2nd Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, January 23, 2025
Reflection on the WORD
“Longing for Jesus” – Faith: In today’s Gospel, great crowds were clamouring for Jesus. They longed to be healed of their illnesses, freed from their possessions of evil spirits, and empowered to live God’s Truth of Salvation. Ponder on, “Are we also longing for Jesus in our daily living, or do we take God’s Blessings for granted and continue to live self-centred lives?”
Mark 3:7-12
Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lakeside, and great crowds from Galilee followed him. From Judaea, and from Jerusalem, and from Idumaea and Transjordan and the region of Tyre and Sidon, great numbers who had heard of all he was doing came to him.
And he asked his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, to keep him from being crushed. For he had cured so many that all who were afflicted in any way were crowding forward to touch him. And the unclean spirits, whenever they saw him, would fall down before him and shout, ‘You are the Son of God!’ But he warned them strongly not to make him known.
Today's Pointers on God's Word
As you read the passage what words, phases or meanings caught your attention?
- Jesus “cured so many that all who were afflicted in any way were crowding forward to touch him.” What are my experiences of Jesus? Do I go to Him only when I have needs e.g. illness or desperation about a problem?
- How can my relationship with Jesus grow and mature so that it is not based on practical needs alone?
- How much of each day do I set aside to be with Jesus in prayer? Do I attend daily Eucharist? If I do, has my relationship with Jesus grown over the past 5 years?