Tuesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
God’s Saving Power
Liturgical Cycle: A | Lectionary Cycle: II
Introduction
Extraordinary vocations are, at times, described in the bible in terms of barrenness, which, through prayer and faith in God’s power, produces life. It underlines God’s gratuitous grace, God’s power and also the difficulty, the struggle of faith, to lead to redemption. Samuel, then became the fruit of prayer and faith in God’s power.
Gospel. In the Gospel, Mark shows the power of God at work in Jesus, the Messiah. It is a power that is contested by the powers of evil that must struggle and come to grip with opposition and suffering, but which will ultimately win – through struggle and contradiction. Such is also the power of God today in the world, the power of God in answer to our faith and prayer.
Opening Prayer
God, source of all power,
we like to imagine that we can do great things,
but when it comes to your work,
to your kingdom of truth and justice,
we have to recognize, perhaps grudgingly,
that we are weak and ineffective.
Help us to acknowledge this weakness
not as defeat, but as our real strength,
to let your power reveal itself
in suffering, in struggles,
and in gentleness and love,
which you show us in Jesus Christ,
your Son and our Lord for ever.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (see 1) My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
“My heart exults in the LORD,
my horn is exalted in my God.
I have swallowed up my enemies;
I rejoice in my victory.”
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
“The bows of the mighty are broken,
while the tottering gird on strength.
The well-fed hire themselves out for bread,
while the hungry batten on spoil.
The barren wife bears seven sons,
while the mother of many languishes.”
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
“The LORD puts to death and gives life;
he casts down to the nether world;
he raises up again.
The LORD makes poor and makes rich;
he humbles, he also exalts.”
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
“He raises the needy from the dust;
from the dung heap he lifts up the poor,
To seat them with nobles
and make a glorious throne their heritage.”
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
Alleluia Verse
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Receive the word of God, not as the word of men,
but as it truly is, the word of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Prayers of the Faithful
– That in the Church, we may bring to one another the healing of forgiveness and compassion, we pray:
– That all who are ill may keep hoping that they will be cured and that at least they may bear their suffering in patience, we pray:
– That in our communities, we may consider it our task to share each other’s pain and to lighten each other’s burden, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Almighty God and Father,
through this bread and this wine
you want Jesus, your Son, to join us today
in our struggle to be free
as disciples who serve you and our neighbor.
Let him drive out from us
the rebellious spirit of pride and selfishness
and fill us with his good spirit,
the Holy Spirit of love and strength,
that with your Son, we may be yours,
now and for ever.
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God, we are afraid
of struggles and pain,
of weakness and apparent defeat.
Keep reminding us, not harshly but gently,
that this was the way of your Son
and that this is the way in which you always win.
And if we do not understand fully,
help us to grow in faith and trust
in your own plan for success
and in your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Blessing
Jesus was teaching with authority. Why? Because he fully believed in what he said and backed up his teaching with signs. Perhaps the greatest sign was that he lived what he taught. May we too, live as we believe, with the blessing of Almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
REFLECTION :
Mk 1:21-28
Enkindle in us the love for the Word of God
They went into the town of Capernaum and Jesus taught in the synagogue on the Sabbath day.… The evil spirit shook the man violently and, with a loud shriek, came out of him. All the people were astonished, and they wondered, “What is this? With what authority he preaches! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him!” And Jesus’ fame spread throughout all the country of Galilee.
My granduncle, Cirilo, was the elder brother of my grandmother. He was a very simple and ordinary person in our town. Though he did not formally study architecture or engineering, he learned from experience, after working as a carpenter for many years, how to draw the plan of a house and build it accordingly. He was actually the one who designed and built our home in the province, which still stands today after more than 50 years. He was also an herbal doctor, and could massage a fever away, specially among children.
But what I remember most about him was his being prayerful and his love for the Bible. Whenever I went to visit him, I would always see him either praying, or reading the Bible, or doing his personal research on the Bible. So we would spend hours talking about the Bible.
He was well respected by the parish priest and the parish council members, as they recognized his God-given wisdom about life and the faith. So that they would have recourse to him to settle their disputes or disagreements.
Come, Holy Spirit, and enlighten our minds that we may truly see. Enkindle in us the love for the Word of God, that we may dwell on it and live it in our life. Amen.