Know and Live

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/010918.cfm) reminds me that it is not enough to know God, we need to show and profess it through 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 gospel reminds us 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 live our love for God. He  wants us to go past merely knowing and to live our faith, live our love for Him. Hannah, despite her concerns, continued to worship God. This is how God wants us to live. 

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. By continuing to trust and worship him despite all our problems and concerns. 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-

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January 9, 2018

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Tuesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 306

Reading 1 1 Sm 1:9-20

Hannah rose after a meal at Shiloh,
and presented herself before the LORD;
at the time, Eli the priest was sitting on a chair
near the doorpost of the LORD's temple.
In her bitterness she prayed to the LORD, weeping copiously,
and she made a vow, promising: "O LORD of hosts,
if you look with pity on the misery of your handmaid,
if you remember me and do not forget me,
if you give your handmaid a male child,
I will give him to the LORD for as long as he lives;
neither wine nor liquor shall he drink,
and no razor shall ever touch his head."
As she remained long at prayer before the LORD,
Eli watched her mouth, for Hannah was praying silently;
though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard.
Eli, thinking her drunk, said to her,
"How long will you make a drunken show of yourself?
Sober up from your wine!"
"It isn't that, my lord," Hannah answered.
"I am an unhappy woman.
I have had neither wine nor liquor;
I was only pouring out my troubles to the LORD.
Do not think your handmaid a ne'er-do-well;
my prayer has been prompted by my deep sorrow and misery."
Eli said, "Go in peace,
and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him."
She replied, "Think kindly of your maidservant," and left.
She went to her quarters, ate and drank with her husband,
and no longer appeared downcast.
Early the next morning they worshiped before the LORD,
and then returned to their home in Ramah.

When Elkanah had relations with his wife Hannah,
the LORD remembered her.
She conceived, and at the end of her term bore a son
whom she called Samuel, since she had asked the LORD for him.

Responsorial Psalm 1 Samuel 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd

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 See 1 Thes 2:13

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.

Gospel Mk 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.