The WORD
today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/011017.cfm)
reminds me that it is not enough to know God, we should show it in our
lives.
Knowing
important, powerful and influential people in this world means a lot. People
can get special favors, get away with troubles and concerns, just by knowing
someone powerful. This works in the world, but not with God.
Merely knowing God is not enough.
The first reading and the psalm
remind us who Jesus is. We see how he is powerful and loved by God. However, in
the gospel, we see that merely knowing this is not enough. Merely knowing who
Jesus is, is not enough. Merely knowing his power is not enough. We need to go
past beyond that level.
Simply telling others about Jesus is not enough. We should
live it.
We see in the gospel that the
man with unclean spirit clearly knows who Jesus is. He knows the power of
Jesus. He cried out and told everybody who Jesus was, not so that others may
believe in him and be led to him, but probably to distract Jesus and others in
the temple. We also see that it is not enough telling others about Jesus or who
Jesus is. Jesus told him to shut up. What Jesus wants from us is in the first
reading - to proclaim his name to others and praise him in the assembly. He
wants us to go past merely knowing and to live our faith, live our love
for Him.
God
wants us to be more and more like Him, like Jesus. God wants us to follow
Jesus. God wants us to submit to Him. This is an everyday decision, in little
and big ways. By treating others right, especially those who do not deserve it,
by respecting others, by living fair and just, we can become more and more like
Jesus. By being happy and calm despite all the troubles and concerns, by being
helpful despite all our problems, by being generous despite our personal needs,
we become more and more like Jesus. These things are more powerful and
important rather than just talking about Jesus
May we be moved not just to talk about Jesus, but
experience him and share him to others through our lives.
Father God,
Thank you for
today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to know
you more. Thank you for the reminder. Lord, sorry for the times I stop at just
knowing you. Sorry for being contented with knowing or experiencing you. Help
me do more. Lord, I ask that you help me get past the level of just knowing you
and talking about you. May I desire to be more and more like you. Give me the
grace to be so. Help me do my part in building your kingdom, and may I not just
know and talk about you, but help me make you alive in others through my life.
Amen.
Blessed
day!
In
Christ,
-g-
Ps
See
related reflection:
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January 10, 2017
Tuesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 306
Reading 1 Heb 2:5-12
of which we are speaking.
Instead, someone has testified somewhere:
What is man that you are mindful of him,
or the son of man that you care for him?
You made him for a little while lower than the angels;
you crowned him with glory and honor,
subjecting all things under his feet.
In "subjecting" all things to him,
he left nothing not "subject to him."
Yet at present we do not see "all things subject to him,"
but we do see Jesus "crowned with glory and honor"
because he suffered death,
he who "for a little while" was made "lower than the angels,"
that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
For it was fitting that he,
for whom and through whom all things exist,
in bringing many children to glory,
should make the leader to their salvation perfect through suffering.
He who consecrates
and those who are being consecrated all have one origin.
Therefore, he is not ashamed to call them "brothers" saying:
I will proclaim your name to my brethren,
in the midst of the assembly I will praise you.
Responsorial Psalm PS 8:2ab and 5, 6-7, 8-9
O LORD, our Lord,
how glorious is your name over all the earth!
What is man that you should be mindful of him,
or the son of man that you should care for him?
R. You have given your Son rule over the works of your hands.
You have made him little less than the angels,
and crowned him with glory and honor.
You have given him rule over the works of your hands,
putting all things under his feet.
R. You have given your Son rule over the works of your hands.
All sheep and oxen,
yes, and the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air, the fishes of the sea,
and whatever swims the paths of the seas.
R. You have given your Son rule over the works of your hands.
Alleluia 1 Thes 2:13
Receive the word of God, not as the word of men,
but as it truly is, the word of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Mk 1:21-28
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.
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