MAKE A DIFFERENCE

We sometimes fall prey to the trap of the enemy when we succumb to temptations. There are instances when we say words that we don't mean or fail to say words that we should have said. We sometimes ask ourselves things like, I should have said it or I shouldn't have said it. Definitely, there are words which you really need to say and some also that are better left unsaid. We really have to be careful about the words we say and be bold enough to speak out the words that should be said. Amen. Hallelujah!

Deuteronomy 18:15-20
...and will put my words into his mouth; he shall tell them all that I command him.19 If any man will not listen to my words which he speaks in my name, I myself will make him answer for it. 20 But if a prophet presumes to speak in my name an oracle that I have not commanded him to speak, or speaks in the name of other gods, he shall die.’”

When someone speaks to us we sometimes ignore, refuse to listen, simply pretend that we haven't heard anything or misunderstood what we heard because we are too distracted or busy to give time to listen well. Let us always open our hearts and mind so that we become sensitive to the voice of God talking to us. Amen. Hallelujah!

Psalm 95:1-2. 6-7. 7-9 (8)
R: If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.
...Come, let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the LORD who made us. 7 For he is our God, and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides...

It will always be for our own sake that God gives us this reminders. We should always be attuned to His will and conscious of the fact that we need to shelter ourselves within the confines of His Divine Presence. Let us stay always within the loving embrace and protection of God and not stray away from Him. Amen. Hallelujah!

1 Corinthians 7:32-35
32 Brothers and sisters: I should like you to be free of anxieties...I am telling you this for your own benefit, not to impose a restraint upon you, but for the sake of propriety and adherence to the Lord without distraction...

We find that the word teaching is used twice in today’s gospel. From this we draw emphasis on the fact that Jesus is a teacher. We know that the Jews have rabbis and whenever one states a particular teaching it is common practice to give reference to one as source of authority. But Jesus teaches in a different way. He conveys a new teaching and teaches with authority. His words are straight forward and without reference to anyone else for He is authority. He demonstrated His authority through the exorcism. He said something and proved it with His actions. There are two things that is very classic about authority, confrontation and defense. We find them in the gospel when the evil spirit cried out to Jesus, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? ? I know who you are — the Holy One of God!” This is the act of putting responsibility to the superior by the inferior. The Kingdom of heaven is at hand to destroy the kingdom of darkness and sin. Jesus rebuked him and said “Quiet! Come out of him!” The evil one’s last ditch effort can be seen in the fact that he is telling Jesus that he knows Him to try to wield control but he has no power. We have to keep this in mind always. The evil one will always assert authority in our lives and confront us with what he knows about us. One of the reasons they possess people is to distort the image and likeness of God. It is important that we are aware of the truths about God. We need to know more about the gospel and be filled with His authority. This we have to remind ourselves and do many times and over and over again. Jesus is up and above everything and nothing is beyond His power. Thus our faith in Jesus should also go beyond our recognition and amazement of Him but rather go further than what the unclean spirit and the onlookers did. We should all lead a life which testifies to God's greatness. God is the Supreme authority over all things and we as His faithful followers have the same power in our hands all in accordance to His great love and care for all of us. There is really no doubt that God is the only Power that we need and will ever need. Let us not be left behind in claiming these truths in our life since even the unclean spirits themselves can not deny it, how much more, us Christians who proclaim loyalty and faithfulness to our God? Let us be challenged to make a difference. Amen. Hallelujah!

Mark 1:21-28
Jesus came to Capernaum with his followers, and on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught. 22 The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. 23 In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit; 24 he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are — the Holy One of God!” 25 Jesus rebuked him and said, “Quiet! Come out of him!” 26 The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him. 27 All were amazed and asked one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority. He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.” 28 His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.