Daily Readings - Sun Jan 28 2024

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

In today’s readings, we encounter themes of divine authority, spiritual focus, and the call to listen to God’s voice. The first reading from Deuteronomy speaks of God’s promise to raise up a prophet like Moses, a leader who will speak God’s words to His people. This prophet will have the authority to guide the people, and those who refuse to listen will face the consequences. The passage emphasizes the importance of heeding God’s messengers and the gravity of rejecting His word. The second reading from 1 Corinthians shifts the focus to the Christian life, where Paul encourages believers to live undivided in their devotion to God. He highlights the challenges of being torn between worldly concerns and spiritual priorities, urging us to seek a life of purity and single-minded service to the Lord. In the Gospel, Mark presents Jesus as the fulfillment of the prophet promised in Deuteronomy. Jesus teaches with authority, not like the scribes, and demonstrates His power by casting out an unclean spirit. This episode shows Jesus as the Holy One of God, who commands even the forces of evil to obey Him. Together, these readings remind us that God speaks to us through His prophets and through His Son, Jesus Christ. They call us to listen with faith, to live with undivided hearts, and to trust in God’s power to transform our lives. As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: Am I listening to God’s voice in my life? Am I allowing His word to guide me, or am I distracted by the cares of the world? Let us strive to live with the kind of focus and devotion that Paul describes, seeking to please God above all else. And when we encounter the forces of darkness in our lives, let us remember Jesus’ authority and trust in His power to set us free. May we heed the call to follow Him with courage and fidelity, knowing that He is the Holy One who speaks to us and acts in our lives.