CONSOLATA SHRINE4th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY

TIME B

28th JANUARY 2018FIRST READING Deuteronomy 18:15-20

“I will raise up a prophet, and I will put my words in his mouth.”A reading from the Book of Deuteronomy

Moses spoke to the people, saying, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brethren – him you shall heed – just as you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ “And the Lord said to me, ‘They have rightly said all that they have spoken. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brethren; and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. And whoever will not give heed to my words which he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him. But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.”

The word of the Lord

RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 95:1-2.6-7.7-9Response. O that today you would listen to his voice! Harden not your hearts. Come, let us ring out our joy to the Lord; hail the rock who saves us. Let us come into his presence, giving thanks; let us hail him with a song of praise. (Response)

O come; let us bow and bend low. Let us kneel before the God who made us, for he is our God and we the people who belong to his pasture, the flock that is led by his hand. (Response)

O that today you would listen to his voice! “Harden not your hearts as at Meribah, as on that day at Massah in the desert when your forebears put me to the test; when they tried me, though they saw my work. (Response)

SECOND READING 1 Corinthians 7:32-35“The virgin is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to be holy.”

A reading from the first Letter of Saint Paul to the CorinthiansBrethren: I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the

affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord; but the married man is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the unmarried woman or virgin is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please her husband. I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.

The word of the Lord

AlleluiaThe people who sat in darkness have seenA great light, and for those who sat in the

region and shadow of death light has dawned.Alleluia

GOSPEL Mark 1:21b-28“He taught them as one who had authority.”

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark{In the city of Capernaum} on the Sabbath Jesus entered the synagogue and taught. And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” and

the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. “And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching! With authority he commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.

The Gospel of the Lord

THE KING’S AUTHORITY by Scott Hahn, Ph.D.Last week, Jesus announced the kingdom of God is at hand. This week, in mighty words and deeds, He exercises His dominion - asserting royal authority over the ruler of this world, Satan. Notice that today’s events take place on the Sabbath. The Sabbath was to be an everlasting sign -both of God’s covenant love for His creation, and His deliverance of his covenant people, Israel, from slavery. On this Sabbath, Jesus signals a new creation - that the Holy One has come to purify His people and deliver the world from evil. “With an unclean spirit” is biblical language for a man possessed by a demon, Satan being the prince of demons. The demons’ question: “What have you to do with us?” is often used in Old Testament scenes of combat and judgment. And as God by His word “rebuked” the forces of chaos in creating the world, and again rebuked the Red Sea so the Israelites could make their exodus, Mark uses the same word to describe Jesus rebuking the demons. Jesus is the prophet foretold by Moses in today’s First Reading. Though He has authority over heaven and earth, He becomes one of our own kinsmen. He comes to rebuke the forces of evil and chaos - not only in the world, but in our lives. He wants to make us holy in body and spirit, as Paul says in today’s Epistle. In this liturgy, we hear His voice and “see” His works, as we sing in today’s Psalm. And as Moses tells us today, we should listen to Him.

ANNOUNCEMENTS1. All form 4 leavers, college and University students are invited to a leadership and influence seminar called “UNLEASHED”. To be held from 1st and 2nd February at 9am to 4pm in the Parish Hall. Registration is on-going in the Parish Office. For more details, check the posters on the notice board.2. The Consolata Business and Entrepreneurs Professional Group, will meet today at 12:00pm in the tent behind the nursery school. We invite all those in these fields to join us.3. On Friday 2nd February, is the first Friday of the Month. Night Vigil will start at 9.00pm and end up with a holy Mass at 5.00am. All are welcome.4. Next Sunday being the first Sunday of the month there is the second collection of St. Vincent de Paul to assist the needy of the parish.5. Next Sunday also, we will have the Rosary being prayed in front of the Eucharist after the twelve o’clock Mass.6. The Children’s Sunday Service will resume next week during 9.00am, 10.30am and noon mass. All children ages 3 – 9 years are welcome.7. The annual children’s Mass with His Eminence John cardinal Njue, will take place on Saturday 10th, February at St Mary’s School grounds. Please collect information outside the church.8. The annual celebration to mark the world Day of the sick, will take place on Sunday 11th February at 3pm. The sick and elderly who wish to attend but are limited by transport are invited to contact the Parish Office or the desk outside the church. All are welcome.9. Our Charity Golf Tournament to raise funds for Allamano-Centre will be on Friday

16th February at Muthaiga Gold Club. The Entrance fee is Kshs. 2,500. Cards are available at the desk outside the church and in the Parish Office.10. The registration for the pilgrimage to Holy Land is still ongoing. For more details, visit the desk outside or the Parish Office. 11. Registration for the Sacraments of Baptism, and First Holy Communion for adults and school children is closing this week. The Child has to be 8 years or in class three this year. Kindly bring their baptismal card and a contribution of Kshs. 200/=. Non Catholics who worship with us and wish to became catholic are also requested to register at the Catechists office. 12. The Construction of the ALLAMANO CENTRE to build a new block of pastoral offices, hall and parking is on-going. The car stickers to support the construction of the Allamano Centre are already on sale. You can pay using the Paybill number 804877 in installments or in full.

SCHEDULE FOR MASSES:Monday: 2 Sm 15:13-14.30; 16:5-13; Ps 3:2-8; Mk 5:1-20 Sunday: 7.30 am Kiswahili Tuesday: 2 Sm 18:9-10. 14b. 24-25a.30- 19:3; Ps 86:1-6; 9.00 am, 10.30 am, 12.00 noon Mk 5:21-43 and 5.30 pm EnglishWednesday: 2 Sm 24:2. 9-17; Ps 32:1-2.5-7; Mk 6:1-6 Thursday: 1 Kgs 2:1-4. 10-12; Ps 1 Chr 29:10-12; Saturday: English 7.00 am, Mk 6:7-13 9.00 am and 5.30 pmFriday: Mal 3:1-4 or Heb 2:14-18; Ps 24:7-10; Lk 2:22-40 or Lk 2:22-32 Monday - Friday: English 7.00 amSaturday: 1 Kgs 3:4-13; Ps 119:9-14; Mk 6:30-34 and 1.15 pm; 5.30 pm Kiswahili Parish Website: www.consolatashrine.org • Parish E-Mail: info@consolatashrine.org

Parish Priest’s E-Mail: parishpriest@consolatashrine.org @ConsoShrineConsolata Shrine, Westlands, Nairobi

Allamano Centre Paybill Number: 804877 • Account: Name/Book/PageParish Paybill Number: 508702 • P.O. Box 14930 - Nairobi

Cell Phone: 0722 615 105