Thursday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

January 23, 2020

Deacon Anthony J. Cincotta

Assistant Director for Retreat Ministry

Memorial Feast:  Saint Vincent of Saragossa (c.304) Martyr – Patron Saint of the Order of Deacons

First Book of Samuel 18:6-9, 19:1-7

Psalm 56

Mark 3:7-12

When we hear about a celebrity such as a famous entertainer, athlete, politician, or whomever, visit somewhere, they are generally followed by an “entourage” and subsequently a large crowd gathers.  This type of adoration sounds like one of the many occasions in the Gospels of how the crowds pressed in upon Jesus so that He might cure them.  In today’s Gospel the crowds did just that.  They followed Him from Galilee and Judea and a place called Idumea.  “Id-u- me- a”  is the Greek pronunciation of the kingdom of Edom which is south of Judea on the Red Sea.  The crowds did not want to be entertained, or get a signed autograph from a famous athlete, or hear a political speech.  They came to be healed!

But the crowd was so great that Jesus tells His disciples (His entourage) to get a boat ready so they would not crush Him.  These are the people who turn to Christ in their need.  He attends to them because He has a compassionate and merciful heart.  During the three years of His public life He has healed many people, He has freed those possessed by the devil, and He has raised the dead.  Jesus did not heal all of the sick people in the world nor did He eliminate all the sufferings of this life.  Physical pain is not an absolute evil – sin is!

Friends, I picture Jesus, in Mark’s Gospel, as having a simple message for us;  He has come to share with us how we must surrender to God the Father as a way of saving the world and our immortal souls.  It won’t be through the working of miracles.  Jesus told His disciples that it would only be in losing ourselves that we can find ourselves.  He did not want to be honored.  He wanted to be a servant and inspire us to be servants by placing the needs of others first.  He showed all of us how to understand His mission and ministry and how to follow Him to the Father.  As Jesus withdraws from the crowd I personally feel a special closeness to Him.  After all, He did come into the world to be with all of us – didn’t he?

Question of the Day:  Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God and will follow His Holy Words?

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, purify my heart so that I may follow You always.

Prosit

ENCOUNTERING DIVINE PHYSICIAN (Gospel of Luke 5: 17-26)

Consider joining the Men and Women of Malvern by deepening your personal relationship with Jesus and your commitment as a disciple through a weekend retreat. 

COMPANIONS ON THE JOURNEY – Join us every Tuesday from 5 pm – 6 pm for this new and exciting radio broadcast from Malvern Retreat House on Radio Maria USA. Download the app for Radio Maria or go to the internet at http://radiomaria.us/