Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 307
Lectionary: 307
Since the children
share in blood and Flesh,
Jesus likewise shared in them,
that through death he might destroy the one
who has the power of death, that is, the Devil,
and free those who through fear of death
had been subject to slavery all their life.
Surely he did not help angels
but rather the descendants of Abraham;
therefore, he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every way,
that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God
to expiate the sins of the people.
Because he himself was tested through what he suffered,
he is able to help those who are being tested.
Jesus likewise shared in them,
that through death he might destroy the one
who has the power of death, that is, the Devil,
and free those who through fear of death
had been subject to slavery all their life.
Surely he did not help angels
but rather the descendants of Abraham;
therefore, he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every way,
that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God
to expiate the sins of the people.
Because he himself was tested through what he suffered,
he is able to help those who are being tested.
Responsorial PsalmPS 105:1-2, 3-4, 6-7, 8-9
R. (8a) The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name;
make known among the nations his deeds.
Sing to him, sing his praise,
proclaim all his wondrous deeds.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Glory in his holy name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
Look to the LORD in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He remembers forever his covenant
which he made binding for a thousand generations—
Which he entered into with Abraham
and by his oath to Isaac.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name;
make known among the nations his deeds.
Sing to him, sing his praise,
proclaim all his wondrous deeds.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Glory in his holy name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
Look to the LORD in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He remembers forever his covenant
which he made binding for a thousand generations—
Which he entered into with Abraham
and by his oath to Isaac.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
AlleluiaJN 10:27
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord.
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord.
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMK 1:29-39
On leaving the
synagogue
Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John.
Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever.
They immediately told him about her.
He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up.
Then the fever left her and she waited on them.
When it was evening, after sunset,
they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons.
The whole town was gathered at the door.
He cured many who were sick with various diseases,
and he drove out many demons,
not permitting them to speak because they knew him.
Rising very early before dawn,
he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.
Simon and those who were with him pursued him
and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.”
He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages
that I may preach there also.
For this purpose have I come.”
So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons
throughout the whole of Galilee.
Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John.
Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever.
They immediately told him about her.
He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up.
Then the fever left her and she waited on them.
When it was evening, after sunset,
they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons.
The whole town was gathered at the door.
He cured many who were sick with various diseases,
and he drove out many demons,
not permitting them to speak because they knew him.
Rising very early before dawn,
he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.
Simon and those who were with him pursued him
and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.”
He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages
that I may preach there also.
For this purpose have I come.”
So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons
throughout the whole of Galilee.
Meditation: Jesus healed many who were sick
Who do you take your
troubles to? Jesus' disciples freely brought their troubles to him because they
found him ready and able to deal with any difficulty, affliction, or sickness
which they encountered. When Simon brought Jesus to his home, his mother-in-law
was instantly healed because Jesus heard Simon's prayer. Jerome, an early
church bible scholar and translator (c. 347-420), reflects on this passage:
“Can you imagine Jesus
standing before your bed and you continue sleeping? It is absurd that you would
remain in bed in his presence. Where is Jesus? He is already here offering
himself to us. 'In the middle,' he says, 'among you he stands, whom you do not
recognize' (Cf. John 1:26) 'The kingdom of God is in your midst' (Mark 1:15).
Faith beholds Jesus among us. If we are unable to seize his hand, let us
prostrate ourselves at his feet. If we are unable to reach his head, let us
wash his feet with our tears. Our repentance is the perfume of the Savior. See
how costly is the compassion of the Savior."
Do you allow Jesus to
be the Lord and healer in your personal life, family, and community? Approach
the Lord with expectant faith. God's healing power restores us not only to
health but to active service and care of others. There is no trouble he does
not want to help us with and there is no bondage he can't set us free from. Do
you take your troubles to him with expectant faith that he will help you?
"Lord Jesus
Christ, you have all power to heal and to deliver from harm. There is no
trouble nor bondage you cannot overcome. Set me free to serve you joyfully and
to love and serve others generously. May nothing hinder me from giving myself
wholly to you and to your service."
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Jesus at Prayer |
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January 14, 2015.
Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
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Mark 1:29-39
As soon as they left
the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and
John. Now Simon´s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about
her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the
fever left her, and she began to serve them. That evening, at sundown, they
brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. And the whole city
was gathered around the door. And he cured many who were sick with various
diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to
speak, because they knew him. In the morning, while it was still very dark,
he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed and Simon and
his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him,
"Everyone is searching for you." He answered, "Let us go on to
the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for
that is what I came out to do." And he went throughout Galilee,
proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.
Introductory
Prayer: Lord, thank you for this
time we will spend together. I wish to step away from the world and all its
activities to be alone with you now. You are my beginning and my end:
you created me, and you are leading me home to you in heaven. Thank you for
your love. I know I deserve nothing from you and that my sins compound my
unworthiness, yet you would still enfold me in your unfathomable love.
Petition: Lord, increase my love for prayer and the interior
life.
1. A Man for
Others: Here is Jesus in
action. He works tirelessly from morning to night. He never thinks of
himself. He never says he’s too tired or too busy to serve someone or to give
others part of his time. He is there for everyone, and he keeps pushing
himself to do more and more. He loves, and his love compels him to give
himself to everyone around him without counting the cost. The whole city
gathers to see him, and he opens his heart to all. He teaches. He heals the
sick. He casts out demons. He is a man for others.
2. A Man of
Prayer: After a full day of
work, Jesus rested for just a little while, and then he rose early for
prayer. There was a balance between his apostolic work and his life of
prayer. Jesus wasn’t too busy to seek the solitude necessary to speak
heart-to-heart with his Father. He found strength in prayer. He strengthened
his resolve to follow his Father’s plan in prayer. He was absorbed in prayer
for so long that the others began to go in search of him. Prayer wasn’t just
a one-time activity: it was part of his daily routine.
3. Everyone Is
Searching for Him: “Everyone
is searching for you,” they said when they found Christ. They expressed the
desire of every person. We all need God. He is the deepest desire of the
human heart. God is searching for us, too. Jesus gets up from his prayer and
heads out to the next town. We are searching for Christ, and he is searching
for us. Where do we meet him? In prayer. In prayer we speak heart-to-heart
with the one whom we know loves us. In prayer we can speak about the things
that are important to us and about those things that are most important to
him. This vital encounter gives light and strength to every other encounter
we will have during the rest of the day. Through prayer, our love for others
is enkindled so that we can spend ourselves tirelessly for others as Jesus
did. Through prayer, we can be a men and women for others.
Conversation with
Christ: Lord, help me to put you
first in my life by giving you the best of my time. Help me not to give into
laziness, but to rise early in the morning so that I can be with you. I need
you in my life. Help me to experience your love so that I can share it with
others. Help me to give myself to your plan of salvation and to reach out to
those who are searching for you. Help me to hunger for you alone so that you
will satisfy my hunger.
Resolution: I will invoke Our Lord in short and simple
prayers throughout today, telling him I love him and asking for the grace of
a greater intimacy with him through prayer.
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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 14, MARK 1:29-39
(Hebrews 2:14-18; Psalm 105)
KEY VERSE: "He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons" (v 34).
TO KNOW: After the Sabbath service in Capernaum, Jesus went with his four disciples, Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John, to Simon Peter’s home. When Jesus was informed that Simon's mother-in-law was gravely ill, he simply took her by the hand and helped her to get up. The woman was immediately healed by his touch, and in gratitude, she waited on all in the house. When the Sabbath ended at sundown, the people were free to bring their sick to Jesus. The whole town gathered at Jesus' door and he cured many of their illnesses. The miracles that Jesus worked, combined with his authoritative teaching, were signs pointing to the coming of God's reign, which he announced at the beginning of his ministry (Mk 1:15). Rising early the next morning, Jesus went to a deserted place for prayer, but even there his disciples sought him, pressing him to return to Capernaum. Jesus told them that he must take his message to other villages throughout Galilee to reveal God's kingdom of compassion and mercy.
TO LOVE: Lord Jesus, teach me and heal me so that I might serve others.
TO SERVE: Do I run after signs and wonders or do I seek Jesus?
(Hebrews 2:14-18; Psalm 105)
KEY VERSE: "He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons" (v 34).
TO KNOW: After the Sabbath service in Capernaum, Jesus went with his four disciples, Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John, to Simon Peter’s home. When Jesus was informed that Simon's mother-in-law was gravely ill, he simply took her by the hand and helped her to get up. The woman was immediately healed by his touch, and in gratitude, she waited on all in the house. When the Sabbath ended at sundown, the people were free to bring their sick to Jesus. The whole town gathered at Jesus' door and he cured many of their illnesses. The miracles that Jesus worked, combined with his authoritative teaching, were signs pointing to the coming of God's reign, which he announced at the beginning of his ministry (Mk 1:15). Rising early the next morning, Jesus went to a deserted place for prayer, but even there his disciples sought him, pressing him to return to Capernaum. Jesus told them that he must take his message to other villages throughout Galilee to reveal God's kingdom of compassion and mercy.
TO LOVE: Lord Jesus, teach me and heal me so that I might serve others.
TO SERVE: Do I run after signs and wonders or do I seek Jesus?
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
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Glorifying God
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A wasted life is a life lived without worshiping God. A life
well-lived is a life spent in his presence and offered for His glory.
LECTIO DIVINA:
MARK 1,29-39
Lectio:
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
Father of love, hear our prayers.
Help us to know your will
and to do it with courage and faith.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Father of love, hear our prayers.
Help us to know your will
and to do it with courage and faith.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel Reading - Mark 1,29-39
And at once on leaving the synagogue, he went with James and John straight to the house of Simon and Andrew. Now Simon's mother-in-law was in bed and feverish, and at once they told him about her. He went in to her, took her by the hand and helped her up. And the fever left her and she began to serve them.
That evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were possessed by devils. The whole town came crowding round the door, and he cured many who were sick with diseases of one kind or another; he also drove out many devils, but he would not allow them to speak, because they knew who he was.
In the morning, long before dawn, he got up and left the house and went off to a lonely place and prayed there.
Simon and his companions set out in search of him, and when they found him they said, 'Everybody is looking for you.' He answered, 'Let us go elsewhere, to the neighbouring country towns, so that I can proclaim the message there too, because that is why I came.'
And he went all through Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out devils.
And at once on leaving the synagogue, he went with James and John straight to the house of Simon and Andrew. Now Simon's mother-in-law was in bed and feverish, and at once they told him about her. He went in to her, took her by the hand and helped her up. And the fever left her and she began to serve them.
That evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were sick and those who were possessed by devils. The whole town came crowding round the door, and he cured many who were sick with diseases of one kind or another; he also drove out many devils, but he would not allow them to speak, because they knew who he was.
In the morning, long before dawn, he got up and left the house and went off to a lonely place and prayed there.
Simon and his companions set out in search of him, and when they found him they said, 'Everybody is looking for you.' He answered, 'Let us go elsewhere, to the neighbouring country towns, so that I can proclaim the message there too, because that is why I came.'
And he went all through Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out devils.
3) Reflection
• Jesus restores life for the service. After having participated in the celebration of Saturday in the Synagogue, Jesus went to Peter’s house and cured his mother-in-law. Once healed, she gets up and, with her health restored and having recovered her dignity, she begins to serve the persons. Jesus does not only heal the person, but he does it in such a way that she begins to serve life.
• Jesus accepts the marginalized. When it begins to get dark, in the afternoon, at the end of Saturday when the first star shines in the sky, Jesus accepts and cures the sick and those possessed whom people had brought to him. The sick and those possessed were the most marginalized persons of that time. They had nobody to whom to have recourse. They depended on public charity. Besides this, religion considered them impure. They could not participate in the community, it was as if God rejected and excluded them. Therefore, it can very clearly be seen in what the Good News of God consists and that which he wants to do in the life of people: to accept the marginalized and the excluded, and to insert them again to live together in the community.
• To remain united to the Father, in prayer. Jesus is presented to us while he prays. He makes a great effort to have the time and the adequate environment to pray. He rises before the others and goes to a deserted place, to be able to be alone with God. Many times the Gospels speak to us about the prayer of Jesus, in silence (Mt 14, 22-23); Mk 1, 35; Lk 5, 15-16; 3, 21-22). Through prayer he maintains alive the awareness of his mission.
• To maintain alive the awareness of the mission and not to close oneself up in the results already obtained. Jesus is known. Everybody follows him. This publicity pleases the disciples. They go to look for Jesus to take him back to the people who were seeking for him, and they tell him: All are looking for you. They thought that Jesus would go to the banquet. They were disillusioned! Jesus does not pay attention and tells them: Let us go elsewhere. It is precisely for this that I have come! Surely, they must have been surprised! Jesus was not like what they had imagined him to be. Jesus had a very clear conscience of the mission and wants to transmit this to the disciples. He does not want them to close up themselves in the results already obtained. They should not look back. But, like Jesus, they should maintain alive the conscience of their mission. It is the mission received from the Father, which has to orientate their decisions.
• It is precisely for this that I have come! This was the first misunderstanding between Jesus and his disciples. At present, it is only a question of a small divergence. Later on, in the Gospel of Mark, this misunderstanding, in spite of the many advertences of Jesus, will grow and will practically become almost a break between Jesus and the disciples (cf. Mk 8, 14-21. 32-33; 9, 32; 14, 27). Today also, there are some misunderstandings on the way of the proclamation of the Good News. Mark helps one to be attentive to the divergences so as not to allow them to grow until they produce a break.
• Jesus restores life for the service. After having participated in the celebration of Saturday in the Synagogue, Jesus went to Peter’s house and cured his mother-in-law. Once healed, she gets up and, with her health restored and having recovered her dignity, she begins to serve the persons. Jesus does not only heal the person, but he does it in such a way that she begins to serve life.
• Jesus accepts the marginalized. When it begins to get dark, in the afternoon, at the end of Saturday when the first star shines in the sky, Jesus accepts and cures the sick and those possessed whom people had brought to him. The sick and those possessed were the most marginalized persons of that time. They had nobody to whom to have recourse. They depended on public charity. Besides this, religion considered them impure. They could not participate in the community, it was as if God rejected and excluded them. Therefore, it can very clearly be seen in what the Good News of God consists and that which he wants to do in the life of people: to accept the marginalized and the excluded, and to insert them again to live together in the community.
• To remain united to the Father, in prayer. Jesus is presented to us while he prays. He makes a great effort to have the time and the adequate environment to pray. He rises before the others and goes to a deserted place, to be able to be alone with God. Many times the Gospels speak to us about the prayer of Jesus, in silence (Mt 14, 22-23); Mk 1, 35; Lk 5, 15-16; 3, 21-22). Through prayer he maintains alive the awareness of his mission.
• To maintain alive the awareness of the mission and not to close oneself up in the results already obtained. Jesus is known. Everybody follows him. This publicity pleases the disciples. They go to look for Jesus to take him back to the people who were seeking for him, and they tell him: All are looking for you. They thought that Jesus would go to the banquet. They were disillusioned! Jesus does not pay attention and tells them: Let us go elsewhere. It is precisely for this that I have come! Surely, they must have been surprised! Jesus was not like what they had imagined him to be. Jesus had a very clear conscience of the mission and wants to transmit this to the disciples. He does not want them to close up themselves in the results already obtained. They should not look back. But, like Jesus, they should maintain alive the conscience of their mission. It is the mission received from the Father, which has to orientate their decisions.
• It is precisely for this that I have come! This was the first misunderstanding between Jesus and his disciples. At present, it is only a question of a small divergence. Later on, in the Gospel of Mark, this misunderstanding, in spite of the many advertences of Jesus, will grow and will practically become almost a break between Jesus and the disciples (cf. Mk 8, 14-21. 32-33; 9, 32; 14, 27). Today also, there are some misunderstandings on the way of the proclamation of the Good News. Mark helps one to be attentive to the divergences so as not to allow them to grow until they produce a break.
4) Personal questions
• Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve. Peter’s mother-in-law began to serve. And I, do I act in such a way that my life is a service to God and to my brothers and sisters?
• Jesus is conscious, aware of his mission through prayer. And my prayer?
• Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve. Peter’s mother-in-law began to serve. And I, do I act in such a way that my life is a service to God and to my brothers and sisters?
• Jesus is conscious, aware of his mission through prayer. And my prayer?
5) Concluding prayer
Sing to Yahweh, bless his name!
Proclaim his salvation day after day,
declare his glory among the nations,
his marvels to every people! (Ps 96,2-3)
Sing to Yahweh, bless his name!
Proclaim his salvation day after day,
declare his glory among the nations,
his marvels to every people! (Ps 96,2-3)
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