your people the Spirit of truth: Christ, have mercy.
You are the Good Shepherd, leading us to eternal life: Lord, have mercy.

May Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.  Amen.
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Ps 40:2+4, 7-8a, 8b-9, 10. "Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will."

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (John 1:14a+12a). Alleluia, alleluia! The Word of God became flesh and dwelt among us. He enabled those who accepted him to become the children of God. Alleluia.
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Memorial Acclamation
2. When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup, we proclaim your Death, O Lord, until you come again.
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PREFACE: Sundays I
EP II
Communion side.  pwk:  LH
(theme variation: v7 )
(pre+post variation: v1-long)
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{I gratefully acknowledge and give thanks to God for your prayers at this time of prayer and reflection upon our God.}

Go in peace. (Glorifying the Lord by your life)
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{thank you for your company as we have given thanks and praise to our God.}      /    Go forth, the Mass is ended.

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Archive of homilies and reflections:  http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email:  paulwkelly68@gmail.com

To listen to the weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here:  https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks

Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:
"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection"  - Led by Rev Paul Kelly

Prayers and chants  — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the Liturgy. (ICEL)

Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989,  and 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA)

"The Psalms" ©1963, 2009,  The Grail - Collins Publishers.

Prayers of the Faithful -   " Together we pray" by Robert Borg.   E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993) . (Sydney, Australia).

Sung "Mass In Honour of St. Ralph Sherwin" -  By Jeffrey M. Ostrowski. The Gloria,  Copyright © 2011 ccwatershed.org.

- "Faith, Hope and Love" theme hymn - in memory of  William John Kelly -     Inspired by 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. Music by Paul W. Kelly. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.

"Quiet Time."  Instrumental Reflection music. Written by Paul W. Kelly, 1988, 2007. & This arrangement: Stefan Kelk, 2020.

- "Today I Arise" - For Trisha J Kelly.  Original words and music by Paul W. Kelly. Inspired by St Patrick's Prayer.  Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2019.

Sound Engineering and editing -  P.W. Kelly.

Microphones: -  Shure MV5 Digital Condenser (USB)

Editing equipment: NCH software - MixPad Multitrack Studio Recording Software
NCH – WavePad Audio Editing Software. Masters Edition v 12.44

Sound Processing:  iZotope RX 6 Audio Editor

[Production -  KER -  2026]
May God bless and keep you.
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