1st THURSDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Mark 1:40-45) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

“If you wish, you can make us clean.” (Mk 1:40)

FIRST READING - 1 Sm 4:1-11

"Israel was defeated, and the ark of God was captured."

A reading from the Book of Samuel

¹ At that time, the Philistines gathered for an attack on Israel. Israel went out to engage them in battle and camped at Ebenezer, while the Philistines camped at Aphek. ² The Philistines then drew up in battle formation against Israel. After a fierce struggle Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the battlefield. ³ When the troops retired to the camp, the elders of Israel said, “Why has the Lord permitted us to be defeated today by the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the Lord from Shiloh that it may go into battle among us and save us from the grasp of our enemies.”

⁴ So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the Lord of hosts, who is enthroned upon the cherubim.^[b] The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, accompanied the ark of God. ⁵ When the ark of the Lord arrived in the camp, all Israel shouted so loudly that the earth shook. ⁶ The Philistines, hearing the uproar, asked, “What does this loud shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?” On learning that the ark of the Lord had come into the camp, ⁷ the Philistines were frightened, crying out, “Gods have come to their camp. Woe to us! This has never happened before. ⁸ Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods?^[c] These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with various plagues in the desert. ⁹ Take courage and act like soldiers, Philistines; otherwise you will become slaves to the Hebrews, as they were your slaves. Fight like soldiers!” ¹⁰ The Philistines fought and Israel was defeated; everyone fled to their own tents.^[d] It was a disastrous defeat; Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers. ¹¹ The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were dead.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Mk 1:40-45

"The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean."

✠From the Gospel according to Mark

⁴⁰ A leper^[a] came to him [and kneeling down] begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” ⁴¹ Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean.” ⁴² The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean. ⁴³ Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once. ⁴⁴ Then he said to him, “See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.” ⁴⁵ The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere.

1st THURSDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Mark 1:40-45)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

Today's Word of God speaks to all humanity about a person afflicted with leprosy. This disease caused people to distance themselves from one another, to lack love for one another, which displeases God the Father; humanity separated itself from God's love.

But in His heart, all people are beautiful children created by God the Father except for those who oppose God and follow the ways of Satan; those souls displease God the Father.

The Word of God in today's Gospel speaks of a leper who was shunned by others. It was a physical disease that caused impurity, leading to a lack of love among people.

But before the loving heart of God, this leper pleased God when he dared to overcome all difficulties, trials, and opposition to run to Jesus, knelt down and begged, "If you are willing, you can make me clean."

The loving heart of God is always open and gives to all who yearn to come to God and follow His teachings.

This leper pleased God when he asked, "If you are willing, you can make me clean." He did not ask according to his will, but asked that he be allowed to do God's will. This is the way of life that God wants to invite all humanity, His children, to follow: to run to God, asking Him to open our hearts, so that we may always live and act according to the holy will of God the Father, and not according to our own will, because only God can heal both soul and body, only God knows what is good and what is evil.

God calls upon all humanity to come to God, so that He may grant grace and strength, so that He may heal the diseases of both soul and body.

Today's Word of God also tells all humanity that after the leper was cured, God call him to present himself to the priests so that they could certify that he had been cured, but he did the opposite of what God wanted. However, this contrary action did not hinder God's power, nor did it hinder His work of salvation. He transformed evil into good, and He healed many people suffering from diseases of both soul and body when they came to Him.

Through today's Word of God, God also calls upon everyone always entrust everything to God; even when facing difficulties and trials, always be faithful to God because He can create something out of nothing, transform evil into good to help people escape the suffering of the world, and escape the captivity of Satan.

Have faith and hope in God, believe in His power and strength, He can do all things and there is nothing He cannot do.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

00:00 Jan 15, 2026 - Prayer of Divine Mercy - The Way to Heaven