Ita (whose name means ‘thirst for holiness’) was born in the sixth century in the Deise near Drum, Co Waterford. She left home and went to Limerick in order to devote her life to God. She gathered a community of maidens around her and also ran a school for boys. Many miracles were said to have been worked by her. She died in 570.
Hebrews 2:5-12; Psalm 8; Mark 1:21-28
Again the author of the letter to the Hebrews speaks at length about the true identity of Jesus. He is at pains to make sure that we do not see Jesus as just another prophet or holy man but the Son of God who was perfect in everything. In the closing lines he also tells us that the one who sanctified us – Christ – and we who are sanctified are of the same stock, that is to say we are all sons and daughters of God and heaven is our true home. In our Gospel text we see Jesus casting out an unclean spirit. The spirit recognised Jesus as the Son of God and acknowledges this. The people are amazed by how he speaks and they too recognise the authority with which he acts. The readings call on us today to recognise the authority of Christ and of his Gospel and to conform our lives to it, for only then can we receive eternal life.
Again the author of the letter to the Hebrews speaks at length about the true identity of Jesus. He is at pains to make sure that we do not see Jesus as just another prophet or holy man but the Son of God who was perfect in everything. In the closing lines he also tells us that the one who sanctified us – Christ – and we who are sanctified are of the same stock, that is to say we are all sons and daughters of God and heaven is our true home. In our Gospel text we see Jesus casting out an unclean spirit. The spirit recognised Jesus as the Son of God and acknowledges this. The people are amazed by how he speaks and they too recognise the authority with which he acts. The readings call on us today to recognise the authority of Christ and of his Gospel and to conform our lives to it, for only then can we receive eternal life.