Daily Readings - Sun Jan 31 2021

¹⁵The Lord your God will raise up for you a PROPHET from your nation and from your brothers, similar to me. You shall listen to him¹⁶just as you petitioned of the Lord your God at Horeb, when the assembly was gathered together, and you said: ‘Let me no longer hear the voice of the Lord my God, and let me no longer see this very great fire, lest I die.¹⁷And the Lord said to me: ‘They have spoken all these things well¹⁸I will raise up a prophet for them, from the midst of their brothers, similar to you. And I will place my words in his mouth, and he will speak to them all the things that I will instruct him¹⁹But against anyone who is not willing to listen to his words, which he will speak in my name, I will stand forth as the avenger²⁰But if a prophet, having been corrupted by arrogance, chooses to speak, in my name, things which I did not instruct him to say, or to speak in the name of foreign gods, he shall be put to death

1 Corinthians

Chapter 7

³²But I would prefer you to be without worry. Whoever is without a wife is worried about the things of the Lord, as to how he may please God³³But whoever is with a wife is worried about the things of the world, as to how he may please his wife. And so, he is divided³⁴And the unmarried woman and the virgin think about the things that are of the Lord, so that she may be holy in body and in spirit. But she who is married thinks about the things that are of the world, as to how she may please her husband³⁵Furthermore, I am saying this for your own benefit, not in order to cast a snare over you, but toward whatever is honest and whatever may provide you with the ability to be without hindrance, so as to worship the Lord

Mark

Chapter 1

²¹And they entered into Capernaum. And entering into the synagogue promptly on the Sabbaths, he taught them²²And they were astonished over his doctrine. For he was teaching them as one who has authority, and not like the scribes²³And in their synagogue, there was a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out²⁴saying: "What are we to you, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God.²⁵And Jesus admonished him, saying, "Be silent, and depart from the man.²⁶And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, departed from him²⁷And they were all so amazed that they inquired among themselves, saying: "What is this? And what is this new doctrine? For with authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.²⁸And his fame went out quickly, throughout the entire region of Galilee

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of authority, focus, and the call to follow God wholeheartedly. In the first reading from Deuteronomy, Moses speaks of a prophet who will arise from among the people, one who will speak God’s words with authority. This prophet is not just a figure of the past; for Christians, this prophecy is fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who teaches with divine authority as we see in the Gospel. The second reading from 1 Corinthians reminds us that our primary focus should be on God, whether we are married or unmarried. St. Paul emphasizes that our ultimate goal is to please God and live without hindrance to worship Him. In the Gospel, Mark portrays Jesus as the fulfillment of the prophet promised in Deuteronomy. Jesus teaches in the synagogue with authority, not like the scribes who relied on human traditions. When He encounters the man with an unclean spirit, His authority is demonstrated powerfully as He commands the spirit to leave. The people are amazed, recognizing that Jesus’ teaching and actions are unlike anything they have seen before. This scene reminds us that Jesus is not just a teacher but the Holy One of God, who has the power to transform lives. These readings challenge us to examine our own lives. Are we listening to Jesus with the same openness and trust that the people in Capernaum showed? Do we allow His teaching to guide us, or are we distracted by the concerns of the world? Like the unmarried woman in St. Paul’s letter, we are called to be holy in body and spirit, focusing on what truly matters. Let us ask ourselves: Where are we placing our attention and priorities? Are we seeking to please God, or are we divided by worldly cares? Jesus’ authority and power are still at work in our lives today. Let us surrender to His will, trusting that He will guide us and free us from anything that hinders our relationship with Him.