2nd Week in Ordinary Time (Year A) : Thursday 18th January 2024

The Gospel reading today highlights Jesus’ healing and deliverance ministry. What did Jesus heal and delivered people of? Whom did He heal and deliver?

We are told in Mark’s Gospel that Jesus healed specific individuals. For example, Simon’s mother-in-law was healed of fever (1:30-31). Jesus also healed a leper (1:40-42); a paralytic (2:1-12); a man with a withered hand (3:1-5); a haemorrhaging woman (5:25-34); a deaf and dumb man (7:31-37); a blind man (8:22-25); blind Bartimaeus (10:46-52) and raised Jairus’ daughter to life (5:21-24,35-43). Jesus also delivered those with unclean spirits (1:23-27,34; 5:1-20; 7:24-30;9:14-29). Many who were sick with diseases, and afflicted were cured too (1:34;3:10; 6:53-56).

Repentance is necessary for anyone to be truly healed and delivered from unclean spirits. Later, we see Jesus mission His twelve disciples (Mk 6:7-13). Their message in ‘’casting out demons, and anointing many sick people with oil and curing them’’ is repentance (Mk 6:12).

Today, God still desires to heal the sick and to deliver people from unclean spirits through those whom God has chosen for these ministries. However, to bring true healing and deliverance, a repentant life is necessary. Will you be courageous enough to be signposts for others to begin life anew?

Lord, I place my trust in You to be the signposts to a repentant life.