Use the reflection materials below to grow in faith with your family.
Use los materiales de abajo para crecer en la fe con su familia.
Este mensaje está traducido en Español en la sección verde de abajo.
Who is Jesus for Me?
The man with the unclean spirit in this Sunday’s Gospel unequivocally proclaims something that many of us spend our entire lives struggling to identify in our own lives. This unlikely prophet resoundingly declares to Jesus and the crowd gathered, “I know who you are--the Holy One of God!” when addressing Jesus in the Temple. Oh, how I wish that I would have always been able to declare with such certainty and clarity Jesus' identity and significance in my own personal faith journey let alone in the world around me.
Even as a lifelong Catholic I have honestly wrestled with this dilemma my entire life. At times my discerning of Jesus’ identity for myself appeared as a riveting rollercoaster with a torrent of ups and downs. Undoubtedly, as I recall my faith journey I am keenly aware when and where I have been open to a genuine encounter with Jesus, and those times I stubbornly refused. When I was open I, like the man in the Temple, was able to proclaim and respond to Christ. In those moments the openness and acknowledgment of a relationship with Christ would truly alter my life. Experiencing those moments has provided blessings, hope, and grace. Seeking more of them in my life has allowed me to endure and overcome even the most profound dips in the rollercoaster ride of my faith journey.-Leo
Gospel: Mark 1:21-28
Then they came to Capernaum,
and on the sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue and taught.
The people were astonished at his teaching,
for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.
In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit;
he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?
Have you come to destroy us?
I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”
Jesus rebuked him and said,
“Quiet! Come out of him!”
The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him.
All were amazed and asked one another,
“What is this?
A new teaching with authority.
He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.”
His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.
and on the sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue and taught.
The people were astonished at his teaching,
for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.
In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit;
he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?
Have you come to destroy us?
I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”
Jesus rebuked him and said,
“Quiet! Come out of him!”
The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him.
All were amazed and asked one another,
“What is this?
A new teaching with authority.
He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.”
His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.
Question for Reflection:
In what ways do you profess and proclaim Jesus in your life?
Take a few moments as you listen to this song to reflect on the grandeur of Jesus' name:
No matter what name we use to call upon Jesus his name remains the Name Above All Names!
Have a great week with Jesus!
¿Quién es Jesús Para Mí?
El hombre con el Espíritu inmundo en el Evangelio de este Domingo proclama inequívocamente algo que muchos de nosotros pasamos toda la vida luchando por identificar en nuestras propias vidas. Este improbable profeta declara rotundamente a Jesús y a la multitud reunida: "Yo sé quién eres: ¡el Santo de Dios!" al dirigirse a Jesús en el templo. Oh, cómo desearía haber podido siempre declarar con tanta certeza y claridad la identidad y el significado de Jesús en el mundo que me rodea, y mucho menos en mi propio camino de fe personal.
Incluso como católico de toda la vida, he luchado honestamente con este dilema toda mi vida. A veces, mi discernimiento de la identidad de Jesús por mí mismo parecía una fascinante montaña rusa con un torrente de altibajos. Sin duda, al recordar mi camino de fe, soy muy consciente de cuándo y dónde he estado abierto a un encuentro genuino con Jesús, y esas veces me negué obstinadamente. Cuando estuve abierto, como el hombre del Templo, pude proclamar y responder a Cristo. En esos momentos, la apertura y el reconocimiento de una relación con Cristo realmente alterarían mi vida. Experimentar esos momentos me ha proporcionado bendiciones, esperanza y gracia. Buscar más de ellos en mi vida me ha permitido soportar y superar incluso las caídas más profundas en la montaña rusa de mi camino de fe.-Leo
Evangelio: Marco 1:21-28
En aquel tiempo, se hallaba Jesús a Cafarnaúm y el sábado siguiente fue a la sinagoga y se puso a enseñar. Los oyentes quedaron asombrados de sus palabras, pues enseñaba como quien tiene autoridad y no como los escribas.
Había en la sinagoga un hombre poseído por un espíritu inmundo, que se puso a gritar: “¿Qué quieres tú con nosotros, Jesús de Nazaret? ¿Has venido a acabar con nosotros? Ya sé quién eres: el Santo de Dios”. Jesús le ordenó: “¡Cállate y sal de él!” El espíritu inmundo, sacudiendo al hombre con violencia y dando un alarido, salió de él. Todos quedaron estupefactos y se preguntaban: “¿Qué es esto? ¿Qué nueva doctrina es ésta? Este hombre tiene autoridad para mandar hasta a los espíritus inmundos y lo obedecen”. Y muy pronto se extendió su fama por toda Galilea.
Pregunta para reflexionar:
¿De qué manera profesa y proclama a Jesús en su vida?
Tome unos minutos mientras escucha esta canción para reflexionar sobre la grandeza del nombre de Jesús:
No importa qué nombre usemos para invocar a Jesús, ¡su nombre sigue siendo El Nombre Sobre Todos Los Nombres!
