WORD 2day: Thursday, 1st week in Ordinary time
January 15, 2026 - 1 Samuel 4: 1-11; Mark 1: 4-45
When the Israelites rejoiced at the arrival of the Ark to their tents, the Philistines shivered and recognised that the Lord were amidst them! The Israelites themselves realised that their real strength was the Lord. You are my strength, my fortress, my rock of refuge - would exclaim the Psalmist later.
People who looked at Jesus, saw this to be true in him too. If you wish to, you can cure me, said the man to Jesus, realising the source of grace and salvation is in the mighty will of God. God's will saves us, protects us and guides us. On our part, what we need to do is to allow ourselves to be guided, to be strengthened, to be fortified by the Lord.
We need to rise from a style of life that is a mere damage-control, to a more proactive responsible living. When we realise the presence of God ever in our midst, we will live a life that is worthy of the Lord and the Lord's will; and that alone can keep us from becoming a mere laughing stock among the people! Yes, that is a danger.
If we really consider ourselves people of God, sons and daughters of God, generated by God, strengthened, fortified and protected by God, should not our daily life, our attitudes, our relationships, our outlook on events, reflect that fact? The challenge to us today is: that we live up to our call, our identity and our vocation - that of being sons and daughters of God. Is that not our real strength?