Thursday 11 January 2024

Today is Thursday the 11th of January, in the first week of Ordinary time.

Paul Zach sings, ‘Have Mercy On Me’. Can you join in with these words today?

Jesus, son of David
Have mercy
Have mercy on me
Have mercy
Have mercy
Have mercy, mercy on me
Jesus, son of David
Have mercy
Have mercy on me
Jesus, son of David
Have mercy
Have mercy on me
When I hear you passing by
When the crowd ignores my cry
With all my heart and soul and mind
Louder still, O Lord, I cry
Jesus, son of David
Have mercy
Have mercy on me

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Mark

Mark 1:40-45

A leper came to him begging him, and kneeling he said to him, ‘If you choose, you can make me clean.’ Moved with pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, and said to him, ‘I do choose. Be made clean!’ Immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean. After sternly warning him he sent him away at once, saying to him, ‘See that you say nothing to anyone; but go, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.’ But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter.

Today I imagine myself as the leper seeking out Jesus.
How do I approach Jesus?
What do I say to him?
How does Jesus respond to me?
What happens next?
How does it feel to be touched and made clean by Jesus?
Why does Jesus warn me not to tell anyone?
I can’t keep what’s happened to myself – why is that?
Who do I tell about what’s happened to me?
How do they react?

As I listen again, I give thanks for the new life that Jesus pours into all those who seek him out and ask for help.

As I close this time of prayer, I thank God that in Jesus we are all chosen and made clean.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.