FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
January 29, 2012

         St. Mark makes is clear that, from the very first day of Christ's public ministry, his messianic power began to be manifested to those who saw and heard him. The Jews of Capernaum were "astonished" at his teaching and "amazed" at his power over the evil spirits. "What is this," they asked one another, "a new teaching and the unclean spirits obey him!" But they were still a long way from recognizing him for what he was, the Messiah and Son of God. This is as might be expected; the astounding mystery of the incarnation was way beyond human expectation or human imagination. And it was our Lord's own plan to reveal this mystery, slowly and gradually, so that when the chain of evidence had been completed by his resurrection, his followers could look back and see each link in that chain. Then they would be ready to accept without hesitation the mystery of the incarnation and realize the infinite love and power of God that brought it about. We look back today through the eyes of the Evangelists, and, like them, know that Christ was God as well as man - two natures in one person. We should not therefore be "amazed" at the teaching of Jesus or at his power over the unclean spirits. What should amaze us really is the love that God showed mankind in becoming one of our race.           
          - Excerpted from The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, OFM 

BE PREPARED FOR THE WORD OF THE LORD

Readings for next Sunday, February 5, 2012

FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Job 7: 1 - 4, 6 - 7

Psalm 147: 1 - 2, 3 - 4, 5 - 6

1 Corinthians 9: 16 - 19, 22 - 23

Mark 1: 29 - 39

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN UPDATE:

As of January 24, 2012