Homily of Tuesday of the 1st Week in Ordinary Time. Tuesday, January 13, 2026.
Memorial of St Hilary, Bishop. Fr Emmanuel Aghidi CSSp.
Texts: 1 Samuel 1:9-20; Psalm 1 Sam 2; Mark 1:21-28
Dear friends, in the First Reading, Hannah’s prayer shows that God listens to sincere, painful, and honest cries of the heart. Her prayer is not eloquent or sophisticated, it is honest, raw, and intensely personal. Yet God does not turn away. He remembers her and responds in faithfulness. Her story reassures us that no suffering or longing is ignored by God, even when answers seem delayed.God is not indifferent to the deep pains of his people. He listens to the cries that are offered with truth and trust. God’s timing may not match ours, but his response is sure.
In the Gospel, Jesus teaches and heals with authority, astonishing the people and freeing a man from an unclean spirit. His authority reveals him as the Son of God who brings liberation, peace, and new life.
Friends, the readings remind us that Our prayers matter. Like Hannah, we are invited to bring our deepest needs before the Lord in honesty. God hears. God cares. He acts in ways we may not instantly perceive but which shape our lives for good.
Jesus still speaks with authority today. In the chaos, confusion, and pain of life, Christ’s word brings clarity, peace, and liberation. Where there is fear, He brings courage; where there is darkness, he brings light.
The Christian life is both prayer and encounter. Prayer connects us with God’s heart. Encounter with Christ especially in the Scriptures and in the Eucharist renews our strength and shapes our mission.
May the Lord bless His words in our hearts. Amen.
