The Word today, 4B24

January 29 - February 03, 2024

Monday 29 January

2 Samuel 15:13-14, 30,16:5-13

David is found out and rightly condemned — he accepts the critique in a surprisingly humble manner.

Mark 5:1-20 This story is not without its humorous exaggeration, as the pigs request a “stay” of execution! The overall intent is deadly serious: the forces of evil are comprehensively destroyed.

Tuesday 30 January

St Aidan, abbot

2 Samuel 18:9-10, 14, 24-25, 30-19:3 This is one of the most moving stories in the entire Old Testament. Absalom has rebelled again his father, but David still mourned him as his son.

Mark 6:1-6 It is surprising to see Jesus unable to do anything, so this scene is certainly historical. We do can block the action of grace in our own lives…

Wednesday 31 January

St John Bosco

2 Samuel 24:2,8-17 In the Bible, why would a census be a sin? Possibly because the people belong to God, not to the king. True to his character, David repents, but is punished all the same.

Mark 6:1-6 This remarkable story is surely historical because it shows the powerlessness of Jesus. It is also a hint to us: sheer familiarity can close our eyes and our hearts to what God is doing today through the Gospel.

Thursday 01 February

St Brigid, abbess, secondary patron of Ireland

There is a choice of first readings today.

Job 31:16-20, 24-25 The reading is offered because it reflects on generosity towards the needy, a key characteristic of St Brigid. It would be great if we could all say the same about ourselves!

Ephesians 3:14-21 This wonderful prayer is chosen to reflect the single-minded devotion to God and Christ which marked the life of St Brigid.

Mark 3:31-35 This reading can puzzle us. Is Jesus somehow rejecting his natural family? No, but he does use the occasion to affirm the new family of disciples, made up of all who not only hear the word but also put it into action in their lives.

Friday 02 February

The Presentation in the Temple

Malachi 3:1-4 This rather fierce prophecy was offered at a time of religious reconstruction after disaster. There is no mistaking the plain meaning that it is the leadership which is in need of purification.

Hebrews 2:14-18 As we can see from the stories of his birth, Jesus can help us because he is one of us. This closing of the gap with humanity makes him the ideal priest, mediating God’s grace to us all.

Luke 2:22-40 There are so few elderly people in the New Testament, that it is delightful to find such wonderful characters as Simeon and Anna, still full of faith in old age.

Saturday 03 February

1 Kings 3:4-13 This scene is a key to Solomon’s reputation for wisdom. God’s makes a very open offer to Solomon and, significantly, he opts to the spiritual gifts, which would make him famous.

Mark 6:30-34 It is instructive to see that Jesus himself was aware of need to balance life and work, prayer and ministry. This is true of us all in our different roles.

At the same time, Jesus felt compassion for the crowd and, in spite of the need of rest and refreshment, actually responded to their need.

References

-United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (2024l, January 28). Fourth Sunday in ordinary time. USCCB. https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/012824.cfm

-Sunday readings. (n.d.-s). Hearers of the Word. https://www.tarsus.ie/SundayReadings/

SOCL, 4B24

Sunday January 28, 2024

What is this? A new teaching— and with authority!

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See

How often do we meet people whose words and deeds match? Sometimes at least, but it may be rare enough. In the old expression, when all is said and done, more is said than done. Jesus is a teacher with authority — not the authority of position or force but power from within. This is suggested by the Greek word for authority exousia, from within (my) being. Even today, there are religious leaders who speak from within, whose word is genuine, whose deeds match what they say. These are the one we listen to; these are the ones we would love to be like.

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Listen

Deuteronomy 18:15-20; Psalm 95 (94); 1 Corinthians 7:32-35; Mark 1:21-28

Psalm 95, If Today You Hear His Voice, Harden Not Your Hearts

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Reflect

(Mark 1:21-28)

-In the first chapter, Mark familiarises his readers with the type of things Jesus did to proclaim the kingdom, the Reign of God. Our passage today touches on two of these, the first being that ‘he taught as one having authority’. It makes a difference when you listen to someone who is clearly speaking from experience and personal knowledge. Remember people who impressed you in this way.

-Jesus’ combined teaching with healing, and he drove the evil spirit out of the man. The power of God that worked this wonder through Jesus is also at work in and through us today. When have you been freed from some bad habit?

-The evil spirit convulsed the man before it left him. The path to liberation can be a painful struggle. If you have found it so, who was the Jesus person that helped you through the struggle to freedom?

-It is not only individuals but groups that can be struggling with an evil spirit – jealousy, rivalry, malicious gossiping, abuse of power, etc. Sometimes a Jesus person comes into the group and drives out that evil spirit. Have you experienced this? Perhaps you yourself have been this person on some occasion?

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Pray

Faithful God, your Holy One, Jesus of Nazareth, spoke the truth with authority, and you confirmed his teaching by wonderful deeds. Through his healing presence, drive far from us all that is unholy, so that by word and deed we may proclaim him Messiah and Lord and bear witness to your power to heal and save. We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

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Act

--Integrity in Action: Strive to match your words with actions consistently, building trust in relationships.

-Cultivate Inner Authority: Develop authenticity by aligning actions with personal values, fostering genuine strength.

--Listen to Genuine Voices: Surround yourself with those whose words and deeds align, seeking inspiration from authentic leaders.

References

-United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (2024l, January 28). Fourth Sunday in ordinary time. USCCB. https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/012824.cfm

-Sunday readings. (n.d.-s). Hearers of the Word. https://www.tarsus.ie/SundayReadings/

The Word today, 3B24

January 22 - January 27, 2024

Monday 22 January

St Vincent, deacon and martyr

2 Samuel 5:1-7, 10 This is a key reading for two reasons. David is “elected” as king and secondly he make Jerusalem his capital.

Mark 3:22-30 It can still shock that some of Jesus contemporaries proposed he was doing the work of the evil one. The thinking may have been like this: he is doing powerful deeds, but we do not believe he comes from God. Therefore…!

Tuesday 23 January

2 Samuel 6:12-15, 17-19 The ark represented the presence of God on the move with the people. The settling down, so to speak, of God’s presence in Jerusalem, even without a temple, was indeed a momentous choice.

Mark 3:31-35 Our reading can feel a little unsettling because it sounds like Jesus is dismissing his family, including his mother. However, it is really an affirmation of the essence of discipleship.

Wednesday 24 January

St Francis de Sales, bishop and doctor

2 Samuel 7:4-17 Today we read from one of a few absolutely central texts from the Old Testament. Earlier in the chapter, David made a proposal to build God a house. Through Nathan, God refuses David for the substantial reasons given. Nevertheless, a tremendous promise is made to David and his “house”, a mark of God’s love and faithfulness through time.

Mark 4:1-20 This long reading can be tricky. The original parable is given first, a parable from the lips of Jesus. The later explanation of the parable comes from church tradition, a kind of allegorical reading. The allegory narrows the original meaning of the parable. In between, the question of the disciples is difficult. It seems to be answering a later issue: how was that that most of Jesus’ fellow Jews did not recognise him as the Messiah?

Thursday 25 January

Conversion of St Paul

Acts 22:3-16 The conversion of St Paul had huge consequences for early Christianity. He was a man of terrific energy and physical courage, inspired by a deep desire to do God’s will. His encounter with Jesus placed his great gifts of intellect and spirit at the service of the Christian movement, to its lasting enrichment up to today. He himself tells of his conversion in his own words in Galatians 1.

Mark 16:15-18 Note: this passage comes from one of proposed endings to Mark, none of which comes from the head of the evangelist.

Our reading today is chosen for the very first words which capture something of the ministry of Paul, who went out to the whole known world of his time, that is, the Roman Empire around the eastern Mediterranean.

Friday 26 January

Sts Timothy and Titus

2 Timothy 1:1-8 The tone of encouragement is always needed and today, more than ever, we need the reminder to fan into a flame the gift of God.

Mark 4:26-34 A further few seed parables illuminate the Gospel. The parable of the farmer asleep is especially encouraging: just let things grow. Cf. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. (1Corinthians 3:6)

Saturday 27 January

St Angela Merici, virgin.

2 Samuel 12:1-7, 10-17 Because of David’s adultery with the wife of Uriah and his subsequent murder, the prophet Nathan is sent by God to accuse David of his sins. The prophet begins by tricking the king into righteous anger and then very cleverly catching him out. The electric words are “You are the man.” David wasn’t the first or last person in the world to have been a hypocrite or to have acted inconsistently.

Mark 4:35-41 Already at the hands of Mark, the calming of the storm is to be read symbolically. The later church, under tremendous pressure during the Jewish War, questions the presence and even the concern of Jesus. The final question is one we need to ask again and again.

References

-United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (2024j, January 21). Third Sunday in ordinary time. USCCB. https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/012124.cfm

-unday readings. (n.d.-s). Hearers of the Word. https://www.tarsus.ie/SundayReadings/