In this section you can find a daily commentary on the Gospel of the Day.

Tuesday 12 January 2021

First Week in Ordinary Time

Word for today
Gospel of Mark 1:21b-28

To recognize

Simple people recognize the authority of the Word of Jesus and they realize that there is something more powerful and authoritative about it with respect to the presentations of all the politicians, theologians or specialists around. Followers and detractors alike are astounded by his teaching, but they do not go beyond amazement; they only go so far as to recognize that something new, powerful, and enormously authoritative is taking place. They are amazed but nothing more. The people are unable to perceive, believe or love Jesus as God, the Son of God made man. The people realize that they have never seen or heard anything like it before, but they stand there looking on, not deciding, not taking positions on His behalf, not changing anything about their own lives, continuing to be lost and subjected to power and ignorance.
The demons, on their part, certainly more aware of the forces at play, immediately recognize that Jesus is the Son of God, the Most High adversary, and before they are thrown out, they spit out the truth viciously and publicize his divine nature with contempt. In fact, just as he was about to be kicked out of his shelter, the unclean spirit shouted: I know who you are: the Holy One of God!
Perhaps the day will come when man will recognize Jesus the Son of God with the same immediate certainty as his enemies, the demons, do and will not respond to him with contempt or indifference but with the love and gratitude of heart of children of God.