God’s Love Sets Us Free

Weekly Missionary Reflection
3rd Ordinary Sunday, 28 January 2023
Deut. 18:15-20; Ps. 95:1-2,6-7,8-9; 1Cor. 7:32-35; Mark 1:21-28

In our lives, we are often overwhelmed by the feeling of confusion, restlessness, and anxiety to many things. Being in such a situation, do we ever earnestly reflect on what first action to take? We often strive to be free from anxiety and restlessness with any kind of effort. Do we involve God in our efforts?

In today’s Gospel, we are invited to reflect on the story of Jesus freeing a man from the unclean spirit in the synagogue in Capernaum. The man with an unclean spirit is always described as a socially isolated person and has no control over himself. However, in the story, we see that Jesus with His power managed to cast out the unclean spirit. 

Jesus as the Son of God was not very well known at His time. Only the demon in that man knew very well who Jesus was. “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.” Yet Jesus didn’t want the demon to reveal His identity before the time came. Jesus cast out the unclean spirit and the previously possessed man recovered. 

The demon has no power before Jesus. The witnesses were amazed, yet it didn’t make them believe in Jesus as the Son of God. We who have been baptized confess and believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Aren’t we invited to believe that Jesus who can free the man from the unclean spirit, can also free us from any anxiety and restlessness?

Dear brothers and sisters, there are so many dynamics in our lives. Problems and adversity in life will always come and go. However, we must realize that Jesus whom we believe will always be with us. Trouble and anxiety will not totally disappear, however, when we realize God’s love and humbly ask for His help in getting through the dark time in our lives, God will set us free in His own way. Let us surrender our anxiety, restlessness and worry in God’s hand, and ask for the Holy Spirit’s inclusion in this life. God bless.

(Br. Kornelius Glossanto, SX – Xaverian Missionary)

DAILY DEDICATED PRAYER

Lord, our Father, I present my today prayer, thought, word, work, joy and sorrow in the unity with Your Son, Jesus Christ, who always presents Himself in the Eucharist for the salvation of the world. May the Holy Spirit animating Jesus, also be my guidance and strength today so that I am ready to be the witness of Your love.

Together with Mary, Mother of Jesus and the Church, in particular I present my prayer for our Pope and apostle prayer of Indonesian Church of this month:

Universal Church Intent: For the gift of diversity in the Church
We pray that the Holy Spirit may help us to recognize the gift of different charisms within the Christian community and to discover the richness of different traditions and rituals in the Catholic Church.

Indonesian Church Intent: Young families
We pray that the young families may find their intimate private spacewith full of God’s love in the midst of their activities at work,household, church and society.

Amen.