Media becoming a sacred space

January 14, 2026 Wednesday of the First Week in Ordinary Time
Daily Readings: 1 Samuel 3:1-10, 19-20; Mark 1:29–39

Children of God: I was once invited to celebrate a Mass on a small island in Cebu. After the celebration, I was asked to visit a sick woman who could not attend the Mass. When I arrived at her humble home, she greeted me warmly and, to my surprise, recognized me. She told me she had been faithfully listening to the Holy Masses aired by our radio station. With quiet pride, she showed me her small altar: an image of Jesus, a few saints, a candle—and beside them, a simple radio. She shared that every time the Mass was broadcast, she would light the candle and pray, turning her home into a sacred space. In that moment, I realized that media, when used with faith, can truly become holy ground.

In the gospel story of Mark, Jesus moves seamlessly from the synagogue to the home, from public preaching to private healing, and from crowded places to quiet prayer (Mark 1:29–39). What are our inspirations for today? What does this movement of Jesus teach us about sacred space and mission in our time?

First, God’s healing presence is not confined to church buildings but enters homes and everyday spaces. Jesus leaves the synagogue and enters the house of Simon and Andrew, where he heals Simon’s mother-in-law (Mark 1:29–31). The miracle does not happen in a formal place of worship but in an ordinary home, showing that God’s grace flows wherever faith opens the door.

The sick woman I visited experienced the same truth. Though she could not physically attend Mass, her home became a place of encounter with God through the radio. Her altar and simple gesture of lighting a candle transformed listening into prayer. This reminds us that holiness is not limited by walls. When hearts are open, even the smallest spaces: homes, rooms, and humble corners, can become places of healing and grace.

Second, media becomes sacred when it serves prayer, proclamation, and mission.
In the gospel story of Mark, Jesus rises early to pray in a deserted place before continuing his mission of preaching and healing (Mark 1:35, 38–39). Prayer fuels mission, and mission flows outward to reach as many as possible.

Radio, television, and digital platforms can echo this same movement. They carry prayer into homes, bring the Word to the sick and the distant, and proclaim hope beyond physical limitations.
When media is used not for noise but for the Gospel, it becomes an instrument of communion, connecting people to God and to one another, even across seas and islands.

Children of God: The healing ministry of Jesus reminds us that sacred space is created wherever God is welcomed. Media, when consecrated by faith, becomes a bridge of grace.