Daily Scripture Reflection & Prayer: January 9, 2024

Date: Tuesday of the 1st Week in Ordinary Time  

Scripture Text:  Mark 1:21-28

Jesus came to Capernaum with his followers, and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us?I know who you are–the Holy One of God!”  Jesus rebuked him and said, “Quiet!  Come out of him!” The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him. All were amazed and asked one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.

Breaking the text open – background and summary:

The gospel reading today from Mark gives the account of Jesus’ first teaching and healing following the call of his first disciples (Andrew and Peter, James and John). It occurs in Capernaum, along the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus’ teaching were met with astonishment, for He taught with real and true authority. Jesus is recognized by the unclean spirit as “the Holy One of God.” Jesus commanded the spirit to leave the man, and the spirit obeyed. This, too, amazed the witnesses who spread the news of Jesus in the area.  

Meditating on the text with personal questions:

How responsive am I to Jesus’ word, to His revelation, to his call to me personally?

Praying:

LORD, Jesus Christ, You came among us because of your love for the Almighty Father and for us. You took on our human nature through the divine incarnation and showed us how humanity was created to live, to pray, to relate to our heavenly Father and to one another. Send your Spirit to guide us as we daily read the Good News and seek to allow it to inform us so that we might conform ourselves to You and be transformed into the daughters and sons we were created to be and the disciples You call us to be. Amen.