Read and listen to the Word of January 11, 2023

Wednesday of the first week of holidays in Ordinary Time

First Reading

He had to make himself similar to his brothers in everything, in order to become merciful.

From the Letter to the Hebrews
Heb 2:14-18

Fratelli, poiché i sons hanno in comune il sangue e la carne, anche Christ allo stesso modo ne è divenuto partecipe, per ridurre all’impotenza mediante la morte colui che della morte ha il potere, cioè il diavolo, e liberare così quelli che, per timore della morte, erano soggetti a schiavitù per tutta la vita.

In fact, he does not take care of the angels, but of Abraham's lineage he takes care of.

Perciò doveva rendersi in tutto simile ai fratelli, per diventare un sommo sacerdote misericordioso e degno di fede nelle cose che riguardano God, allo scopo di espiare i peccati del popolo.

In fact, precisely because he was put to the test and suffered personally, he is able to come to the aid of those who are undergoing the test.

Word of God.

Responsorial Psalm
From Ps 104 (105)

A. The Lord has always remembered his covenant.

Give thanks to the Lord and call on his name,
proclaim his works among the peoples.
Sing to him, praise him,
meditate on all its marvels. R.

Glory in his holy name:
rejoice the heart of those who seek the Lord.
Seek the Lord and his might,
always seek his face. R.

You, offspring of Abraham, his servant,
sons di Giacobbe, suo eletto.
È lui il Signore, nostro God:
his judgments on all the earth. R.

He always remembered his covenant,
word given for a thousand generations,
of the covenant established with Abraham
and of his oath to Isaac. R.

Gospel acclamation

Hallelujah, hallelujah.

My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord,
and I know them and they follow me. (Jn 10:27)

Alleluia.

Gospel

He healed many who were afflicted with various diseases

Jesus and Simon's mother-in-law: The Word of January 11, 2023 — *Jesus e la suocera di Simone*

From the Gospel according to Mark
Mk 1,29-39

During that time, Jesus, uscito dalla sinagoga, andò subito nella casa di Simone e Andrea, in compagnia di Giacomo e di Giovanni. La suocera di Simone era a letto con la febbre e subito gli parlarono di lei. Egli si avvicinò e la fece alzare prendendola per hand; la febbre la lasciò ed ella li serviva.

When evening came, after sunset, they brought him all the sick and possessed. The whole city was gathered in front of the gate. He healed many who were sick with various diseases and cast out many demons; but he did not allow the demons to speak, because they knew him.

Early in the morning he got up when it was still dark and, having gone out, he withdrew to a deserted place, and there he prayed. But Simon and those who were with him set out on his trail. They found him and said, "Everyone is looking for you!" He said to them: «Let's go elsewhere, to the neighboring villages, so that I can preach there too; for this in fact I have come!».

And he went throughout all Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and casting out demons.

Word of the Lord.

Saint Charles de Foucauld (1858-1916)

hermit and missionary in the Sahara

Eight days in Ephrem

Follow my example by staying awake in prayer!

[Our-Lord:] ” “That's how I spent the three years of My public life before your eyes, spending whole days teaching and healing, doing good, first of all to souls, then to bodies. And, in the evening, what did I do? In the evening I would retire away from the crowds to which I had devoted myself so totally during the day and, in search of solitude, I would shut myself up with you in a house, or rather I would go to the mountain, to some deserted peak, and spend the night in prayer… In any case, I spent the night in recollection, silence, away from the crowds, in vigil and prayer…

E’ l’esempio che vi lascio. E’ per voi che ho agito così: Io che sono abbastanza forte, abbastanza maestro di Me per essere ovunque solo con Mio Father, poiché Lo voglio senza sosta, Io sono sempre con Lui, non ho bisogno di solitudine per raccoglierMi, né di silenzio per pregarLo, né di preghiere particolari per unirMi a Lui.

In the midst of the crowds, as I speak, I am united with Him as in the deepest solitude. I don't need to meditate to know Him; for I know Him; I do not need to fortify Myself with the contemplation of him, since I am divinely strong… I do not need solitude, nor vigil, nor silence, nor prayer, since within Me prayer is continuous and perfect…

E’ per darvi l’esempio che ho passato tante notti nella veglia solitaria a pregare Mio Father, sotto il cielo stellato o nel segreto di una stanza chiusa… Poiché ho fatto tutto per voi, amateMi e amatevi gli uni gli altri… E seguite il Mio esempio (…) vegliando nel raccoglimento e nel silenzio, pregando, contemplando, consumandovi in God…”

WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER

"Jesus mostra una particolare predilezione per coloro che sono feriti nel corpo e nello spirito: i poveri, i peccatori, gli indemoniati, i malati, gli emarginati.

Egli così si rivela medico sia delle anime sia dei corpi, buon Samaritano dell’uomo. E’ il vero Salvatore; Jesus salva, Jesus cura, Jesus guarisce.

Ciascuno di noi è chiamato a portare la luce della Parola di God e la forza della grazia a coloro che soffrono e a quanti li assistono.

La Church madre, tramite le nostre mani, carezza le nostre sofferenze e cura le nostre ferite e lo fa con tenerezza di madre” (Angelus, February 8, 2015)