JESUS, THE HOLY ONE OF GOD (Hebrews 2:5-12/Psalm 8:2,5-7,9/Mark 1:21-28)

JESUS, THE HOLY ONE OF GOD (Hebrews 2:5-12/Psalm 8:2,5-7,9/Mark 1:21-28)


JESUS, THE HOLY ONE OF GOD
(Homily for Tuesday 15 January, 2019)

"For just as the rain and snow come down from heaven and do not return without watering the earth, making the crops grow and provide seed for sowing and food to eat. So my word that proceeds from my mouth will not return to me empty without accomplishing its purpose” (Isaiah 55:10-11).

These words from the prophet Isaiah indicate that the Word of God is like a force that always moves to accomplish a purpose whether received or not received.

As we put the question last week, how do we receive the word of God? Our attitude to every word of God determines the impression and impact it creates in our lives. The way and manner we treat and receive the word of God also determine how we receive Christ because He is the perfect Word of God dwelling among us.

As Saint John in the first chapter of his gospel says “In the beginning was the word, the Word was with God, the Word was God and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us” (John n 1:1,14). If the word of God is received with faith, it produces positive effects in us and helps to establish a cordial relationship with God and with one another.

The gospel of today brings us closer to the point we are trying to clarify. Christ not only taught the people with authority in the Synagogue but His preaching made a deep impression on them even to the extent that the unclean spirits were able to recognize the personality of Christ and indeed spoke well of Him.

The question we are going to put forward today is: Do we recognize the great personality in our midst and the message He carries? The characters in the gospel of today: the people and the man possessed with an unclean spirit have provided us with an answer to the above question. On the side of the people, the word of God preached by Christ made a deep impression on them, because they received it with a positive attitude and faith.

On the side of the unclean spirit, the word of God preached by Christ ignited a fire in him that made him to react with immediate effect saying “What do you want with us Jesus of Nazareth?... I know that You are the Holy One of God! Imagine the unclean spirit speaking and giving testimony about Christ. If the unclean spirits were able to recognize Christ as the Holy One of God, what about us?

It was this recognition of whom Christ was that drew the attention of Christ to this man being possessed and eventually, he received an instant healing from Christ. This recognition came when this man heard the preaching of Christ. Every now and then, we listen and hear the word, what impression does it generate in us and what impact does it create?

And finally, what do we recognize in the word whenever we receive it? Do we see the word of God as mere human utterances or do we see Christ in it? The Word who is God can only dwell among us when we receive it with faith. When we receive it with faith, it becomes always a new teaching in our Christian lives, as the people in the gospel of today exclaimed “This is a teaching that is new with authority behind it” May the good Lord bless His words in our hearts through Christ our Lord!

Let Us Pray: Lord Jesus Christ, help me to recognize you as the Holy one of God and may the power of your word be made manifest in me always. Amen.