Mahalia Jackson, known as the “Queen of Gospel,” died fifty years ago today on January 27, 1972. Born to a poor family in New Orleans, she found her calling at Mount Mariah Baptist Church, where she began singing in the choir. After moving to Chicago she met the famous Gospel choir leader Thomas Dorsey and began to tour. Gradually her reputation spread throughout the country, and indeed the world. She became the first Gospel singer to perform at Carnegie Hall.
Despite her fame, she constantly confronted prejudice. In the 1950s Martin Luther King Jr. invited her to help raise money for the Montgomery Bus boycott. From that time on she was always available whenever King called. Sometimes, when feeling low, he would ask her to sing his favorite song, “Take My Hand, Precious Lord,” a song she would later sing at his funeral. She hoped her music would “break down some of the hate and fear that divide the white and black people of this country.”
In fact, Jackson played a significant role in King’s most famous oration. She was at his side in 1963, performing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the famous March on Washington. As King approached the conclusion of his written speech, Jackson called out, “Tell them about the dream, Martin.” At this point, King departed from his speech to deliver the historic lines that became a signature of his legacy.
“After you sing the blues, you still have the blues. I sing God’s music because it makes me feel free.”
—Mahalia Jackson
From Give Us This Day

The measure with which you measure will be measured out to you. (Mk 4:21-25)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/012722.cfm
I call this verse the apostolic principle of USE LOTS: use lots of mercy, lots of compassion, lots of forgiveness, lots of love. Maybe USE LOTS is the secret to the Lord’s Prayer when Jesus taught us to pray: forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. As Jesus tells us: “Anyone who has ears to hear ought to hear.”

I recall your sincere faith that first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and that I am confident lives also in you. (2 Tim 1:1-8)
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/012622.cfm
Timothy and Titus, as companions of Paul, are celebrated together the day after the feast of the conversion of the apostle. I have always loved the mention of the faith of the grandmother and mother of Timothy. It reminds me of the faith of my grandmother and my mother, two extraordinary women who in spite of difficult circumstances passed on their faith to me.

Alleluia (Jn 15:16)
R. Alleluia, alleluia. 
I chose you from the world,
 to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.
 R. Alleluia, alleluia.
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/012522.cfm
Perhaps because of his later importance in the life of the early church, the Acts of the Apostles gives two detailed accounts of the Conversion of Paul (Acts 9:1-22; 22:3-16). Paul himself is more discrete. All that Paul ever says about the experience is “Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?" (1 Cor 9:1). Paul’s words echo the words of Mary Magdalene, “I have seen the Lord” (Jn 20:18). That experience changed Paul . . . and changed the church forever.