Word to the Wise
Thursday, January 15, 2026 - Thursday in the 1st Week in Ordinary Time
[1 Sam 4:1-11 and Mark 1:40-45]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. [Mark]
The man in this story was a leper that Jesus cleansed. Jesus ordered him not to tell anybody, but that was futile. In today's terms, the incident became "viral" and Jesus found himself, understandably, in great demand! The famous circus showman, P. T. Barnum, is quoted as saying, "There's no such thing as bad publicity!" But we know that isn't always true. In Jesus' case, it would attract the increasingly negative attention of the Jewish authorities such as the Pharisees and scribes. That will show up soon in the daily gospel scripture. For the moment, Jesus was paying the price for fame. There was no place to hide!
The "big picture" of the Gospel According to Mark is that Jesus remains misunderstood until he is crucified. One can get an idea of this by reading this gospel in reverse, starting at the end and working toward the beginning! If one reads the letters of St. Paul, there is little mention of Jesus' miracles and preaching. It is the cross and resurrection and the Holy Spiritthat gets the emphasis. The gospels reflect the growing desire to know more about Jesus' life and ministry. The Gospel According to Mark is the earliest of the four. By reading the four gospels in chronological sequence: Mark, Matthew, Luke, John (despite the traditional sequence), one may see the growing development of Christian faith. For the moment, however, we can follow Jesus in Mark and be challenged to ask ourselves, "Who is this man?" AMEN
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