Mc 3,7-12 – Thursday of the Second Week of Ordinary Time
The crowd follows Jesus. They come from everywhere, from far away, from different territories, bringing with them tired bodies, open wounds, confused hopes. They are not ideal pilgrims, they are people hungry for something they cannot name: healing, meaning, relief, a new possibility. Jesus becomes a point of attraction because in Him they feel that life still has meaning. But this crowd is not all the same.
There are those who seek healing, those who seek protection, those who seek power, those who seek just a miracle. AND Jesus does not allow himself to be possessed by any of these questions. He heals, frees, but does not allow him to be reduced to what people want from Him. When the impure spirits recognize Him, He silences them. He doesn’t want a truth shouted without relationship, he doesn’t want an identity proclaimed without conversion. It’s the devil’s advertising.
There is something very human in this: we too often seek God for what we need, not for what he is. We seek him when we need him, when we suffer. But the risk is to transform it into a function, into a remedy, rather than in a life-changing presence itself. Jesus then withdraws, asks for space. It needs to not just be “useful” in order to be true. This too is a profound teaching: not everything that is required is right, not everything that is urgent is essential. Following Jesus does not just mean receiving something from Him, but accepting not to use it. Accept that he is not at our disposal, but in front of us as someone to truly follow. And perhaps this is what truly heals us: stop looking for God to fill our gapsand let ourselves be changed by Him.
Thursday 22 January 2026 – (Thursday of the Second Week of Ordinary Time – Even Year)
