January 31, 2026 Saturday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time
Memorial of Saint John Bosco, Priest
Daily Readings: 2 Samuel 12:1-7a, 10-17; Mark 4:35-41
Children of God: Do you know that there is a patron saint for magicians? Yes, Saint Don Bosco was famous for juggling, acrobatics, and magic tricks.
He does this not only for entertainment but to gather young people off the streets. As a boy, he had a recurring dream that shaped his entire life mission toward the education of the youth.
He believed that young people should be loved, and corrected with kindness rather than being punished. Don Bosco had an unusual sense of humor and often laughed even in the middle of serious problems.
He trusted so deeply in God’s providence that he built schools and oratories with no money in hand. He once said that Mary Mary did everything in his works, and he called her Mary Help of Christians.
From the energetic and trusting life of Don Bosco, we move naturally to the gospel story where fear, storms, and trust take center stage. The disciples panic as waves crashes into the boat, while Jesus sleeps peacefully.
The image of a storm reveals how we should respond when control slips from our hands. What are our inspirations for today?
First, fear grows when we forget who is with us. The disciples cry out because they think they are perishing, even though Jesus is with them (Mark 4:38).
In life, many problems can overwhelm and paralyze us. When anxiety dominates, faith shrinks. Just like the apostles, many times we also concentrate on the fear, to the point of blinding ourselves of God’s help and presence.
Second, trust allows peace.
The apostles have trust issues. Jesus questions their lack of it.
The gospel reminds us that peace is not the absence of problems but the awareness of the presence of God. Faith does not always stop storms immediately, but it keeps us from being swallowed by them.
Children of God: Storms are part of every human journey. Fear is natural, but it does not have to rule us. Faith grows when we choose trust over panic.
Trust creates space for peace to enter. Storms reveal what we truly believe. May we learn to rest in God’s presence.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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