All This Could Be Yours At The Low Price Of Only $19.99 | January 12, 2016

January 12, 2016

Good public speakers are hard to come by and as someone who essentially speaks for a living, giving a good talk is also hard to come by. The most important part of any good talk is the preparation, not just the learning of the words, but more importantly the understanding of its content. A good salesperson knows their product well and a good speaker understands their content well. There is something in the court system known as the expert witness program where an “expert” in a certain area will be called in to provide their professional opinion on said topic, for example, a doctor might be called in to identify the severity of an injury based on their years of experience, education, and knowledge on the particular type of injury. Using the word expert in conjunction with your title automatically gives you a certain authority that non-experts are usually comfortable with acknowledging. Raise your hand if you know someone that thinks they are an expert witness in literally everything!!

The second important thing in giving a good talk is in the presentation. If you truly understand the message, then you need to present it to your audience in a way that they will be able to effectively receive it. This of course has to do with vocal quality, timing and pace (with pauses at the right time being paramount), eye contact, and eloquence. TED Talks on Netflix are one of my favorite ways to study the true art of public speaking. Let’s face it, I’m a sucker for a smooth talker, I’m completely taken in by well-crafted words, and charm will capture my heart every single time. This is why I avoid salespeople at all times and I have indeed fallen for the “all this could be yours at the low price of only $19.99”. I’m not proud of this tendency in me.

Today’s gospel gives us evidence that Jesus was indeed an amazing speaker, in fact, the narrative says, “The people were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes” and “All were amazed.” Of course the fact that Jesus was eloquent, poetic, and shiny makes me fall in love with him all the more and where he differs from other shiny, charming, pretty talkers, is that his words actually mean what they say and are indeed life (from God's omnipotent authority). I’ve had unbearable heartache from believing people’s words of well-intentioned love, affirmation, loyalty, trust, promises, and security, only to discover that of course they fell short because only the Word Himself can satisfy. When the Word made flesh gives a Word(s), or Himself, those Words, like sacrament are efficacious and actually ARE what they say. If a stop sign were efficacious it would literally stop your car for you. Jesus is the Word and when he proclaims the Word he gives us Himself, therefore, he gives us God, which is everything good, lovely, holy, right, admirable, and true. Today’s gospel is really the first account we see of an audience receiving the Word in such an effective way. Jesus was an expert witness, he knew is product well because he was the product, and he proclaimed its message so that it was well received and the people were astonished. I’m sure they never forgot that talk as long as they lived.

The main reason that Jesus rebuked the evil spirit in the story is because he didn’t want to be outed by an evil spirit. He didn’t need any help from the dark side in his mission and his revelation to the masses would be in God’s time and under God’s control! But let that be a lesson to us that even the darkness acknowledges Jesus’ authority and I somehow miss it all the time. Perhaps that is why in our darkest hour, we call upon the Name of the Lord, however, it would be so much better if I heard his voice in the light instead. I need to heed the Word and consume the Word like Ezekiel (or like in Eucharist), so that it becomes a part of my entire being. I would love love love to have been in the synagogue that day when Jesus proclaimed the Word, however, praying with the Scriptures every day is a perfect way to understand the content and to become familiar with the product that brings us life. Now that’s a sales pitch I can fall for every time.

Let Jesus charm you with his promises, swoon you with his love songs, and affirm you with his unconditional and everlasting Word today, tomorrow, and forever. All this can be yours at the low price of $0.00! Order within the next 30 seconds and we will throw in his sweet nothings for free!!!!

Reading 1 1 SM 1:9-20

Hannah rose after a meal at Shiloh,
and presented herself before the LORD;
at the time, Eli the priest was sitting on a chair
near the doorpost of the LORD’s temple.
In her bitterness she prayed to the LORD, weeping copiously,
and she made a vow, promising: “O LORD of hosts,
if you look with pity on the misery of your handmaid,
if you remember me and do not forget me,
if you give your handmaid a male child,
I will give him to the LORD for as long as he lives;
neither wine nor liquor shall he drink,
and no razor shall ever touch his head.”
As she remained long at prayer before the LORD,
Eli watched her mouth, for Hannah was praying silently;
though her lips were moving, her voice could not be heard.
Eli, thinking her drunk, said to her,
“How long will you make a drunken show of yourself?
Sober up from your wine!”
“It isn’t that, my lord,” Hannah answered.
“I am an unhappy woman.
I have had neither wine nor liquor;
I was only pouring out my troubles to the LORD.
Do not think your handmaid a ne’er-do-well;
my prayer has been prompted by my deep sorrow and misery.”
Eli said, “Go in peace,
and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.”
She replied, “Think kindly of your maidservant,” and left.
She went to her quarters, ate and drank with her husband,
and no longer appeared downcast.
Early the next morning they worshiped before the LORD,
and then returned to their home in Ramah.

When Elkanah had relations with his wife Hannah,
the LORD remembered her. 
She conceived, and at the end of her term bore a son
whom she called Samuel, since she had asked the LORD for him.

Responsorial Psalm 1 SAMUEL 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8ABCD

R. (see 1) My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
“My heart exults in the LORD,
my horn is exalted in my God.
I have swallowed up my enemies;
I rejoice in my victory.”
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
“The bows of the mighty are broken,
while the tottering gird on strength.
The well-fed hire themselves out for bread,
while the hungry batten on spoil.
The barren wife bears seven sons,
while the mother of many languishes.”
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
“The LORD puts to death and gives life;
he casts down to the nether world;
he raises up again.
The LORD makes poor and makes rich;
he humbles, he also exalts.”
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.
“He raises the needy from the dust;
from the dung heap he lifts up the poor,
To seat them with nobles
and make a glorious throne their heritage.”
R. My heart exults in the Lord, my Savior.

Alleluia SEE 1 THES 2:13

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Receive the word of God, not as the word of men,
but as it truly is, the word of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MK 1:21-28

Jesus came to Capernaum with his followers, 
and on the sabbath he entered the synagogue and taught.
The people were astonished at his teaching,
for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes.
In their synagogue was a man with an unclean spirit;
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!” 
Jesus rebuked him and said, “Quiet! Come out of him!”
The unclean spirit convulsed him and with a loud cry came out of him.
All were amazed and asked one another,
“What is this?
A new teaching with authority.
He commands even the unclean spirits and they obey him.”
His fame spread everywhere throughout the whole region of Galilee.