It is 9th January 2018. The readings are from 1Samuel 1:9-20; and the Gospel from Mark 1:21-28. Our Christian live needs to be built and cemented by prayer, penance, regular examination of conscience and generous charitable actions. In the first reading we reflect about Hannah who dealt with her social stigma of being barren through her personal and devoted prayer life. Even if the entire world considers us to be crazy for God, we must be honest with God until we obtain the favour we request from God. The Lord rewarded Hannah with a child for her personal and deeply committed prayers. We need to have firmness with clarity in our prayer to impress God. Whatever the insults we have in our lives needs to be shared in prayer with God. We are to create an environment of prayer to obtain the favours from God. Our prayer must be substantiated with penance and charity and regularly checking the conscience. The responsorial Psalm praises, “My heart exults in the Lord.” (1 Sam.2:1). The Gospel teaches us that the spiritual authority comes through a deep communion with God. Jesus displayed and demonstrated such authority not just because He was the Son of God but also with the regular communion with the Father through His Personal Prayer life. Our words and actions heal the humanity when we are filled with the power and the authority that comes from God. Personal prayer brings a certain amount of spiritual power to deal with the evil in us and around us. Our words are spiritually magnetic to pull the people to God. May our spiritual life have the authority to heal not to wound others. May you have a good day.