Daily Gospel Reflection for January 23, 2020

Reflection by Leslie Lynch Today's Gospel: Mark 3:7-12 “And whenever unclean spirits saw Him they would fall down before him and shout, “You are the Son of God.” The footnote to this passage tells us that the unclean spirits were not confessing Jesus as the Son of God, the way we Christians do in faith. Rather, they were attempting to dominate and overcome His spirit by calling Him by name. Of course, no demon can subjugate the spirit of God by any means! But we can learn something from this exchange. Naming our fears has the effect of diminishing them. At the least, clarity helps identify and narrow the scope of our anxiety. As a psychological tool, naming has its place. But psychology isn’t the final answer. Far more important is the gift Jesus gives us: mercy. The earlier portion of today’s reading tells of His initial ministry -- specifically His healing of large numbers of people, so many that the crowd threatened to crush Him in their zeal to touch Him. He wants to heal us. He wants to pour out His mercy. He wants us to crowd close to Him, strain to touch Him and His garment hem. Let’s name our fears, which can certainly act as inner demons! Even secularists speak about battling our demons, like addiction or trauma or mental illness. But rather than hashtag them on social media, let’s place them at the feet of Jesus -- offerings of trust, sacrificial acts of letting go. Let’s allow Jesus, Son of God, to be He Who Is. Let’s approach Him with humility, and let the grace of His mercy flow over and through us. Then let us be Jesus’s hands and heart, grace, mercy, and love to those around us. Because we know who He is: Jesus, Son of God.

Ponder:

Can I name my fears, my secrets, my traumas and tendencies toward obsession -- and rob them of their power by placing them at the feet of Jesus?

Pray:

Jesus, Son of the Living God, help me to boldly proclaim You in my words and deeds. Help me love as You love, so that Your mercy pours forth in grace and glory!

Copyright 2020 Leslie Lynch Leslie Lynch lives near Louisville, Kentucky, with her husband and a rescued feral-turned-sweetheart cat. She’s written three full-length novels: Hijacked, Unholy Bonds, and Opal’s Jubilee; and two novellas: Christmas Hope and Christmas Grace. She is an occasional contributor to the Archdiocese of Indianapolis’s newspaper, The Criterion. Connect with her at her website, LeslieLynch.com, and on Facebook at Leslie Lynch Writes. Receive CatholicMom.com newsletters in your inbox, including the Daily Gospel Reflection each morning! * indicates required