January 14, 2025 // Tuesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: Mark 1:21-28
Reflect on the Word//
I can still feel the breeze as it washed over me, coming off the Sea of Galilee. It was a spectacular, vivid day. The sun was brilliant and the sky blue. The water was troubled by wind enough to scatter white caps across the top and the waves pounded the rocky shore with a great, reassuring rhythm, its holy song of praise to the Creator.
Capernaum. I was in Capernaum, sitting at the shore of Lake Gennesaret, that same sea upon which You walked, O Lord.
I remember the smell of the sea, the ancient holy stones that remained where the synagogue once stood, knowing that You, Lord, had been in this very place. Did the sea reassure You, Lord, as it was reassuring me in that moment? Did You sit somewhere near here and admire Your Father’s creation as I did?
And Peter’s house sat just behind me, so close to the sea. Of course, his home would be on the water, he was a fisherman after all. There You touched his mother and brought her back to fullness of health.
Here, too, in Capernaum, that sniveling demon who had taken up residence in the soul of one of Your children, cried out at your approach, “Have you come to destroy me? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” (Mark 1:24) How he must have trembled in terror as You rebuked him and cast him out as so much flint.
Lord, I know You too! I tremble at Your presence, too, not in fear but in awe—for Your glory is unspeakable and Your mercy without end. I know You, Lord. I know I am not worthy to approach You, yet You come to meet me, not to destroy me but to free me. I know You. You are justice and generosity and the peace that surpasses all understanding.
Oh Jesus, when we are tempted to forget Who You are, break through to us with the truth. You are Friend, Teacher, Healer, and Lord. And every bit as alive and mighty as that olden day in Capernaum.
Relate to the Lord // Think back on a time when you personally encountered Jesus. Allow grace and gratitude to wash over you.
Liz Kelly Stanchina is a jazz singer who met Jesus in late-night adoration. She is the community leader for women’s formation at the Word on Fire Institute and the author of more than a dozen award-winning books, including Jesus Approaches, Love Like a Saint, and the Blessed is She Advent devotional A Thrill of Hope. She holds advanced degrees in creative writing and Catholic studies. She is trained as a spiritual director, leading retreats and speaking around the world with a particular focus on helping women to flourish in their faith. Visit her website at LizK.org or follow her on Instagram at LizKToday.
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