1/15/13 – Tuesday of 1st week in ordinary time - Mark 1:21-28 –

        Today, we hear how Jesus spoke with authority to the crowds, as Jesus himself was the Word of God made flesh.  Jesus was even able to command the demons to obey him. This Gospel reading prompts us to ask ourselves if we approach the word of God and the teachings of Jesus with the same zeal and eagerness as the man with the unclean spirit who cried out to Jesus, respectful of Jesus' authority.   If we approach God’s word and God’s authority with eagerness, loyalty, and enthusiasm, we are in a much better position to learn what God has to teach us in his holy word. 

         We see how the word of God inspired so many of the missionaries of the Church to spread this word throughout the world.  Today is the feast day of St Arnold Jansen, a parish priest from Germany who endured the persecutions of the Catholic Church under Otto von Bismarck, the leader of that country.  Jansen fled to Holland, where he proposed sending Germany priests all over the world as missionaries, which eventually led to the founding of the Society of the Divine Word missionaries.  This order of priests was approved by the Vatican in 1901, and shortly thereafter they came to the United States, where they founded many parishes serving the African American community in our state of Mississippi.  Even in the face persecution, we can find ways to spread God’s word and keep it alive and vital.

         May the enthusiasm and vigor of Arnold Jansen and the other missionaries of our faith help serve as an inspiration to us all.  May God’s word continue to inspire us and motivate us in our lives.