Sunday, January 18, 2026 – The Second Sunday in Ordinary Time
Tomorrow marks our annual celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. In light of this remembrance, I referred to a book I have of remarks and speeches Dr. King is noted for. In one chapter entitled “Peace,” Dr. King writes:
One of the most peristent ambiguities that we face is that everybody talks about peace as a goal. However, it does not take sharpest-eyed sophistication to discern that while everybody talks about peace, peace has become practically nobody’s business among the power-wielders. Many men cry Peace! Peace! But they refuse to do the things that make for peace.
In so many life examples, these words are as true today as they were roughly sixty years ago when Dr. King spoke them. It also calls to mind the need to live-out consistently what we say and believe. Consistency can be a challenge facing all of us—to have that neat fit between beliefs and actions. How often have we said or thought to ourselves, “do as I say but not as I do.” We all have to admit consistency can be painstaking and a life work.
Consistency additionally can be very difficult in the efforts to live out our faith. With our words and voices, it is easy to profess and buy into the Gospel message. As we walk our streets and interact with those around us, it can be a whole different matter. As it is with other aspects of life, we need to be very attentive and intentional in how we present ourselves—monitoring how we respond and react to all that comes our way. Granted, we will not be consistent one hundred percent of the time, but hopefully with the passage of time, our own percentage of consistency will move upward.
As we strive for this consistency in word and action, we need to call on God to grace us with what we need to be faithful and consistent disciples displaying a powerful witness. Jesus calls us to be consistent as he attempted to call the scribes and Pharisees to do the same. As in so many circumstances in our Christian life, may Jesus and the Gospel message guild us along our life path to an authentic life rooted in Jesus Christ.