1st Week, Ordinary Time, Thursday, January 15, 2026

Reflection on the WORD

“The Joy Jesus Brings” – Faith: Jesus, filled with Compassion; cured a man with leprosy, when he pleaded with Him to be cured. Jesus warned him not to tell anyone about the cure. However, he was overjoyed and proclaimed about Jesus everywhere. Ponder on, “When we love Jesus, we too would be filled with great joy, and want to proclaim Him to others.”

Mark 1:40-45

A man suffering from a virulent skin-disease came to Jesus and pleaded on his knees saying, ‘If you are willing, you can cleanse me.’ Feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said to him, ‘I am willing. Be cleansed.’  And at once the skin-disease left him and he was cleansed.

Jesus immediately sent him away and sternly ordered him, ‘Mind you tell no one anything, but go and show yourself to the priest, and make the offering for your cleansing prescribed by Moses as evidence to them.’

The man went away, but then started freely proclaiming and telling the story everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer go openly into any town, but stayed outside in deserted places. Even so, people from all around kept coming to him.

Today's Pointers on God's Word

As you read the passage what words, phases or meanings caught your attention?

  • God’s love for us is all encompassing and unconditional. Jesus is ever willing to heal us of all our physical, emotional, mental and spiritual pains.
  • We want to be healed yet we do not trust God enough. We hold ourselves back in fear because we say, Ï don’t really know what is God’s Will for me.” 
  • Am I humble enough to accept that God’s Wisdom and Compassion is infinitely greater than mine? If so, pray for the grace to entrust your life into God’s hands.