Friday

2nd Week in Ordinary Time, Friday, Year I

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In today’s First Reading the Letter to the Hebrew reminds us that Our Lord established a new covenant with believers that supersedes the old covenant established on Mt. Sinai between the Lord and the People of God through the mediation of Moses. The prophets (see Jeremiah 31:31-34) described Israel’s infidelity to this covenant as being the result of stone hearts: hearts hardened by their experiences in Egypt and in the desert, despite all the Lord had done for them. The new covenant would be written on their hearts and its requirements placed in their minds: something lived from the heart.

In today’s Gospel Our Lord calls the Apostles who, at the Last Supper, will witness the establishment of this new covenant and then perpetuate it through their ministry and the celebration of the Eucharist. Our Lord ratifies this new covenant with his own blood. Through this covenant our hearts are transformed: faith, hope, and charity are infused into our hearts and shape our actions and our attitudes.

Even among the Twelve there was a traitor, someone whose heart remained hardened. Let Our Lord’s covenant, a covenant of love, be written on your heart and shape your life.

Readings: Hebrews 8:6–13; Psalm 85:8, 10–14; Mark 3:13–19.

 

1st Week in Ordinary Time, Friday, Year I

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In today’s First Reading the Letter to the Hebrews teaches us something not evident in moments of difficulty and trial: faith leads to rest and relief. Continuing yesterday‘s discussion of why the Israelites were condemned to wander in the desert for forty years after squandering an opportunity to enter the Promised Land, the Letter explains that it was their lack of faith that doomed the first generation of unbelieving Israelites. Many people draw solace from their faith, but others see faith as only making their life harder and riskier.

The paralytic in today’s Gospel had friends who thought outside the box due to their faith. They saw an opportunity for their friend’s healing in Our Lord, and they didn’t let conventional means get in their way. The paralytic had to have faith in his friends to be lowered from the roof, and Our Lord acknowledged his faith. Through his faith he received relief from his condition. We may not always see miracles, but our faith can make our life take unexpected directions and grant us the solace and relief we need when facing life’s challenges.

Ask Our Lord today to help you believe “out of the box” and see where life takes you.

Readings: Hebrews 4:1–5, 11; Psalm 78:3, 4bc, 6c–8; Mark 2:1–12. See also 2nd Week of Advent, Monday and 13th Week in Ordinary Time, Thursday.

3rd Week of Advent, Friday

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In today’s Gospel Our Lord warns the incredulous Scribes and Pharisees that if John was a lamp meant to light the way, Our Lord is a sun. As Advent winds to a close John’s mission draws to a conclusion and Our Lord’s is about to begin, and his phase of salvation history is a quantum leap, because he is its culmination.

Today’s First Reading reminds us that if we want Our Lord’s arrival to be a blessing it requires something on our part. It requires that we live uprightly. In Isaiah that is described in terms of religious observance, but the situation in today’s Gospel reminds us that religious observance can be severed from charity and living an upright life. In those sad circumstances it becomes empty and pointless. Advent is a penitential time to prepare for the Messiah’s birth; it is a moment for conversion, for turning our hearts back to the Lord, remembering that he never turns in heart away from us.

The difference between empty observance and fervent devotion is love we put into our relationship with Christ. Let’s not just put Christ back into Christmas, but our love for him back into it as well.

Readings: Isaiah 56:1–3a, 6–8; Psalm 67:2–8; John 5:33–36. See also 4th Week of Lent, Thursday.

34th Week in Ordinary Time, Friday, Year II

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In today’s First Reading we come to John’s vision of the Last Judgement. The thousand years in which the Devil will be imprisoned represent the time from Our Lord’s victory over sin and death in the Resurrection and the time he returns in glory. During those same thousand years those who sit in judgement at Our Lord’s side are those who’ve been victorious over sin and death through baptism and reign with Our Lord. After that time even the Devil will be released briefly to face judgement at the end of time. On that day everyone will be raised from the dead and face final judgement before Our Lord himself.

In today’s Gospel Our Lord says that heaven and earth will pass away, but his Word will never pass away. That Word of life in this moment becomes a moment of glory for those who did not succumb to the Devil or the beast, and a Word that makes the unrepentant realize they’d made the biggest mistake of their life. The world as they know it, and we know it, will be over. The sea in John’s vision disappears because it was the home of the dragon. The just will form part of the new Jerusalem, the spotless bride of the Lamb–the Church–living in a new Heaven and Earth.

Christ’s reign has already begun and those who strive for holiness already reign with him. Let’s continue to work so that others reign with us: by sharing the Gospel with them.

Readings: Revelation 20:1–4, 11–21:2; Psalm 84:3–6a, 8a; Luke 21:29–33. See also 34th Week in Ordinary Time, Friday and 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B.

33rd Week in Ordinary Time, Friday, Year II

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In today’s First Reading the apostle and evangelist John’s visions of the end time continue with the vision of a mighty angel standing on land and sea bearing a small scroll. John approaches and asks for the scroll. The angel straddling land and sea symbolizes that the message he is bearing, represented by the scroll, is meant for everyone. John asks for the scroll and is instructed to eat the scroll, which is sweet to the taste, but sour to the stomach. The message is sweet because it predicts the final victory of God’s people, but also sour because it’ll be a hard won victory: the message also announces the suffering of God’s people.

As Christians this prediction should not shock us: Our Lord said we had to take up our cross and follow him, and that anyone who sought to save his life would lose it. Christianity without crosses is incomplete; it wouldn’t event represent the Christianity of its Founder. We will also face suffering and persecution for being part of God’s people, but we continue in hope knowing that the victory has already been won by Our Lord.

Whether we’re oblivious or defeatist, today’s message is a call to hope and perseverance. Let’s not shy away from suffering, because it is the path to victory.

Readings: Revelation 10:8–11; Psalm 119:14, 24, 72, 103, 111, 131; Luke 19:45–48. See also 33rd Week in Ordinary Time, Friday and 8th Week in Ordinary Time, Friday, Year I.