Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Bẩy Tuần 1 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Bẩy Tuần 1 Thường Niên (Mark 2:13-17)

 Những ràng buộc của chúng ta vào thế giới vật chất bởi vì chúng ta đang ở trong một thế giới tiêu dùng; chúng ta không có thời giờ cho người khác vì lối sống máy móc,với kỹ thuật tân tiến đã hủy hoại các mối quan hệ cá nhân của chúng ta với gia đình và những người khác. Những quy tắc đã trở nên quan trọng hơn con người; chúng ta không nhìn xuyên qua trái tim hay tình cảm mà chỉ biết nhìn bằng mắt thường. Chúng ta không nhận ra rằng các ràng buộc đấy sẽ dẫn đưa chúng ta đến hư không.

Lời Chúa có sức mạnh thâm nhập vào linh hồn và tâm hồn của chúng ta. Lời Chúa đánh giá những suy nghĩ và thái độ của tâm hồn con tim chúng ta. Lời Chúa kêu gọi sự suy nghĩ phán đoán của chúng ta như ông Lêvi (Mathêu) đáp lại lời kêu gọi của Chúa Giêsu. Ông ta lắng nghe Chúa Giêsu, tin vào những gì Chúa Giêsu nói và đi theo Chúa Giêsu không chút do dự. Phản ứng kịp thời của ông Lêvi đối với Lời Chúa đã khiến ông ta mời Chúa Giêsu dùng bữa cơm tối vớiông ta. Thiên Chúa phán xét chúng ta về cách chúng ta đáp lại lời Chúa, không phải về cách chúng ta làm sạch hay giữ vệ sinh bề ngoài, mà chính là sự giữ cho tâm hồn bên trong chúng ta được sạch sẽ.

Chỉ có Chúa mới có thể phán xét và tha thứ vì thế chúng ta không nên xét đoán người khác mà nên biết tha thứ. Chúa Giêsu, là Chúa, Ngài đã trở thành con người như chúng ta, Ngài biết mọi yếu điểm của chúng ta. Là con của Thiên Chúa, Ngài biết mọi nhu cầu vần thiết của chúng ta. Do đó, Ngài biết mọi thứ, kể cả những suy nghĩ và thái độ của chúng ta; không có gì mà có thể che giấu được khỏi tầm nhìn của Ngài. Ngài đã đến là để củng cố tâm hồn chúng ta nếu chúng ta tin tưởng vào Ngài, Ngài sẽ an ủi và dẫn đưa chúng ta nghỉ ngơi trong Ngài. Lạy Chúa, xin giúp chúng con biết sống theo đức tin.  Xin giúp chúng con biết dùng lời nói và sự suy nghĩ của chúng con tìm thấy sự ưu ái trước tôn nhan Chúa.

 

Saturday on 1st Week in Ordinary Time  Heb. 4:12-16;  Mk. 2:13-17

Our assumptions are worldly because we are in a consumerist world; we do not have time for others because a mechanical life style has ruined our personal relationships. Rules have become more important than human beings; we do not see through hearts but see through our naked eyes. We do not realize that assumptions lead us to nowhere.

The Word of God has the power to penetrate the soul and spirit. It judges the thoughts and attitudes of our hearts. It calls for our response as Levi responded to Jesus’ call. He listened to Jesus, believed in what he said and followed him without hesitation. His prompt response to the Word of God led him to dine with Jesus. God judges us on how we respond, not on how we are outwardly clean, but inwardly clean.

A clear judgement can come only through Jesus our Lord. Jesus, who became human for us, knows our every weakness. As Son of God he knows our every need. Thus he knows everything of our thoughts and attitudes; nothing is hidden from his sight. He will strengthen us if we trust him alone. He will comfort us if we rest in him. Dear Lord, help us to live by faith. Let our words and thoughts find favour before You.

 

Saturday of the First Week of Ordinary Time 2026

Some scribes who were Pharisees saw that Jesus was eating with sinners and tax collectors and said to his disciples, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus heard this and said to them, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” Mark 2:16–17

Today’s Gospel presents very good news: Jesus “did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” None of us is righteous; we are all sinners. From the divine perspective, each of us is in need of God’s mercy. Admitting this truth and embracing God’s mercy is often difficult for two reasons.

First, we might struggle to view our lives honestly through God’s eyes. This often stems from pride—the sin that gives us a false, elevated image of ourselves. Pride distorts reality, making it difficult to see our weaknesses. Secondly, we often fail to admit our sinfulness because we fail to recognize God’s mercy. If we did recognize and understand God’s infinite mercy, we would not fear to acknowledge our sins.

Imagine this: In an ancient kingdom, a person breaks the law, is arrested, and is brought before the king. Out of fear of punishment, the person might try to hide the truth or downplay the crime. But what if the king were perfectly merciful, only desiring the conversion of his subjects and not their punishment? The guilty person would have no reason to hide. Instead, he could admit his guilt, express sorrow, and resolve to change. In response, the king would not only forgive him but also offer everything necessary to help him begin anew.

This is our God. We do not need to fear being honest with ourselves or with Him. He is the Divine Physician, and we are the sick who need His healing touch. We need to see our sins clearly, confess them humbly, and rely on God’s mercy to change.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus calls the tax collector Levi—also known as Matthew—to follow Him. Levi was a Jew who cooperated with the Roman occupiers, burdening his fellow Jews with unjust taxes. He likely used fear and intimidation to extract more than was owed, enriching himself at their expense. As a result, Levi would have experienced deep guilt and the disdain of Jewish authorities, including the scribes and Pharisees.

Although we do not know the exact workings of Levi’s soul when Jesus called him, we do know his response: He left his customs post, changed his life, and followed Jesus. Levi then welcomed Jesus and His disciples into his home for a meal, where other tax collectors and sinners were present.

The fact that these sinners gathered at Levi’s table and shared a meal with Jesus reveals something extraordinary: They sensed His merciful heart. In Jesus’ presence, they did not feel condemned but loved. His gaze was one of healing, not judgment, inviting them to a new life. That meal was, in essence, a sinners’ gathering—souls who found in Jesus the freedom and hope to change.

The scribes and Pharisees, in contrast, represent more than judgmental attitudes. They symbolize the thoughts of guilt, shame, and unworthiness that often plague those who struggle with habitual sin. These inner voices can lead us to fear repentance, falsely believing that our sins are too great for God’s mercy. We must reject those voices and remember Jesus’ words: “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.”

Reflect today on the freedom that awaits those who discover Jesus as the Divine Physician who heals our wounds. If you allow guilt, shame, or fear to keep you from God’s mercy, then place yourself at that sinners’ meal with Jesus. Sin is a heavy burden to carry, but like Levi, we are invited to turn away from it with humble repentance. Let God forgive your past, heal your wounds, and lead you forward as His disciple.

Lord Jesus, Divine Physician, You are perfectly merciful, desiring to heal sinners, not condemn them. Please help me to see my sins honestly and to trust in Your boundless mercy without fear. May I respond to Your call with humble repentance and follow You with a faithful heart. Jesus, I trust in You.

 

Saturday of the First Week of Ordinary Time 2026

Opening Prayer: Lord God, find me at my place of work and call to me. Do not let my heart be overwhelmed by the cares and anxieties of this world. Teach me to entrust myself to your fatherly care as I seek to serve my brothers and sisters.

Encountering the Word of God

1. The Call of Levi: Today, we read the second of five conflicts narrated in the Gospel of Mark. In the first conflict, Jesus demonstrated his divine authority as the Son of Man to forgive sins. In the second, Jesus acts as a divine physician who attends to the sickness of sinful humanity. Jesus is a gentle physician who spends quality time with his patients. While the scribes and Pharisees disassociated themselves from those they deemed as public sinners, Jesus entered into the lives of those he came to redeem and save. Levi, also known by his Greek name Matthew, was a tax collector. Like the four fishermen who left their boat and nets behind to follow Jesus, Levi left behind his customs post and followed Jesus. All five men humbly recognized their sinful state and their need for Jesus to establish them in a right relationship with God. By contrast, the scribes and Pharisees thought of themselves as already righteous and in no need of a divine physician to heal them.

2. The Desert Fathers: Today, we celebrate the memorial of Saint Anthony the Great (c. 251-356). He was the pioneer of the Desert Fathers, the early Christian hermits, ascetics, and monks who withdrew to the deserts of Egypt, Palestine, Syria, and beyond in the third through fifth centuries. Saint Anthony is considered the “Father of Monasticism.” He sought radical discipleship amid a post-persecution Church that was tempted to grow comfortable and worldly. The desert movement emphasized fleeing societal distractions to pursue undiluted devotion to Christ. The Desert Fathers’ theology was practical and scriptural rather than speculative. It was rooted in imitating Christ and growing in a life of grace. As the bloody persecution of Christians died down in the Roman Empire, the Desert Fathers viewed ascetic withdrawal as a form of “white martyrdom” (a bloodless witness).

3. Life of Saint Anthony: Anthony was born in 251 in Koma, Egypt, some sixty miles south of Cairo. His family was Christian and wealthy and belonged to the rural Egyptian population who were known as “Copts.” When he went to church one day, he heard the words Jesus spoke to the rich young man: “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me” (Matthew 19:21). In response to the Word of God, Anthony immediately sold his property and gave the money to the poor but also set aside some of the money for his younger sister. However, the next time Anthony went to church, he heard the Sermon on the Mount and the following words: “Do not be anxious for tomorrow” (Matthew 6:34). In response, he gave away the remaining sum of money and entrusted his sister to a household of virgins, where she was cared for and raised. Anthony himself, who had detached himself from all earthly possessions, began a life of asceticism that was to form him over the course of several decades. The spirituality of Anthony and the Desert Fathers has many elements worthy of incorporation into our lives: solitude and quiet (hescyhia); asceticism and self-discipline; unceasing prayer; humility and repentance; spiritual warfare and discernment; living in community and entrusting oneself to a spiritual guide; charity and hospitality; detachment and simplicity; and continual meditation on scripture. 

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, teach me the solitude and stillness of living in the desert with you. Free my soul from any attachment to passing and worldly things. Empower me with your grace to overcome sin and temptation.

 

Saturday of the First Week of Ordinary Time

As he passed by, he saw Levi, son of Alphaeus, sitting at the customs post. Jesus said to him, “Follow me.” And he got up and followed Jesus. Mark 2:14

How do you know the will of God for your life? In his spiritual classic, The Spiritual Exercises, Saint Ignatius of Loyola presented three ways in which we come to know the will of God. The first way is the clearest and most definitive way. It is a time in which the person experiences a “clarity beyond doubting” as a result of a special grace of God. In describing this experience, Saint Ignatius mentions the passage quoted above as an illustration of this experience.

There is little said about this call of Levi in the Gospel of Mark, which is also recorded in Matthew’s Gospel (Matthew 9:9). Levi, who is also known as Matthew, was going about his occupation of collecting taxes at his customs post. It appears that Jesus spoke only these two simple words to Levi: “Follow me.” As a result of these two words, Levi abandons his former life and becomes a follower of Jesus. Why would Levi do such a thing? What was it that convinced him to follow Jesus? Clearly there was much more than just a two-word invitation from Jesus that convinced him to respond.

That which convinced Levi was a special grace of God which produced within his soul a “clarity beyond doubting.” Somehow Levi just knew that God was calling him to abandon his former life and embrace this new life. There was no long discussion, no weighing of the pros and cons, no prolonged thinking about it. Levi just knew, and he responded.

Though this form of clarity in life is rare, it’s important to be aware of the fact that sometimes God does act this way. This is a great gift when it happens! And though this depth of instant clarity is not always the way God speaks to us, it’s important to acknowledge that God does speak to us this way at times.

Reflect, today, upon this call of Levi. Ponder this inner certitude he was given in that moment. Try to imagine what he experienced and what others may have thought of his choice to follow Jesus. Be open to this same grace; and if you ever feel as if God speaks to you with such clarity, be ready and willing to respond without hesitation.

My dear Lord, thank You for calling us all to follow You without hesitation. Thank You for the joy of being Your disciple. Give me the grace to always know Your will for my life and help me to respond to You with total abandonment and trust. Jesus, I trust in You.

 

Saturday of the First Week of Ordinary Time 2025

Opening Prayer: Lord God, the world easily attracts all my attention. I can be like Levi with my head buried in numbers and money. Lift my gaze to see your Son calling me to follow him. Give me the strength to leave my earthly customs post behind and dine with your Son at the heavenly banquet.

Encountering the Word of God

1. The Second Conflict: In the first conflict, narrated yesterday in Mark’s Gospel, the scribes accused Jesus of blasphemy. Today the local scribes who belonged to the Pharisees accuse Jesus of associating with tax collectors and public sinners. The Pharisees were a reform movement that sought to attain and maintain ritual purity through strict obedience to the Law of Moses and their traditions. They wanted nothing to do with the Roman Gentiles who occupied the land or with the people who collaborated with them, such as tax collectors. They can’t believe that Jesus and his disciples are having a meal in the house of Levi, a tax collector, and dining with other tax collectors and public sinners. Just as the scribes did not openly accuse Jesus of blasphemy, but did so in the thoughts of their hearts, the Pharisees did not directly accuse Jesus, but went to his disciples and tried to undermine their commitment to him.

2. Jesus, the Physician for Sinners: Jesus heard their question and responded by giving a deeper insight into his person and ministry. On the one hand, he identifies himself as a physician. From Mark’s Gospel, we know that Jesus does not just heal physical ailments, but is also capable of healing spiritual ones. He can cast out demons and forgive sins. On the other, Jesus’ ministry is directed to sinners: “I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” This contains a riddle for the Pharisees, who thought that they were righteous because of their meticulous fulfillment of the Law of Moses. As Paul will later teach, the works of the Law of Moses were unable to justify or make someone righteous. We are justified, not by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus. The Pharisees were blind to their sin. They didn’t recognize that they needed Jesus, the divine physician, to heal their sickness. They thought that they could be in a right relationship with God through their works. As Christians, however, we know that only the grace of God can justify us and that the only works that are meritorious for eternal life are those works of charity empowered by divine grace.

3. Confidently Approach the Throne of Grace: The Letter to the Hebrews exhorts us to confidently approach the throne of divine grace. Because God’s Word is powerful enough, like a sharp sword, to expose our innermost thoughts and desires, we could be tempted to remain in fear. And yet the letter tells us that when we become aware of ourselves as we truly are, we will recognize our need for a trustworthy and merciful high priest to advocate and intercede before God on our behalf. The letter proclaims that we have such a great high priest, Jesus Christ. Aware of this truth we can confidently approach the throne of grace not out of presumption but because of the mercy of Jesus, our high priest. Jesus is the great high priest, and his priestly ministry surpasses all other high priests in power and efficacy. The ancient Levitical and Aaronic priests passed through the veil of the sanctuary of the earthly temple; Jesus, by contrast, has passed the veil of the heavens into the heavenly sanctuary where God dwells. This is the place of his priestly intercession for us. 

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, your Apostle Levi, rose from sitting at his customs post and sat down with you in his house for a meal. Enable me to do the same each day, to leave aside the cares and worries of the present age and experience the transforming and eternal life you offer.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Sáu Tuần 1 Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Sáu Tuần 1 Thường Niên (Mark 2:1-1 1 )
Trong cuộc sống yếu đuối của con người hầu như ai trong chúng ta cũng chỉ thấy những cái xấu trong mọi tình huống. Chúng ta có thể thấy những tin tức tiêu cực mà chúng ta đọc hàng ngày qua các báo chí, trên TV. Chúng ta cũng thấy những cái xấu trên Internet hay qua các tin đồn, bàn luận trên Facebook hay trên các trang sinh hoạt của các nhóm xã hội. Với cái nhìn vào trong những cái khía cạnh của sự xấu xa, chúng ta có lẽ hay thích chê bai hay phỉ báng người khác, có lẽ chúng ta muốn “hạ người khác càng xuống thấp hơn” càng tốt để chúng ta cảm thấy sung sướng và an toàn hơn.
            Qua bài Tin Mừng hôm nay, chúng ta đã thấy những người Pharisêu và các thầy thông giáo đã làm điều đó, Họ coi thường niềm tin của nhiều người khác, và chống đối những nỗ lực của họ khi họ mang một người bại liệt đến gần với Chúa Giêsu. Họ đã cố tìm cách bắt bẻ, gài bẫy và gán ép cho Chúa Giêsu vào một cái tội kêu ngạo và muốn loại bỏ Người ra khỏi vòng pháp luật và tôn giáo của họ, Vì họ coi Chúa Giêsu như là một tội phạm hơn là một Thiên Chúa.
            Chúa Giêsu đã biết rõ rằng những cái khó chịu đó đang âm ỉ trong lòng của họ bởi vì cái thói đạo đức giả và cái niềm tự cao, tự đại của họ mà Ngài đã khẳng định quyền hạn và uy quyền của Ngài bằng cách chữa lành cho người bại liệt này trước những con mắt ngạc nhiên của đám đông. Chúa Giêsu đã cho chúng ta biết rằng là thành viên của Giáo Hội có nghĩa là chúng ta không được phép thách thức quyền năng của Thiên Chúa và những điều tốt đẹp mà Thiên Chúa đã ban cho chúng ta mỗi ngày. Chúng ta có thể có quyền tự do để chỉ trích những sai lầm mà chúng ta thấy thường xảy ra xung quanh chúng ta và trong cuộc sống hàng ngày của chúng ta, nhưng chúng ta không nên đặt mình trên bệ giá cao và tin rằng mình hơn người khác bởi vì chúng ta đều là tạo vật do Thiên Chúa sáng tạo ra và chúng ta đều gọi nhau là Kitô hữu.
            Chúng ta hãy cố tránh những cạm bẫy của niềm tự hào, hay của sự ngoạo mạn và sự kêu ngạo, thay vào đó chúng ta nên làm những việc phục vụ trong sự khiêm tốn như là người tôi tớ khiêm hạ của Thiên Chúa, Chúng ta hãy xin Chúa giúp chúng ta có lòng can đảm để loại bỏ sự cám dỗ của những sự suy nghĩ tiêu cực và biết nắm lấy niềm vui trong Tin Mừng của Chúa Giêsu.
            "Lạy Chúa Giêsu, qua tình yêu, lòng thương xót và sự tha thứ của Chúa, Chúa đã mang đến cho chúng con ơn chữa lành và phục hồi thân xác cũng như linh hồn của chúng con, Xin tình yêu và quyền năng của Chúa xoa dịu cuộc sống của chúng con trong mọi lĩnh vực, Và xin Chúa biến đổi và ban cho chúng con  sức mạnh của Chúa Thánh Thần để chúng con có thể bước đi một cách tự tin trong chân lý, và trong sự công chính của Chúa.
 
REFLECTION
It seems inherent in our human nature to look for the bad in any situation. We can see that in the negative news stories we read in the papers or watch on TV. We also observe it in the gossip that circulates among social groups. By talking about the bad side of others, we perhaps try to bring down people to make ourselves feel good. The scribes at Capernaum in today's Gospel were doing just that. They belittled the faith of several men and brushed off their effort to bring a paralytic close to Jesus. They attempted to make Jesus look like a law-breaker or religious violator instead of the preacher of Good News, which he was doing.
            Jesus was obviously annoyed by the hypocrisy and sky-high pride of the scribes that He asserted His authority and power by healing the paralytic in front of the astonished eyes of the crowd. Jesus gives notice that being members of His Church does not give us the license to challenge His authority and the many good things God provides every day. We may have the freedom to criticize the many wrongs we see happening around us in our daily lives but we should not place ourselves on pedestals and believe ourselves superior to others because we call ourselves Christians. Let us avoid the pitfalls of pride and instead work to be humble servants of God. Let us ask Jesus to remove the temptation of negative thinking and embrace the joy of His Good News.
            "Lord Jesus, through your merciful love and forgiveness you bring healing and restoration to body, soul, and mind. May your healing power and love touch every area of my life -- my innermost thoughts, feelings, attitudes, and memories? Pardon my offences and transform me in the power of your Holy Spirit that I may walk confidently in your truth and righteousness.
 
Friday of the First Week of Ordinary Time
“Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, pick up your mat and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth”—he said to the paralytic, “I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home.” Mark 2:9–11
In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus began His ministry in Capernaum. Shortly after calling His first Apostles, Jesus preached in the synagogue, leaving many amazed. After healing a demoniac and Peter’s mother-in-law, the whole town gathered at the house where Jesus was staying, and “He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him” (Mark 1:34).
After this, Jesus withdrew to a deserted place to pray, despite the people’s growing fascination with His miracles. When the Apostles found Him, He revealed the essence of His mission: “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come” (Mark 1:38). From there, He and His Apostles traveled to other towns, fulfilling His primary mission: to preach the Good News of repentance and reconciliation with God.
In one of these towns, out of deep compassion, Jesus healed a leper. However, this miracle only intensified the people’s focus on His power to heal, overshadowing His preaching. When crowds pursued Him seeking miracles, He returned to Capernaum, which brings us to today’s Gospel.
In Capernaum, Jesus resumed His primary mission: “He preached the word to them” (Mark 2:2). Yet the people, who were focused more on His miraculous works, crowded around Him. As Jesus preached—likely in Peter’s house—some men arrived carrying a paralytic. They were unable to enter because of the crowd, so they climbed to the roof, opened it, and lowered the man down.
What happens next is profound: Jesus looks at the man and says, “Child, your sins are forgiven” (Mark 2:5). Jesus does not first address the man’s physical paralysis. Instead, He speaks to the man’s deeper need—his spiritual healing. Jesus recognized the faith of the paralytic and that of those who brought him and forgave the man’s sins. Why does Jesus do this? Because spiritual healing takes precedence over physical healing. Jesus’ primary mission was to call sinners to repentance and bring about reconciliation with God. Physical healing was always secondary.
When the scribes question Jesus’ authority to forgive sins, they fail to recognize that Jesus is not just a miracle worker—He is the Son of God. To teach them about His authority to forgive sins, Jesus says: “‘But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth’—he said to the paralytic, ‘I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home.’” The man did just that in full view of everyone, leaving the crowd astonished. The physical healing is a visible sign of Jesus’ invisible power to forgive sins. Hence, the miracle in today’s Gospel, which is of secondary importance, was performed to teach the people about Jesus’ primary mission.
In each of our lives, Jesus wants to fulfill His primary mission. He wants to forgive our sins and reconcile us with the Father and with Himself. First and foremost, this takes place through the powerful and transforming Sacrament of Reconciliation. It’s amazing that even though that Sacrament fulfills the essence of Jesus’ mission, many fail to take advantage of that grace, preferring instead to seek other favors from God of their own choosing.
Reflect today on your approach to the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Do you regularly bring your sins to Jesus in faith, allowing Him to heal and reconcile you to the Father? As you ponder today’s Gospel, place yourself in the shoes of the paralytic. See yourself as Jesus sees you—someone in need of His mercy and grace. Though He may grant us many blessings, the greatest gift He desires to bestow is the forgiveness of our sins. Yearn to hear His words echo in your heart in the Sacrament of Reconciliation: “Child, your sins are forgiven.”
Most merciful Lord, You came to preach the Good News of forgiveness and to reconcile us with the Father. This was Your mission long ago, and it remains so today. Grant me the grace to long for this gift always and to make it the focus of my life, so that Your mission may be fulfilled in me. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Friday of the First Week of Ordinary Time 2026
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I praise you for who you are and thank you for all that you have done for me. I entrust myself to your care and guidance. Strengthen me so that I may always walk in your ways and seek your holy will.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Five Conflicts: The Gospel begins a new section in Mark’s Gospel (Mark 2:1-3:35), a section that begins with a series of five conflicts between Jesus and the religious authorities. It ends with Jesus appointing new leaders for Israel (Mark 3:13-19) and with Jesus identifying what makes someone a member of his new family (Mark 3:31-35). In the first conflict, narrated in today’s Gospel, Jesus saw the faith of those who brought the paralytic to him and forgave the paralytic’s sins before healing him. A first moral lesson that we can learn from today’s Gospel is to approach Jesus with faith and trust. The doorway to Jesus was blocked, but a more difficult way, through the roof, was possible with a little effort. A second moral lesson is that we can, like the four men who lowered the paralytic into the house, work to bring people to Jesus. Often, our actions speak louder than words, so true examples of charity, merciful love, and generous self-giving are what we should strive for.
2. From Paralysis to Walking in the Spirit: The healing of the paralytic can be seen as a symbol of the spiritual healing that takes place through the Sacraments of the Church. Just as Jesus healed the man from his physical paralysis and enabled him to walk, so also Jesus heals our spiritual paralysis. Through Baptism, we are cleansed from the stain of original sin and begin to walk in faith, hope, and love. Through Confirmation, we are strengthened with the Spirit to walk as soldiers of Christ who bear witness to him. Through Reconciliation, we are forgiven, restored to friendship with God, and can walk once more to the heavenly gates of eternal life. Through Anointing, we are healed and can walk with suffering Christ to Golgotha and rise with him to new life.
3. Replacing Israel’s Religious Leaders: There were some scribes – some scholars of the Law – in the crowd gathered in Peter’s house in Capernaum. When they heard Jesus forgive the sins of the paralytic, they began to accuse Jesus of blasphemy. Jesus, they thought, was equating himself with God by claiming to have the power to forgive sins. In the five conflicts (Mark 2:1-3:6), the scribes and Pharisees accuse Jesus of blasphemy, of associating with sinners, of not teaching his disciples to fast, and of violating the Sabbath rest. This leads to them plotting to kill Jesus. The five conflicts reveal that Israel needs new leadership. And Jesus will appoint the twelve and send them out with authority to preach the Gospel and drive out demons (Mark 3:13-19). The teaching, governing, and sanctifying authority given by Christ to the Twelve Apostles has been handed on to their successors, the Bishops of the Church.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you heal those who are broken and console those who are afflicted. You are our refuge. Take me by the hand and lift me up when I fall. Raise me up on the last day.
 
Friday of the First Week of Ordinary Time
They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd, they opened up the roof above him. After they had broken through, they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying. Mark 2:3–4
This paralytic is a symbol of certain people in our lives who seem to be incapable of turning to our Lord by their own effort. It’s clear that the paralytic wanted healing, but he was unable to come to our Lord by his own effort. Therefore, the friends of this paralytic carried him to Jesus, opened the roof (since there was such a large crowd), and lowered the man down before Jesus.
The paralysis of this man is a symbol of a certain type of sin. It’s a sin for which someone desires forgiveness but is incapable of turning to our Lord by their own effort. For example, a serious addiction is something that can so dominate a person’s life that they cannot overcome this addiction by their own effort. They need the help of others to even be able to turn to our Lord for help. 
We each must see ourselves as the friends of this paralytic. Too often when we see someone who is trapped in a life of sin, we simply judge them and turn away from them. But one of the greatest acts of charity we can offer another is to help provide them with the means they need to overcome their sin. This can be done by our counsel, our unwavering compassion, a listening ear, and by any act of fidelity to that person during their time of need and despair.
How do you treat people who are caught in the cycle of manifest sin? Do you roll your eyes at them and turn away? Or do you firmly determine to be there for them to give them hope and to assist them when they have little or no hope in life to overcome their sin? One of the greatest gifts you can give to another is the gift of hope by being there for them to help them turn fully to our Lord.
Reflect, today, upon a person you know who seems to be not only caught in the cycle of sin but has also lost hope to overcome that sin. Prayerfully surrender yourself over to our Lord and commit yourself to the charitable act of doing anything and everything you can so as to help them fully turn to our divine Lord.
My precious Jesus, fill my heart with charity toward those who need You the most but seem incapable of overcoming the sin in their lives that keep them from You. May my unwavering commitment to them be an act of charity that gives them the hope they need to surrender their life to You. Use me, dear Lord. My life is in Your hands. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Friday of the First Week of Ordinary Time 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, allow me to experience again the newness of what you have done through the sending of your Son into the world. Do not let me take the grace received in baptism for granted, or be indifferent to the communion I experience with you in the Eucharist.
Encountering the Word of God
1. The First Conflict: Chapter Two in Mark’s Gospel signals a change in the narrative. The “bad guys,” so to speak, are introduced. Chapter One was breathless in narrating one success after another. Jesus taught, healed, and exorcised demons and the people responded to him with faith in his authority and power. Today, we hear of the first opposition to Jesus and his ministry. Jesus returned to Capernaum, to the house of Simon and Andrew, after having traveled around all of Galilee, having preached in the synagogues, and having driven out demons. Many gathered in and around the house in Capernaum to hear Jesus’ preaching. Four men brought a paralytic to Jesus and had to break through the roof of the house to get to Jesus. On seeing the faith of the four men, Jesus responds first not by healing the physical paralysis but by forgiving the spiritual paralysis caused by sin.
2. The Authority of the Son of Man: Instead of believing in Jesus like the four men, the scribes immediately begin to think that Jesus is blaspheming. They know that only God has the power to forgive sins. And if Jesus claims he can do what God alone can do, then he is implicitly claiming to be God. Mark lets us know not only that Jesus is divine because of his power over sickness and demons, but also because Jesus knows the inner thoughts of those around him. God alone knows the human heart, and Jesus manifests this same knowledge. Jesus then performs the miracle of healing to show that he possesses the divine authority to forgive sins. When Jesus says, “Your sins are forgiven,” this is not just lip service or a false claim. If Jesus can forgive physical paralysis, then it is a sign that he can forgive spiritual paralysis and even give this power to forgive sins to his apostles, the successors of the apostles, and the priestly coworkers of these successors.
3. Entering into God’s Rest: The Letter to the Hebrews continues drawing a parallel between the story of the Exodus and our story as Christians. The author notes that the promise of entering into God’s rest remains. The people of the Exodus generation did not enjoy the physical rest offered in the promised land. Even when they entered the land under the leadership of Joshua, they still had to do battle with the pagan peoples who inhabited the land. Only under David, who finished the conquest of Canaan, and Solomon, who built the Temple, did the people experience a partial fulfillment of enjoying divine rest. This period of peace, however, was short-lived. Only through Jesus – who is the New Moses, the New Joshua, the New David, and the New Solomon – are we able to enter into divine rest. We do this through faith: “For we who believed enter into that rest” (Hebrews 4:3). Faith and obediential love go hand in hand. The people of Israel received the Good News of salvation but did not enter into divine rest “because of [their] disobedience.” In these last times, we are encouraged to hear and heed God’s voice and harden not our hearts. Ultimately, Joshua was unable to give the people the promised divine rest, and “a sabbath rest still remains for the people of God” (Hebrews 4:9). We are able, through Jesus, to enjoy that rest, especially on the Lord’s Day, which is a sharing in and an anticipation of the eternal rest in the heavenly Promised Land.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, bring me into the heavenly Promised Land so that I may taste the fruit of the Tree of Life and experience the cleansing power of your gracious mercy. Grant me a share in the divine life and rest you promise.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm Tuần I Thường Niên.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Năm Tuần I Thường Niên. (Mark 1:40-45 )
Qua bài Tin Mừng hôm nay chúng ta thấy người phong cùi đã tới gần Chúa Giêsu và cầu xin ngài chữa lành. Anh ta đã rụt rè khiêm tốn và chỉ dám đề nghị với Chúa rằng "Nếu Ngài muốn, Ngài có thể làm cho tôi sạch!" anh ta không dám năm nĩ xin Chúa Giêsu chữa anh ta, nhưng anh ta chỉ có ý là anh xin được theo như ý Chúa muốn mà thôi.  Cũng vì cử chỉ khiêm tốn và lòng vững tin đó mà Chúa Giê-su đã động lòng thương xót, Ngài đã sốc vì cái sự rụt rè và khiêm tốn của người cùi này. "Tất nhiên Ta muốn, anh hãy nên sạch!"
           Đôi khi những nỗi sợ hãi và những cảm xúc tiêu cực của chúng ta đã nhốt khoá chính mình trong bóng tối để không thể nhận ra Chúa và nhận ra được những ơn lành và long thương xót nơi Thiên Chúa. Chúng ta cần phải thực tâm và vững tin nơi lòng thương xót và từ bi của  Thiên Chúa. Thiên Chúa luôn có sẵn lòng thương xót, và luôn sẵn sàngvgiúp đỡ chúng ta trong những nhu cầu riêng  của chúng ta, nếu chúng ta biết phó thác và đạt niềm tin nơi Ngài. Một phép lạ cần phải có cả hai đối tượng để thực hiện đó là: Thiên Chúa và chúng ta ! Lạy Chúa, xin gia tăng đức tin của chúng con.
 
Thursday 1st Week in Ordinary Time
           The leper was so used to having people run away in disgust and fear that he was afraid to even ask Jesus for healing. He timidly suggested that Jesus could heal him — but only if he wanted to! Jesus, moved with compassion, was shocked at the man’s timidity. ‘Of course I want to, be healed!’ Sometimes our own fear and negative feelings about ourselves blocks us from receiving help and healing from God. We need to really believe in our heart of hearts that God is compassionate, merciful, and eager to help us in our need. It takes two to make a miracle — God and us!  Lord, increase my faith.
 
Thursday of the First Week of Ordinary Time
“See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.” Mark 1:44
Miracles amaze and inspire us. For that reason, it is common for people of faith to pray for them. They are acts of God’s great mercy, but the miracles we pray for are not always part of God’s plan. In today’s Gospel, Jesus heals a leper who comes to Him, kneels down, and says, “If you wish, you can make me clean” (Mark 1:40). After that, Jesus’ Sacred Heart is moved with compassion, so He says to the leper, “I do will it. Be made clean” (Mark 1:41). Once healed, Jesus does something that might surprise us: He tells the man not to tell anyone about the healing. Why the secrecy?
This pattern of a divine manifestation of Jesus’ power, followed by His command not to publicize the experience, is often referred to as Jesus’ “Messianic Secret.” We see this invitation to secrecy especially throughout the Synoptic Gospels. For example, after Peter’s confession of Jesus as the Christ, Jesus “warned them not to tell anyone about him.” (Mark 8:30). Similarly, following the Transfiguration, He commands Peter, James, and John, “Do not tell the vision to anyone until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead” (Matthew 17:9). Even when Jesus silences demons who proclaim His identity, such as when they cry out, “You are the Son of God,” He “rebuked them and did not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Messiah” (Luke 4:41).
This pattern of secrecy highlights an important truth: Jesus’ identity as the Messiah could not be fully understood apart from the Cross and the Resurrection. At this early stage in His ministry, publicizing His miracles risked distorting His mission, as many people expected a political or earthly Messiah. The fact that Jesus manifested His divine power at times led many to seek Him out for that power rather than for the real purpose of His mission. We must learn from this pattern and seek out Jesus for the right reasons.
The Messianic Secret reminds us that while miracles reveal God’s mercy and power, they are not ends in themselves. Rather, they point to the deeper truth of Christ’s mission. He came to reconcile humanity to the Father through His Passion, Death, and Resurrection. This truth calls us to embrace God’s will over our own preferences, humbly recognizing that God’s plan unfolds according to His ways and timing, not ours.
Do you desire miracles in your life? It’s understandable that when we encounter some heavy burden we might ask God to intervene and resolve the situation. God sometimes does so, but only when, in His wisdom, He sees that the answered prayer will bear the most important fruit He desires to bestow: the sanctification of our souls, leading to our salvation.
If we want to be followers of Christ, it’s important that we follow Him on His terms. The heart of the Gospel message is not, “Ask me for favors and I will grant them.” Rather, it is, “Repent, and believe in the Gospel.” Freedom from sin is more important than physical healings or resolutions to earthly issues. In fact, God often uses physical ailments and other crosses to deepen our trust in Him because they give us an opportunity to unite ourselves to His Passion. This leads to greater holiness and eternal blessings, rather than earthly and passing rewards.
Reflect today on the miracles you might be hoping for in your own life. Are you willing to trust in God’s wisdom and timing, even if His answer is not what you want? Rather than focusing solely on temporal favors, resolve to deepen your faith in Christ’s mission. Commit to embrace His will, especially in moments of suffering or uncertainty, knowing that God’s greatest desire is your salvation. Seek first His Kingdom, confident that His plan—whether through miracles, crosses, or quiet moments of grace—will always lead you to a deeper union with Him.
All-powerful Lord, You can do all things. At times, You intervene and bring resolution to crosses. At other times, You call me to embrace those crosses with hope and trust, knowing that Your wisdom is far above my own. Please give me the grace I need to seek Your will above my own, trusting that You will work all things for good when I love You with all my heart. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Thursday of the First Week of Ordinary Time 2026
Opening Prayer: Lord God, you sent your Son to heal us and your Spirit to sanctify us. I will faithfully listen to your Son’s word and allow your Spirit to guide me.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Jesus in the Desert: The Gospel of Mark gives the appearance of an unpolished collection of source material about the life of Jesus, based on the preaching of Simon Peter in Rome. This collection is unpolished, but it has a wonderfully deep and hidden structure and is organized into various sections with a common word or theme. Scholars have identified a “conflict section” in Mark 2:1-3:35, a parable section about the Kingdom of God in Mark 4:1-34, an authority section in Mark 4:35-6:33, a “bread section” in Mark 6:34-8:21, and a journey to Jerusalem section in Mark 8:22-10:52. If we were to give a title to the section in the first chapter, it is notable that it mentions the desert six times. And so, it could be called the desert or wilderness section. Mark begins his Gospel with the prophecy of Isaiah about a voice crying in the desert and John bringing the people into the desert. The first chapter ends with Jesus going off to pray in the desert and being forced to remain “outside in deserted places.” Despite his dwelling in the desert, the people continued to seek out Jesus. The significance of the desert harkens back to the 40-year exodus dwelling of Israel in the wilderness. It also evokes Israel’s experience of living in exile. The exodus and exile end with entering and resting in the Promised Land. It is in the desert that we find our Incarnate Lord. As the Good Shepherd, he will lead us through the valley of the shadow of death and bring us to green pastures, restore our souls, anoint us, and set a table before us. “Surely, goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:6).
2. Leprosy and the Desert: Today’s Gospel opens with a leper finding Jesus and kneeling before him. Lepers were supposed to stay away from the community and live on the outskirts of society. It was a practical way of protecting the community from disease. They lived in deserted places and lived a harsh life until they died from the disease. “Leviticus 13:45-46 commands lepers to keep their garments torn and heads bare, to live outside the camp, and to cry out, ‘unclean, unclean’ should they encounter anyone. Levitical law thus excluded lepers from Temple and synagogue rites and, moreover, effectively cut them off from social contact” (Huizenga, Loosing the Lion, 105). We can imagine the leper calling out, “unclean, unclean” as he approached Jesus. And instead of Jesus fleeing, Jesus remains and welcomes him. The leper’s cry changes from “unclean” to “You can make me clean.” This is a symbol of the Sacrament of Confession. We enter the confessional crying, “unclean, unclean.” And after our confession, we beg for the healing touch of Jesus, who says: “Be made clean!”
3. Jesus Remains in Deserted Places: The end of today’s Gospel has a certain irony to it. Jesus commands the cleansed leper to go first to the priests, who can examine him and restore him to the community. Instead, the leper begins to do the opposite of what Jesus commanded him and begins to publicize all that Jesus had done for him. Because of this, Jesus was unable to enter the towns of Galilee openly. The leper dwelt in deserted places and can now freely go about in the town. Jesus, who travelled freely from town to town, now has to remain outside in deserted places. On the one hand, this symbolizes the redemption and how Jesus took upon himself the leprosy of our sins. On the other hand, this means that we need to imitate Jesus and search for him “in deserted places.” The desert is a powerful symbol of the beginning stages of the spiritual life. “To become a saint, you must learn to enter into, survive, and then abide in the spiritual desert. … Heading into the heart of a dry, arid, and sandy emptiness does not seem like a likely place to start the journey of becoming a saint. But we follow Jesus, who himself began his public ministry by going into the desert” (Mitchell, Sanctity Simplified, 74).
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, help me to flee the things of this passing world and enter into the freedom and silence of the desert, where you dwell. Cleanse me from my sin and guide me along the path to true holiness.
 
Thursday of the First Week of Ordinary Time
A leper came to him and kneeling down begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched the leper, and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean.” Mark 1:40–41
If we come to our divine Lord with faith, kneel down before Him and present our need to Him, then we also will receive the same response given to this leper: “I do will it. Be made clean.” These words should give us hope in the midst of any and every challenge in life.
What is it that our Lord wills for you? And what is it that He desires to make clean in your life? This story of the leper coming to Jesus does not mean that our Lord will grant any and every request we bring to Him. Instead, it reveals that He wills to make us clean of that which afflicts us the most. Leprosy in this story should be seen as a symbol of the spiritual ills that afflict your soul. First and foremost, it should be seen as a symbol of the sin in your life that has become habitual and slowly does great damage to your soul.
At that time, leprosy not only caused grave physical damage to a person, but it also had the effect of isolating them from the community. They had to live apart from others who did not have the disease; and if they came near others, they had to show they were lepers by certain external signs so that people would not come in contact with them. Thus, leprosy had both personal and communal ramifications.
The same is true with many habitual sins. Sin does damage to our souls, but it also affects our relationships. For example, a person who is habitually harsh, judgmental, sarcastic or the like will experience the ill effects of these sins on their relationships.
Returning to the statement of Jesus above, consider that sin which not only affects your soul the most but also your relationships. To that sin, Jesus wishes to say to you, “Be made clean.” He wants to strengthen your relationship by cleansing the sin within your soul. And all it takes for Him to do that is for you to turn to Him on your knees and to present your sin to Him. This is especially true within the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Reflect, today, upon your closest relationships in life. And then consider which of your sins most directly hurts those relationships. Whatever comes to mind, you can be certain that Jesus wants to rid you of that spiritual leprosy within your soul.
My divine Lord, help me to see that which is within me that most harms my relationships with others. Help me to see that which causes isolation and hurt. Give me the humility to see this and the trust I need to turn to You to confess it and seek Your healing. You and You alone can free me from my sin, so I turn to You in confidence and surrender. With faith, I also await Your healing words, “I do will it. Be made clean.” Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Thursday of the First Week of Ordinary Time 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I kneel down before you in prayer and ask that you cleanse me from my sin and any attachments to sin. Help me break the sinful bonds of slavery and experience the fullness of true freedom.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Healing the Leper: In Mark’s Gospel, the beginning of Jesus’ ministry was one success after another. Jesus didn’t meet any opposition from the religious authorities or any lack of faith. He was teaching in a new way and the people he encountered marveled at his awesome teaching authority. Jesus cast out demons and commanded them to be silent. He healed everyone who came to him. In today’s Gospel, when Jesus touched the leper, the action did not render Jesus unclean. The exact opposite happened. Jesus touched the leper and rendered the leper clean. The reason why Jesus told him to go to the priests and make an offering for his cleansing was so that the leper could be reintroduced into the community (see Leviticus 14). For years, the leper in today’s Gospel was a social outcast, unable to go into the synagogue, unable to go on pilgrimage with the people of God, and unable to worship at the Temple. By showing himself to the priest and the priest declaring that the leper was now clean, the cleansed leper could rejoin the community and worship the Lord God with his brothers and sisters. 
2. New Covenant Healing: While Jesus’ cleansing action is simple and direct, the ritual prescribed for readmitting a cleansed leper into the community in Leviticus 14 was very involved. It consisted in the offering of birds, lambs, and grain, and anointing with oil. The cleansed leper would have oil placed on their ear, thumb, toe, and head. The complicated rites and burdensome laws of the old covenant are being brought to fulfillment by Jesus in the simplicity and freedom of the New Covenant! When we are healed from our spiritual leprosy in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we do not need to offer animal sacrifices in gratitude, but we are given a penance. In the Sacrament, we are not anointed with oil, but we are strengthened by the anointing Spirit for the battle against sin. And in the Sacrament, we are reunited with our brothers and sisters in the Church.
3. Harden Not Your Hearts: The Letter to the Hebrews has proclaimed that as God’s definitive Word, Jesus is superior to all the prophets and that as God’s Son, he is superior to all the angels. In chapter three, the letter recalls the Exodus journey of God’s people and hints at Jesus as being superior to Moses. The letter quotes Psalm 95 which invites the people of Israel to not harden their hearts as the people did in the wilderness. Again and again, the people of the Exodus generation rebelled against God and they were punished with not entering into the Promised Land. The letter warns us that we should not imitate the Exodus generation so that we may enter into the eternal rest of the heavenly Promised Land. We are not led by Moses but by Jesus. As we journey through life, we need to recognize that we have become partners of Christ and need to hold firm until the end, preserving in faith and not succumbing to the deceit of sin.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you are my true leader. I will follow in your footsteps and walk with you on the way that leads to eternal life. Cleanse my heart and soul as I walk beside you. Sustain me when I am weak and weary. Pick me up when I falter. Carry me, like a Good Shepherd, when I need it most.

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần I Thường Niên

Suy Niệm Tin Mừng Thứ Tư Tuần I Thường Niên. Mark 1:29-39
 Trong cuộc sống trên đời này, con người không ai có thể tránh được tất cả những bệnh tật, đau khổ và những khó khăn trong cuộc đời. Vì thế chúng ta cần đến với Chúa, nhưng ma quỷ luôn ở bên cạnh và luôn muốn có sự ảnh hưởng trong cuộc sống tâm linh của chúng ta, nên chúng ta cũng cần phải biết khiêm tốn đến Chúa xin Chúa ban ơn giải thoát cho chúng ta tránh khỏi được những sự dữ. Tuy nhiên, trước khi chúng ta biết những gì chúng ta muốn, Chúa đã biết và sẵn sàng giúp ban cho chúng ta những gì chúng ta cần. Ngài chắc chắn sẽ nắm chắc lấy bàn tay run rẩy của chúng ta để cho những cơn sốt, những đau bệnh và sự dữ có thể trục xuất ra khỏi con người của chúng ta. Chúa vẫn vẫn còn đang tiếp tục sứ mệnh cứu chuộc của Ngài. Nhưng điều này chỉ có thể xảy ra nếu chúng ta sẵn lòng để Thiên Chúa chiếm ngự cuộc sống của chúng ta. Và điều này chỉ có thể ảnh hưởng đến chúng ta nếu chúng ta bằng lòng cho phép Ngài ôm giữ chúng ta, và để Ngài quan tâm đến cuộc sống tâm linh của chúng ta.
Khi con người cảm thấy tuyệt vọng tột cùng, họ đã ngã mình xuống dưới chân Chúa để cầu xin sự giúp đỡ vì họ biết rằng Chúa luôn sẵn sàng ban cho họ những ơn mà họ xin.   Tuy nhiên, nếu chúng ta cảm nhận được những “phép lạ” mà Thiên Chúa đã ban riêng cho mỗi người chúng ta. Nhưng sự cứu chữa khỏi bệnh tật và chinh phục được những sự cám dỗ của ma quỷ ở nơi chúng ta chỉ có thể thành công tốt đẹp nếu chúng ta biết thành tâm đặt niềm tin cậy vào nơi Chúa như một người bạn thân qua những lời nguyện xin trong sự khiêm tốn, Tin vào sự hiện diện liên tục của Đức Kitô ở nơi giữa chúng ta.
Chúng ta hãy cầu xin Chúa cho chúng ta được ơn biết nhận thức ra tình yêu của Chúa trong những nơi và những khi thật bất ngờ và trong những khoảnh khắc đáng ngạc nhiên mà Chúa đã tạo ra.
 
REFLECTION
As daunting illness enters into our reality, we imploringly pray for healing. When there are evil forces out there that seem to be affecting our balance, we humbly ask for deliverance. However, even before we know what we want, Jesus is already willing to give us what we need. He firmly grasps our trembling hands so that the fever may leave us. He places his gentle palms over us, and the tormenting voices are silenced. The mission continues even up to this very day. But this can happen only once we let him into our lives. This can affect us only if we allow him to hold us, to deeply care for us.
             In the Gospels, we read about how he helped so many people in distress. When they felt that they were on their last legs, they threw themselves at his feet begging for help which he willingly offered. However, if we just let these miracles remain as words on pages, we can never truly experience his love being etched in our hearts. But salvation from sickness and conquest of demons in our midst becomes possible only with his touch of love and compassion. And this can unfold in the most subtle of ways – through the gentle and reassuring embrace of a trusted friend, from the inspiring conversation with an acquaintance, through the prayers sent over the internet — these are all humble manifestations of the continuing presence of Christ in our midst. Let us beg for the grace of awareness so that we may recognize his love in the most unexpected of places and in the many surprising moments he creates.
 
Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Rising very early before dawn, he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed. Simon and those who were with him pursued him and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.” He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also. For this purpose have I come.” So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons throughout the whole of Galilee. Mark 1:35–39
Jesus’ prayer was unique. He did not pray because He needed God in His life—He was and is God. Yet, in His human nature, He regularly withdrew to be alone and to pray to His Father. Jesus’ prayer teaches us two primary lessons.
First, Jesus’ prayer reveals Who He is. He is the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity. As a member of the Trinity, Jesus prayed in solitude, not to become closer to the Father, for He and the Father are eternally one in essence; rather, His prayer expressed and revealed that perfect union to us. Unity with and love of the Father are at the center of Who He is.
Though we are not God, we are made for oneness with God. This is not an external invitation but an essential part of who we are and who we must become. In Heaven, our lives will be one ongoing and eternal expression of prayer—a perfect union with God. That union must begin now, and the foundation of its growth is prayer.
By going off alone to pray to the Father, Jesus also models for us the way to the Father. His action is prophetic, calling us to set aside moments each day for nothing other than prayer. While we are called to pray continually throughout the day, this habit is nourished by intentional moments of silence in which we immerse ourselves in God’s presence. In our fallen nature, daily moments of focused prayer are necessary for clearing the distractions of life, overcoming sin, and allowing God’s grace to draw us into deeper union with Him.
Jesus’ prayer invites us to examine our own daily prayer life. How often do you pray each day? How do you pray? Does your prayer change you, transforming you into who God made you to be? Most people easily find time every day for less important things, such as entertainment, idle conversations, and daily work. Though these things have their place, they must never overshadow that which is most important. We must learn to pray and be faithful to prayer every day.
One of the best ways to pray is to participate in the Mass. In the Mass, we most fully share in Christ’s human life, sacrifice, and divine presence. The Mass is the summit of prayer and the foundation of our spiritual life. We receive Him into our lives as we consume His Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity. To participate in the Mass well, daily moments of prayer are essential. At times, we must silence every other thought and actively offer our praise to God. Meditation on the Word of God is also essential. Taking time to read the Gospel, in particular, and meditating on those passages disposes us to hear God’s voice. His Word counters the many lies and temptations we face during our daily activities, preparing us to live more fully as God’s sons and daughters.
Reflect today on your commitment to daily prayer by following Jesus’ example. Resolve to find a moment of solitude in which you silence your heart and simply dwell in God’s presence. Let this time of prayer become the cornerstone of your day and a foretaste of the union with God in Heaven for which you were created. Prayer is not an option; it is the very path to becoming who we are meant to be—united with God in love, now and for all
My prayerful Lord, Your prayer revealed Your perfect union with the Father and set an example for us to follow. Grant me the wisdom and strength to remain faithful to daily moments of personal prayer—times when I can simply be with You and express my love for You. May these moments transform every part of my day, leading me to greater charity here on earth and preparing me for perfect union with You in eternity. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time 2026
Opening Prayer: Heavenly Father, I am always looking for your Son! I know that through him and in your Spirit, I will encounter you. I know that he will heal me in body and spirit and teach me the path that leads to you.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Jesus Enters Our House: The image of Jesus entering the house of Peter and Andrew is a powerful one. The same Jesus enters the “house” of our soul and transforms us through his grace. Just as Peter’s mother-in-law was healed and elevated, the grace we receive from Christ has a healing dimension and an elevating dimension to it. There is even a transition dimension to this Gospel scene: Jesus leaves the synagogue – a symbol of the assembly of Israel and the Old Law – and enters into the house of Peter – a symbol of the assembly of the universal Church and the New Law. The Sabbath rest comes to an end in the evening, and after sunset, on the first day of the week, the people assemble at the door of Simon Peter. The true sicknesses and diseases that afflict people are not physical ones. They are spiritual ones. We should not fear those who can harm or kill the body, but only those who can kill the soul.
2. The Ministry of Peter’s Mother-in-Law: When we read the Gospel, we can sometimes focus on the Twelve Apostles and their interactions with Jesus. But it is important to read between the lines and think about how often Jesus was in Capernaum and stayed at Peter’s house. During his three years of public ministry in Galilee, Jesus made the three annual pilgrimages to Jerusalem, but spent most of his time in Galilee, with the house of Peter in Capernaum as his home. It is possible that Jesus spent over 50 weeks of his public ministry in Capernaum. And who provided meals and lodging for him and his disciples? Peter’s mother-in-law! She cooked and cleaned, welcomed them, and ministered to them. We do not know her name, but we do know her service. Jesus taught that when we minister to the poor, we minister to him. We can continue the ministry of Peter’s mother-in-law when we serve the poor, the sick, the homeless, the hungry, the thirsty, the imprisoned, and the homebound.
3. Everyone is Looking for You: The Gospel today ends with a phrase that summarizes the deepest longing of every human being: “Everyone is looking for you!” We are all looking for Jesus. We want to encounter him in the Holy Spirit to come to know the Father. “The desire for God is written in the human heart, because man is created by God and for God; and God never ceases to draw man to himself. Only in God will he find the truth and happiness he never stops searching for” (CCC, 27). Man is not just a rational and social animal; he is a religious being: “In many ways, throughout history down to the present day, men have given expression to their quest for God in their religious beliefs and behavior: in their prayers, sacrifices, rituals, meditations, and so forth. These forms of religious expression, despite the ambiguities they often bring with them, are so universal that one may well call man a religious being” (CCC, 28). As Psalm 105:3 says: “Let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.” “Although man can forget God or reject him, He never ceases to call every man to seek him, so as to find life and happiness. But this search for God demands of man every effort of intellect, a sound will, ‘an upright heart,’ as well as the witness of others who teach him to seek God” (CCC, 30).
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, I have sought you and have found you. Help me to be a witness to others and help them seek you and find you
 
Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
When it was evening, after sunset, they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons. The whole town was gathered at the door. He cured many who were sick with various diseases, and he drove out many demons, not permitting them to speak because they knew him.  Mark 1:32–34
Today we read that Jesus once again “drove out many demons…” The passage then adds, “…not permitting them to speak because they knew him.” 
Why would Jesus not permit these demons to speak? Many of the early Church fathers explain that even though the demons had an understanding that Jesus was the promised Messiah, they did not understand fully what that meant and how He would accomplish His ultimate victory. Therefore, Jesus did not want them to speak only half-truths about Him, as the evil one often does, thus misleading the people. So Jesus always forbade these demons from speaking about Him publicly.
It’s important to understand that all of the demonic spirits failed to understand the full truth that it would be Jesus’ death that ultimately destroys death itself and sets all people free. For that reason, we see that these diabolical forces continually conspired against Jesus and tried to attack Him throughout His life.
They stirred up Herod when Jesus was a baby, which forced Him into exile in Egypt. Satan himself tempted Jesus just prior to the beginning of His public ministry so as to try to dissuade Jesus from His mission. There were many diabolical forces who continually attacked Jesus throughout His public ministry, especially through the ongoing hostility of the religious leaders at the time. And it can be presumed that these demons may have initially thought they won the battle when they accomplished their goal of having Jesus crucified. 
The truth, however, is that Jesus’ wisdom continually confounded these demons and ultimately transformed their evil act of having Him crucified into an ultimate victory over sin and death itself by rising from the dead. Satan and his demons are real, but compared to the truth and wisdom of God, these diabolical forces reveal their complete foolishness and weakness. Just like Jesus, we need to rebuke these tempters in our lives and command that they be silent. Too often we allow their half truths to mislead us and confuse us.
Reflect, today, upon the importance of confidently rebuking the evil one and the many lies he tempts us to believe. Rebuke him with the truth and authority of Christ and pay no attention to what he says.
My precious and all-powerful Lord, I turn to You and You alone as the source of all Truth and the fullness of Truth. May I listen to Your voice alone and reject the many deceptions of the evil one and his demons. In Your precious name, Jesus, I rebuke satan and all evil spirits, their lies and their temptations. I send these spirits to the foot of Your Cross, dear Lord, and open my mind and heart only to You. Jesus, I trust in You.
 
Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time 2025
Opening Prayer: Lord God, I have experienced the healing touch of your Son in the waters of Baptism and at the throne of mercy in the confessional. I am humbled by how much you love me and care for me.
Encountering the Word of God
1. Entering Peter’s House on the New Sabbath: On the Sabbath in Capernaum, Jesus taught in the local synagogue and cast out a demon. And, on entering the house of Simon and Andrew, he healed Simon’s mother-in-law. He then had a meal with his new followers. These four actions anticipate our celebration of the New Sabbath, on Sunday. At mass, we listen to and are taught by the Word of God. At the beginning of mass, we confess our sins and receive forgiveness. At mass, we are spiritually healed. And, at mass, we dine with Jesus and receive the Bread of Life and the Chalice of Salvation. Every mass, we spiritually enter into the house of Simon Peter, a symbol of the Church.
2. Healing Ministry Sustained by Prayer: When the Sabbath is over, in the evening, at sunset, the people begin to bring all who were sick or possessed by demons to the door of Simon Peter’s house. The people came to Peter’s house and experienced God’s care and mercy through Jesus. They were healed in body and spirit. The four fishermen, recently called by Jesus to leave their nets, began to observe how their new ministry as followers of Jesus, would unfold. The nets of salvation they will cast to gather the people are spiritual nets of healing and mercy. Just as Jesus rose early in the morning to pray before setting out again to preach and heal, so also the disciples of Jesus need to build their ministry on prayerful communion with the Father. Apart from God, we can do nothing of lasting value; with God, however, all things are possible.
3. A Merciful and Faithful High Priest: The Letter to the Hebrews proclaims what Jesus has done for us. He assumed our human nature: “Since the children share in blood and Flesh, Jesus likewise share in them.” One of the reasons why the Son of God did this was to destroy the Devil and free us. He destroyed death by dying. He freed us from slavery by becoming a servant. Jesus was not sent to help the angels, but the children of Abraham. To help us, he became like us in every way but sin. He was tested like us and can help us who are being tested. He suffered like us and can help us persevere through suffering. He is our high priest with two important characteristics: faithful and merciful. On the one hand, he is worthy of our trust because he is our faithful God who did not fail when tested. On the other, he is merciful because he experienced what we experience and understands our situation.
Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, help me to see the mystery of the Church revealed in the humble house of Peter in Capernaum. All are welcome into this house and called to enter into it to receive your forgiveness, healing, and nourishment.