Mark 1:29-39

1 Samuel 3:1-10, 19-20

Psalm 40:2 and 5, 66-8a, 8b-9, 10

Mark 1:29-39

On leaving the synagogue

Jesus entered the house of Simon and Andrew with James and John.

Simon’s mother-in-law lay sick with a fever.

They immediately told him about her.

He approached, grasped her hand, and helped her up.

Then the fever left her and she waited on them.

When it was evening, after sunset,

they brought to him all who were ill or possessed by demons.

The whole town was gathered at the door.

He cured many who were sick with various diseases,

and he drove out many demons,

not permitting them to speak because they knew him.

Rising very early before dawn, 

he left and went off to a deserted place, where he prayed.

Simon and those who were with him pursued him

and on finding him said, “Everyone is looking for you.”

He told them, “Let us go on to the nearby villages

that I may preach there also.

For this purpose have I come.”

So he went into their synagogues, preaching and driving out demons 

throughout the whole of Galilee.

Opening Prayer: Lord, sometimes I struggle to hear your voice in a world full of noise and distraction. Help me today to quiet my heart and encounter you and your Word.

Encountering the Word of God

1. Eli’s Unfamiliarity with God: There was a prophecy made by an unnamed prophet that announced the fall of the priestly line and house of Eli and, as a sign of this, declared that Eli’s wicked sons, Hophni and Phineas, would die on the same day (1 Samuel 2:27-36). The First Reading tells us that Eli can barely see and has given the task of watching over the golden lampstand in the sanctuary of Shiloh to the young Samuel. When the Lord first calls Samuel, Eli is at first unable to recognize what is happening. Eli has grown so unfamiliar with the things of God that he thought that Hannah was drunk when she was in fact praying and was slow to understand that Samuel heard the voice of the Lord in the sanctuary.

2. Your Servant is Listening: Samuel presents himself as a servant before the Lord and invites God to speak to him. God confirms the message of the unnamed prophet that Eli’s priestly line will end and that he will raise up a faithful priest. The initial fulfillment of this oracle is the faithful priest Zadok (1 Kings 1:32-40). And Zadok’s line will continue for close to a thousand years. The ultimate fulfillment of this oracle is Jesus, who is called the faithful and merciful high priest (Hebrews 2:17) who ministers on our behalf forever.

2. Jesus’ Mission is Sustained by Prayer: We witness the mercy Jesus brings as our high priest in today’s Gospel. He travels throughout Galilee, which was part of the ancient kingdom of Israel, curing the sick, preaching in synagogues, and casting out demons from the possessed. As our faithful high priest, Jesus sustains his ministry of mercy with humble prayer and deep communion with God the Father. Jesus often prayed the psalms and we can imagine the words of today’s Psalm on the lips of Jesus, who delights in accomplishing his Father’s will. Jesus doesn’t rely on his strength alone to carry out his Father’s plan of salvation. He truly entrusts himself and his work to the Father.

Conversing with Christ: Here I am, Lord. I come to do your will. I patiently wait for you to answer my cry. I trust in you completely. To do your will, O Lord, is my delight. Your Spirit is in my heart to guide me and lead me on the path of justice and love. I praise you today and look forward to praising you for all eternity in the assembly of heaven.

Resolution: Our readings today remind us of the importance of daily prayer. Samuel dwells in the sanctuary and is able to hear the gentle voice of God calling him to an important mission. Jesus rises early in the morning to pray in solitude away from the noise of the crowds and the bustle of the village. We can ask ourselves: Where is my quiet place where I can hear God’s word? What is the principal mission God has given me? What is God calling me to do today concretely to be an agent of his merciful love?