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Sunday, January 29, 2006

Meditation
Mark 1:21-28

In a sense, today’s gospel reading gives us a microcosm of all the stories about Jesus’ public ministry in the gospels. Mark tells us that just before this demoniac entered the synagogue, the Jews were astounded by Jesus’ preaching. They could sense that Jesus spoke with the authority of God, while the scribes relied on the authority of education and tradition.

Obviously, Jesus wants us to be educated. And of course he places a great value upon our traditions. But at the same time, when God’s power and his authority are present, we can tell the difference. We feel the peace, the hope, and the love. When the Holy Spirit is at work, our faith increases, and we respond to it.

The Jews were not the only ones who saw a difference in Jesus. And the demon saw it as well. He was so upset by Jesus’ presence, in fact, that he blurted out: “I know who you are, the Holy One of God” (Mark 1:24). The difference between the people’s response and the demon’s response, however, is significant. Being astounded by Jesus is not necessarily the same as knowing that he is the Holy One of God. It’s even possible that some of those who were amazed by Jesus were the same people who eventually turned against him.

So ask yourself today: “Am I relying only on the good authority that is embodied in education, good reason, and longstanding traditions? Or am I allowing myself to be taught by the Holy Spirit as well—by the One who brings the authority of God to life in my heart and mind?” The people in Jesus’ time knew the difference, and so can we.

If you want to know that difference, turn to the Lord today at Mass and ask him for more of his Spirit. Every morning when you wake up, tell the Lord: “You are the Holy One of God. What do you want to do in my life today?” Then watch what happens.

“Lord, you constantly protect your church from the hand of evil. Teach us with your authority. Work in our lives and enliven us with your heavenly grace.”

Deuteronomy 18:15-20; Psalm 95:1-2,6-9; 1 Corinthians 7:32-35

The Work of God

Year B

- Fourth Sunday in ordinary time

He taught with authority in the Synagogues

Mark 1:21-28

21 They went to Capernaum; and when the sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught.
22 They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
23 Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit,
24 and 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."
25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent, and come out of him!"
26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him.
27 They were all amazed, and they kept on asking one another, "What is this? A new teaching -- with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him."
28 At once his fame began to spread throughout the surrounding region of Galilee.
(NRSV)

Inspiration of the Holy Spirit - From the Sacred Heart of Jesus

The Scribes and the Pharisees were the people dedicated to the Holy Scriptures, they were the teachers of the Law who inspired respect for their wisdom. This however made them very proud and careless to the point of neglecting the true teachings of God in exchange for rituals and man made words.

As soon as I started teaching in the synagogue everyone was surprised to hear what they heard, to see what they saw and to experience a presence they had never felt before.

They were not listening to another human being full of sin and pride who was misusing his authority, they suddenly heard words direct from the mouth of God.

I came to the world with the authority of my own word, a voice that commands every time it speaks. My word has the power to create. It is a voice that changes darkness into light, death into life, and sinners into saints.

Behind my words was the power of God proving that I was sent from heaven into the world. I spoke with the wisdom of God, with an eloquence never heard before that is full of humility. I came to renew the world.

My words are life, therefore I call you to listen to them and to put them into practice. I challenge you to change, to become like me. I don’t force anyone to follow me, but those who follow me find peace, joy and eternal life.

My gospels contain all the teachings necessary to provide the change required in every soul. I spoke with simple words, full of meaning, so that everyone could understand me.

I did not stop there. I keep on calling everyone in the silence of their hearts to listen to me, to amend their lives and to live according to my desires.

My dear soul, I am speaking to you at this very moment. Do not turn away from me, do not reject me. All that I want is your appreciation for what I am doing for you. Therefore stop and meditate, pray and open your heart, desire the holy spirit to speak to your heart and you will hear my words clearly. Do not be afraid, give the spirit a chance, do not block it with your intellect, become like a little child and lean on me.

I made myself a child for your sake, so that no one could feel inferior to me, I became a man like anyone of you, to demonstrate my love for all. I taught you very deeply with my own words.

I speak to you now, so that you can hear me personally. I died for your sins so that you may have hope in me, the Lord your savior, who loves you patiently.

Author: Joseph of Jesus and Mary

One Bread, One Body

<< Sunday, January 29, 2006 >>

4th Sunday Ordinary Time

Deuteronomy 18:15-20
1 Corinthians 7:32-35

Psalm 95
Mark 1:21-28

View Readings

RATED "R"

"I have no desire to place restrictions on you, but I do want to promote what is good, what will help you to devote yourselves entirely to the Lord." —1 Corinthians 7:35

We must accept certain restrictions if we wish to totally commit our lives to the Lord. Gospel poverty, celibacy, a large family, a faithful marriage, a demanding ministry — all restrict us significantly. However, any decision or commitment restricts us. Any successful athlete, business person, or celebrity has placed severe restrictions on themselves. How much more willing should we be to restrict ourselves out of love for the Lord!

Consider what Jesus did for us. When He became a man, He emptied Himself and took the form of a slave (Phil 2:7). There is no greater restriction than to be nailed to a cross. Jesus was the most restricted person who has ever lived, but also the most free. He broke all restrictions of space and time by rising from the dead and ascending to heaven. We too can be restricted and resurrected as He was.

Prayer: Jesus, give me the freedom to be committed and self-sacrificing.

Promise: "The unclean spirit convulsed the man violently and with a loud shriek came out of him." —Mk 1:26

Praise: Praise Jesus, Who gave up all freedom both natural and supernatural so that we may be free.

Compline -- Night Prayer

Compline (Night Prayer)

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.

This is an excellent moment for an examination of conscience. In a communal celebration of Compline, one of the penitential acts given in the Missal may be recited.

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 90 (91)
The protection of the Most High
He will shade you with his wings; you will not fear the terror of the night. Alleluia.
He who lives under the protection of the Most High dwells under the shade of the Almighty. He will say to the Lord: “You are my shelter and my strength, my God, in whom I trust”. For he will free you from the hunter’s snare, from the voice of the slanderer. He will shade you with his wings, you will hide underneath his wings. His faithfulness will be your armour and your shield. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day; nor the plague that walks in the shadows, nor the death that lays waste at noon. A thousand will fall at your side, at your right hand ten thousand will fall, but you it will never come near. You will look with your eyes and see the reward of sinners. For the Lord is your shelter and refuge; you have made the Most High your dwelling-place. Evil will not reach you, harm cannot approach your tent; for he has set his angels to guard you and keep you safe in all your ways. They will carry you in their arms in case you hurt your foot on a stone. You walk on the viper and cobra, you will tread on the lion and the serpent. Because he clung to me, I shall free him: I shall lift him up because he knows my name. He will call upon me and for my part, I will hear him: I am with him in his time of trouble. I shall rescue him and lead him to glory. I shall fill him with length of days and show him my salvation. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
He will shade you with his wings; you will not fear the terror of the night. Alleluia.

Reading	Apocalypse 22:4-5
They will see the face of the Lord, and his name will be marked on their foreheads. There will be no more night: they will not need sunlight or lamp-light, because the Lord God himself will shine upon them. And they will reign for ever and ever.

Short Responsory	?
Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. You have redeemed us, Lord, God of faithfulness. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. - Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit.

Canticle	Nunc Dimittis
Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace. Alleluia.
Now, Master, you let your servant go in peace. You have fulfilled your promise. My own eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all peoples. A light to bring the Gentiles from darkness; the glory of your people Israel. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Keep us safe, Lord, while we are awake, and guard us as we sleep, so that we can keep watch with Christ and rest in peace. Alleluia.

Prayer
Let us pray. Today we have celebrated the mystery of the Christ’s resurrection, and so now we humbly ask you, Lord, that we may rest in your peace, far from all harm, and rise rejoicing and giving praise to you. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.

May the almighty Lord grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.

A M E N

An antiphon to Our Lady should be recited here.

Here's hoping someone new will investigate the Catholic Caucus thread for the first time, and be blessed.

great posts -- thank you

E Mailed link to self...Thank You for the link/post.

Authority over Demons

by Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Ph.D.

Other Articles by Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Ph.D.

Authority over Demons

01/30/06

I’ve read many term papers in my day. Most of them are no more than a patchwork of quotes. That’s because college students are smart enough to know that they really can’t say much on their own authority: to make their case, they have to lean on the authority of others more learned than themselves.


That’s exactly how the scribes and Pharisees taught in Jesus' day. “Rabbi Abraham says this... Rabbi Gamaliel says that...". So when a new young rabbi appears in Capernaum, this is what people expect. They are in for a surprise: He quotes no one else except God’s Word. That’s because there is no one more learned than He. In fact, He happens to be God’s Word made flesh. But He doesn’t just speak to the humble townspeople this way. When He encounters superhuman forces that strike fear into the hearts of men, He is unruffled. There are no incantations; He does not plead. Rather than Jesus being afraid of them, the demons are afraid of Him. Upon seeing Him, they shriek. He calmly commands, “Shut up and get out.” A moment later all is still. A former victim is now a free man and bystanders marvel. Word easily travels fast — little Capernaum happens to be right on a caravan route from Syria to the region of Galilee and beyond. But isn’t all this talk of demons just a relic of the mythological world-view of pre-scientific people? After all, these primitive folks don’t know about mental illness, chemical imbalance, viruses, and bacteria. Surely they just explained what they could not understand in terms of the supernatural. That sounds very sophisticated, but it’s dead wrong. First of all, demons are not supernatural at all. Super-natural means above and beyond nature or creation — in other words, uncreated and transcendent. Only God qualifies for this label. St. Thomas called the realm of angels and demons “preternatural” since it escapes the sensory knowledge that we can have of the rest of creation. We human beings were created by God as enfleshed spirits. But divine revelation tells us that God also created pure spiritual beings with the same freedom we have. Those who have chosen to use that freedom to serve God we call “angels” or messengers. Those who used their freedom to defy God are called demons. Pride and envy lead them to hate not only God, but us, who are made in God’s image and likeness. So people in Jesus' day had good cause to fear demons — they are hostile and powerful. Plus, their intelligence is superior to ours — note that the demon in the story, unlike the humans, instantly recognized Who Jesus was. OK, the ancients may have attributed too much to demonic influence, but moderns tend to make the opposite error. The existence of the angelic and demonic realm is part of the ordinary teaching of the Church’s Magisterium, clearly reaffirmed by Popes Paul VI and John Paul II. In fact, when we say in the Creed that we believe in the Creator of heaven and earth, “of all things visible and invisible,” the invisible things refer precisely to that realm. So why is it important to believe that such creatures exist? Because the first rule of warfare is to know your enemy. Paul tells us clearly in Ephesians 6:12, “Our battle is not against human forces but against the principalities and powers...the evil spirits.” Only God has power over this world. Jesus, in commanding the demons, as He later in the Gospel commands the wind and the waves, does what only God can do. Once we are joined to Christ, the enemy has no more authority or power over us. Unless, of course, we give it to him through sin. If we cling to the Lord and listen to Him, we have nothing to worry about. If not, we have lots to worry about. Dr. D'Ambrosio studied under Avery Cardinal Dulles for his Ph.D. in historical theology and taught for many years at the University of Dallas. He now directs www.crossroadsinitiative.com, which offers Catholic resources for RCIA, adult faith formation, and teens, with a special emphasis on the Year of the Eucharist, the Theology of the Body, the early Church Fathers, and the sacrament of confirmation. (This article originally appeared in Our Sunday Visitor and is used by permission of the author.)

Talk about perfct timing.
I ned to copy and paste this to a freind this morning.