Episode Details

Thursday 22 January 2026

Today is Thursday the 22nd of January, in the 2nd week of Ordinary Time. Today we hear ‘O Lord, Listen to my Prayer’, by Margaret Rizza. As you begin to pray today, what is on your mind? And what is in your heart? Are you feeling happy with life? Calm? Serene? Or perhaps tired, frustrated, fed up? God knows you better than you know yourself, so you can be honest with God about your feelings, and place yourself now, as you really are, before the Lord. O Lord, listen to my prayer My prayer as I call to you Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Mark. Mark 3:7-12 Jesus departed with his disciples to the lake, and a great multitude from Galilee followed him; hearing all that he was doing, they came to him in great numbers from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan, and the region around Tyre and Sidon. He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him; for he had cured many, so that all who had diseases pressed upon him to touch him. Whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and shouted, ‘You are the Son of God!’ But he sternly ordered them not to make him known. As today’s time of prayer starts, join this great crowd who are intent on hearing all that Jesus is doing. What’s the atmosphere like among these excited people? One thing drawing so many to Jesus is his reputation as someone with a healing touch. Where do you, or where does someone you know, most need that healing today? What do you make of the fact that it is the unclean spirits who seem to recognise most clearly the truth of who Jesus is? As you hear the words of the gospel again, do what you can to stay with this noisy and expectant crowd. Mark 3:7-12 Jesus departed with his disciples to the lake, and a great multitude from Galilee followed him; hearing all that he was doing, they came to him in great numbers from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan, and the region around Tyre and Sidon. He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him; for he had cured many, so that all who had diseases pressed upon him to touch him. Whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and shouted, ‘You are the Son of God!’ But he sternly ordered them not to make him known. For the last part of this prayer, let Jesus take you to one side, alone with him, and tell him whatever is in your mind and heart at this moment. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be World without end Amen