1st Week in Ordinary Time
11th January 2024 (Thursday)
Psalter: Week 1
Reading of the Day
First Reading: 1 Samuel 4:1-11
It happened that in those days, Israel went out to battle against the Philistines. They encamped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines encamped at Aphek. The Philistines drew up in line against Israel, and when the battle spread, Israel was defeated before the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the field of battle. And when the people came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the Lord defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord here from Shiloh, that it may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.” So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, who is enthroned on the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God. As soon as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came into the camp, all Israel gave a mighty shout, so that the earth resounded. And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shouting, they said, “What does this great shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” And when they learned that the ark of the Lord had come to the camp, the Philistines were afraid, for they said, “A god has come into the camp.” And they said, “Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before. Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with every sort of plague in the wilderness. Take courage, and be men, O Philistines, lest you become slaves to the Hebrews as they have been to you; be men and fight.” So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and they fled, every man to his home. And there was a very great slaughter, for thirty thousand foot soldiers of Israel fell. And the ark of God was captured, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
Psalm 44:10-11, 14-15, 24-25 (R. 27b)
R/. Redeem us, O Lord, with your merciful love!
Alleluia
V/. Alleluia R/. Alleluia
V/. Jesus was proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people.
R/. Alleluia
Gospel: Mark 1:40-45
At that time: A leper came to Jesus, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, “If you will, you can make me clean.” Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once, and said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them.” But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.
Daily Gospel Reflection
Highlight: Authority: God who never despises but Empathizes!
Guidlines: Many times in our life, things happen against our expectations and calculations. Instead of questioning God’s ways, it is better to be humble and surrender ourselves to His holy will
1. In the first reading from 1 Samuel 4. 1-11, we have a very interesting episode. The Israelites were defeated by the Philistines. Then, they bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord to the battle camp and fight again being dead sure of their victory.
2. But again they are defeated worse than before. Even the ark of the covenant was captured and the two sons of Eli, the priest were also killed.
3. This looks very strange and even very discouraging. They trusted in the presence of God through the ark of the covenant and they expected that God’s mighty power would defeat their enemies.
4. But not only did they lose the battle but also the ark itself was captured. Does it mean that the Lord is not powerful? Does it mean that He is indifferent? Does it mean that the presence of God makes no difference in our life battles against evil?
5. Nothing of these. Perhaps, the point here is the need for humility, trust, and surrender. They trusted in the ark of the Lord; but did they really trust in the Lord of the ark?
6. They thought that the very physical placement of the ark in the camp would ensure their victory, while there was no place for God in their hearts or camp.
7. They expected a magical display of God’s power but did not allow Him to personally take control of the situation. They were not humble enough to plead with God. They did not surrender themselves to God for His protection.
8. Rather they surrendered themselves to the ark. They gave more importance to the symbol and ignored the Lord symbolized. Perhaps, this reminds us that having holy things in our possession and dealing habitually with them is no guarantee for protection and success.
9. In contrast, in the gospel, we have a leper who stands as an example of humility, trust, and surrender. He was humble to realize his misery of leprosy and the need for healing. He was humble to implore Jesus and kneel before him. He was humble to respect Jesus’ freedom, saying, “If you will…”
10. He trusted in Jesus’ power as well as mercy. That is why, he says, “If you will, you can make me clean”. He surrendered himself totally to Jesus’ will. Hence, he was rewarded with healing.
11. Jesus was personally moved with compassion, stretched out his hand, touched him, said to him, “I will; be clean” and thus healed him.
Practice: How much of my life is directed by humility, trust, and surrender? How often do I too expect a magical intervention of God into my life? Am I stuck only to images and devotions, without a personal relationship with God?
