Faith Daily | 19 January 2023

PRAYER of the DAY - APBA p528

Almighty God,

by whose grace alone we are accepted

and called to your service:

strengthen us by your Holy Spirit

and make us worthy of our calling;

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

GOSPEL for the Day: Mark 3: 7-12

Jesus departed with his disciples to the lake, and a great multitude from Galilee followed him; 8hearing all that he was doing, they came to him in great numbers from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan, and the region around Tyre and Sidon. 9He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him; 10for he had cured many, so that all who had diseases pressed upon him to touch him. 11Whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and shouted, ‘You are the Son of God!’ 12But he sternly ordered them not to make him known.

GOSPEL REFLECTION: Leanne Hallas

Today's reading finds us further along in Christ's ministry throughout the regions in and around the Jordan. The works and teachings of Jesus were drawing huge crowds from great distances as expressed in these paragraphs. He had gained great popularity amongst the people.

This ministry included the healing of many people with illnesses and disease and at times teaching religious leaders of their ungodly practices. Jesus was not only healing and casting out evil spirits but he was asking people to forego their evil ways and follow him.

Huge numbers of people gathered around Jesus for varying reasons. Many came purely for healing. Many, like the Pharisees, were compiling evidence against him. Many were just plain curious.

There were also many who were looking for the "true" Messiah. The one they thought had been predicted by the prophets of the Old Testament. A powerful political and military leader who would free them from the much hated control by the Romans.

Jesus was at great pains to teach who he really was. Against the crowd's misconceptions he was a spiritual leader. A leader of love, peace, justice and compassion who had come not to overthrow governments but to overthrow the sin in people's hearts.

FINAL PRAYER Psalm 20:7

Some trust in their war chariots and others in their horses, but we trust in the power of the Lord our God.

Amen