In Jesus, words and actions meet

Listening to the Spirit

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful. And kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And you will renew the face of the earth.

Lord, by the light of the Holy Spirit you have taught the hearts of your faithful. In the same Spirit help us to relish what is right and always rejoice in your consolation.

We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Listening to the Word

Mk 1:21–28

They came to Capernaum, and on the sabbath Jesus 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 through the whole region of Galilee.

Reflection

In Jesus the Lord, words and actions meet. In Him, the primordial word calling us to life continues its mission to offer us salvation. To whom shall we go? Words of life are badly needed but without attentive ears they are no help. Once the prophet said "They have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf." Demons of deafness to the plea for justice and cadaveric blindness to the truth are marking our history. Today we have hope that the infesting deceptive and corrupting entities wanting to settle in our souls may be driven out altogether.

Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
graciously grant peace in our days,
that, by the help of your mercy,
we may be always free from sin
and safe from all distress,
as we await the blessed hope
and the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Amen