TUESDAY OF WEEK ONE IN ORDINARY TIME - 2024

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Accept God’s message for what it really is:
God’s message, and not some human thinking. 1TH 2:13

1 SAMUEL 1:9-20 ©

My Soul's Beloved,

Hannah was a woman in distress, in great sorrow because she was childless. The love of her husband for her was not enough she wanted a child of her own. All earthly ties are as nothing O Lord if we do not have the great desire of our heart which is its longing for You. God alone can satisfy our deepest and most ardent desire which is to belong wholly and completely with no hindrance to the God who created us out of nothing and desires only all that is good for us.

Hannah cried out to God tirelessly and God heard her prayer. She conceived a son and she joyfully fulfilled all the vows she made to God. She did not cling to the gift and make it her idol rather she returned the gift back to God so her son could dedicate his life to God. Beloved, Hannah teaches us to cling to the Giver of all gifts rather than the gifts. When we attach ourselves to anything other than You, O Lord, we are guilty of idolatry. We are guilty of breaking the First Commandment. Grant me the grace of detachment, my Lord and my God, and increase in me daily the desire for You alone. For You alone, O Lord can satisfy and quench the hunger and thirst of my soul.

Having received of You and of Your fullness O Lord grant me this wonderful grace of not holding on to You but sharing You generously with others. Grant that the whole world comes to know You and worship You with one heart, one mind, one body, one voice and we will hasten the coming of Your Kingdom on earth.

PSALM - 1 SAMUEL 2:1,4-8 ©

My heart exults in the Lord.
I find my strength in my God;
my mouth laughs at my enemies
as I rejoice in your saving help.

The bows of the mighty are broken,

but the weak are clothed with strength.
Those with plenty must labour for bread,
but the hungry need work no more.
The childless wife has children now
but the fruitful wife bears no more.

It is the Lord who gives life and death,

he brings men to the grave and back;
it is the Lord who gives poverty and riches.
He brings men low and raises them on high.

He lifts up the lowly from the dust,

from the dungheap he raises the poor
to set him in the company of princes
to give him a glorious throne.
For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s,
on them he has set the world.

My heart exults in the Lord.

MARK 1:21-28 ©

Unlike the scribes, he taught them with authority

Jesus and his disciples went as far as Capernaum, and as soon as the sabbath came he went to the synagogue and began to teach. And his teaching made a deep impression on them because, unlike the scribes, he taught them with authority.
In their synagogue just then there was a man possessed by an unclean spirit and it shouted, ‘What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: the Holy One of God.’ But Jesus said sharply, ‘Be quiet! Come out of him!’ And the unclean spirit threw the man into convulsions and with a loud cry went out of him. The people were so astonished that they started asking each other what it all meant. ‘Here is a teaching that is new’ they said ‘and with authority behind it: he gives orders even to unclean spirits and they obey him.’ And his reputation rapidly spread everywhere, through all the surrounding Galilean countryside.