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To: All
Homily of the Day
January 18, 2018

The Gospel reading tells us about the public ministry of the Lord: preaching the Good News through his teaching, healing and expelling of evil spirits. He taught in synagogues, by the lakeside and on the mountainsides. People from all over came in large crowds to hear him and especially to have their sick cured and those with unclean spirits cleansed and freed. The people were anxious to hear Jesus. They wondered at his teaching and healing signs. Even the evil spirits knew and acknowledged him, “You are the Son of God.”

The same Good News which Jesus preached and confirmed with his miracles is still being preached to all the world. Before Jesus ascended to his Father after his rising from the dead, he commissioned his disciples and those to succeed them, “Go out to the whole world and proclaim the Good News to all creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; the one who refuses to believe will be condemned.” (Mk 16:15 – 16)

The mission to proclaim the Good News is not only for the ordained ministers of the Church: the mission to proclaim the Good News is for all baptized Christians so that they could share in faith and with joy the Good News they have received and accepted with all creation. And the proclamation of the Good News is done not only by word but more effectively by example of living the precepts and values of the Good News in our lives.


32 posted on 01/18/2018 6:02:05 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: All
One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body

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All Issues > Volume 34, Issue 1

<< Thursday, January 18, 2018 >>
 
1 Samuel 18:6-9; 19:1-7
View Readings
Psalm 56:2-3, 9-13 Mark 3:7-12
Similar Reflections
 

JEALOUS RAGE

 
"Saul was jealous of David." �1 Samuel 18:9
 

Saul went to sleep jealous; he woke up demon-possessed (1 Sm 18:10). Cain also slept on his jealousy (Gn 4:5). He later committed the first homicide and fratricide. The religious leaders of Jesus' time were jealous of Him. They refused to put their jealousy to death. Instead, they put God to death after brutally torturing Him (Mt 27:18).

Many religious leaders after Jesus' time have continued to crucify Jesus and hold Him up to contempt (Heb 6:6) by persecuting His followers (see Acts 9:5). They have done this for the same reason that their forebears killed God � jealousy (see Acts 13:45).

Jealousy is very deadly. It was the motive for the first murder and the worst murder. In jealousy, we have killed both men and God. Jealousy is one of the oldest strongholds of the evil one (see 2 Cor 10:4), and it is stronger than ever today.

"Do you suppose it is to no purpose that Scripture says, 'The spirit He has implanted in us tends toward jealousy'? Yet He bestows a greater gift" (Jas 4:5-6). Therefore, by God's grace, "never act out of rivalry or conceit; rather, let all parties think humbly of others as superior to themselves, each of you looking to others' interests rather than to his own" (Phil 2:3-4).

 
Prayer: Father, make me so secure in Your love that I will resist the temptation to be jealous.
Promise: "Because He had cured many, all who had afflictions kept pushing toward Him to touch Him." —Mk 3:10
Praise: Antonio practiced humility until it became habitual.

33 posted on 01/18/2018 6:11:34 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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