Meditation Mk 1,21-28

Stand in God’s presence. God is present here and now, looking upon you with love.

Ask for the Grace: I will beg God our Lord that all my intentions and actions may be directed purely to the praise and service of His Divine Majesty

Fixing a place, a picture for meditation: The city of Capernaum is located at the northern end of the Sea of Galilee, about 5 km from the Jordan River. There are: a fishing center, a customs post, a synagogue. On the sabbath, Jesus and a few disciples come to this city and they visited the synagogue. There were a lot of people. Jesus began to teach. One man suddenly cried out to Jesus: what have you to do with us (…)? Have you come to destroy us? Jesus commanded the unclean spirit to come out of this man. All people present in the synagogue were amazed and surprised by this incident. See where you are, how you act, react, what you feel.

Ask for the fruit of meditation: that I would become a free man – cf. The Spiritual Exercises No. 23 

1. … he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.

The scribes were teaching specialists, they were theologians based on acquired knowledge. Jesus spoke differently in the temple. He based his teaching on a living relationship with his Father, filled with Love. So what was his authority? What else was in his preaching? Take a look at Jesus. What can you see so unusual in him? What enchants you in him? Try to review the concept of authority.

2.All were amazed … The witnesses of Jesus exorcism were surprised by his actions. They came to the synagogue to read the Scriptures to be able to live in harmony with the Law. Perhaps they regarded it as their duty, they did it to not have remorse. Maybe they did it without thinking, not asking questions, not seeking the truth, not seeking God. But it is not enough to come to the synagogue and read the Scripture. It is not enough to go for Holy Mass, pray another litany, a rosary, another learned prayer (though God also works here). For faith, we need our commitment to a living relationship with God, meeting with Him. A live relationship does not mean easy, idyllic acquaintance. It can be stormy, very emotional, but it is one in which both sides fight for each other and want to get to know each other as fully as possible. How does your relationship with Jesus look like? What is the result of your fulfilling religious practices? What are your encounters with Jesus? What do you feel during these meetings? What is Jesus amazing about you?

3. In the synagogue there was a man with an unclean spirit, in other words – he may be addicted to things, drugs, relationships, patterns of thinking, action, fears that ruled his life. What areas in you are enslaved? What fears do not allow you to be a free man? Why? What breaks you down internally? How does it affect your daily life, your relationships with others, your thinking? Tell Jesus about it, ask him for help. See how your everyday life would look like, if you were a more free man. How would you feel then? (cf. The Spiritual Exercises No.140 – 142)

4. Jesus, in a meditative scene, saves a man: his dignity and his freedom – no evil word falls towards a possessed man. Jesus also comes to you with Love. He works in your life to the extent that you let him. He respect you and your freedom. He loves you as you are here and now, today. Look at Jesus and allow yourself some form of intimacy with Jesus. Maybe Jesus wants to do something else…

Meditation: St Ignatius encourages in The Spiritual Exercises No. 2 … Because not so much knowledge, but internal feeling and the taste of things please and saturate the soul, that is, we stay where we feel interior movement … and nervously do not try to go on.

The final conversation: Spend a little time at the end, being with God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit….as you would with a good friend: sometimes talking, sometimes listening, sometimes being together in silence. Speak to God about your feelings. Remember that times when ‘nothing is happening’ can also be significant. When you’re ready, end your prayer by saying thank you or using words that are familiar,such as the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father)–whichever feels right and comfortable. (The Spiritual Exercises No.54)