Good Morning,
Welcome to your online worship from St. Mark’s for Sunday, February 4, 2024.
Our annual vestry meeting is today following our morning services.
As we continue in reflecting on the Gospel of Mark, my sermon message today reflects on the transformative power of Jesus’ ministry beginning in Capernaum. From healing the sick to challenging established ways, we witness the beginnings of a faith that refuses to be confined to one place. Jesus calls us to break free from routines, carry the light of the Gospel into our daily lives, and become living examples of God’s love to those around us.
Today’s Opening Sentence
He took our infirmities and bore our diseases. – Matthew 8.17
Today’s Reading – Mark 1:29-39
As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them.
That evening, at sunset, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.
In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, “Everyone is searching for you.” He answered, “Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do.” And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.1
Your Online Message and Prayers
Click on the above image to view our online worship on YouTube.
Reflection questions for the week:
- Take a moment to consider the routines and patterns in your life. Are there any that might be hindering your growth or limiting your outreach? How can you break free from these patterns to embrace the call to shine the light of the Gospel more brightly in your daily life?
- Recall a recent interaction where your actions or words reflected the love and care embedded in the Gospel. What impact did it have on the person involved? How can you continue to be a living example of the Good News in your interactions with others?
- In a world that often relies on virtual connections, think about the power of face-to-face interactions. Bring to mind a specific moment when a personal encounter allowed you to convey the Gospel more effectively than words alone. How can you prioritize such interactions in your daily life?
- Today’s sermon emphasized Jesus’ resistance to getting stuck in one place. What structures or habits in your life provide stability but might be hindering your personal or spiritual growth? How can you begin to break free from these constraints to embrace the transformative power of the Gospel?
This week music is again provided by Ryan Van Dijk, our Music Director. Thank you to Ryan for his ministry of music!
A continued reminder that if you are at all uncomfortable being in-person for worship, or if you are not feeling well, please join us here online.
Thank you again for joining with your parish family in our online worship today.
Find out how you can support our ministry and good work in the community here.
God Bless you and have a blessed week. Be well!
Peace,
The Rev’d Canon Rob Park
- Scripture quotation is from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.