Ordinary Time

3rd Week in Ordinary Time, Saturday, Year I

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In today’s First Reading the Letter to the Hebrews recalls the faith of Abraham. When Abraham was already advanced in years and a nomad with nowhere to call home the Lord promised him that if he set out he would be blessed with a land to call his own and progeny. We know how the story ends: he enters the Promised Land and through his son Isaac becomes the patriarch of a great nation. Abraham’s faith was put to the test, and he thrived.

Abraham’s story teaches us too that in this world we too are waiting for the Lord to fulfill his promise and lead us to the Promised Land. It’s not a condominium on a beach, but Heaven, our true home. No matter how long or how hard it seems, in faith we continue traveling in this world in order to get home. Our faith helps us to not get too comfortable and settle for squatter’s rights.

Abraham’s old age made his faith remarkable, and, spiritually, we can sometimes feel worn and tired in living our faith. Let’s follow Abraham’s example today and press one, confident that the Lord delivers on his promises.

Readings: Hebrews 11:1–2, 8–19; Luke 1:69–75; Mark 4:35–41. See also 13th Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday, Year II, 13th Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday, and 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B.

3rd Week in Ordinary Time, Friday, Year I

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In today’s First Reading the Letter to the Hebrews reminds us that as Christians we have not only had moments of mistreatment due to our faith, but have witnessed the mistreatment of our brothers and sisters in the faith as well. Even today we witness countries where Christians are persecuted and deprived of their “property,” and suffer imprisonment due to the faith. We have to have spiritual solidarity with our persecuted brothers and sisters, even if that involves us being subjected to ridicule.

The unasked question behind these reflections is also, why is all this suffering necessary? Why should we have to suffer for being Christians? The answer is that if we suffer materially, we must not and should not suffer spiritually, because the spiritual benefits of our suffering will be a “better and lasting possession” if we persevere in hope. If, materially speaking, we’re comfortable, maybe, spiritually speaking, we should be concerned. Are we flying below the radar when it comes to giving witness to our faith and supporting our brothers and sisters who are suffering persecution?

Let’s ask Our Lord today to help us stand with our brothers and sisters who are persecuted for the faith so that we can all give witness to the priority of a “better and lasting possession” in our lives.

Readings: Hebrews 10:32–39; Psalm 37:3–6, 23–24, 39–40; Mark 4:26–34. See also 17th Week in Ordinary Time, Monday and 11th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle B.

3rd Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday, Year I

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In today’s First Reading the Letter to the Hebrews teaches us that a shadow of food would not satisfy us, nor a shadow of money pay our debts. The real “currency” we have to atone for our sins is the currency provided to us by Our Lord. Even if we had real food or real money they’d pale in comparison with what the Lord expects of us: to do his will. Doing his will can imply sacrifice, but, as Our Lord teaches us, doing his will when it is costly pleases him even more.

Mankind since the Fall has known some sort of reparation was needed, and that something was missing in its relationship with God. Religious expression followed suit, offering things that would satisfy God, yet Christ reveals to us that it is not just what we offer, but with what heart we offer it. In himself he offered the best of both worlds: a perfect offering (himself) offered perfectly (out of love for the Father and for us), which is why his sacrifice was accepted and continue to be a source of blessings for us. Thanks to Our Lord we now know what to offer (him) and how to offer it (out of love for God and for others).

If we’re faced with sacrifice today, try making it a little more “real”: strive to embrace it for love of God and for others, in imitation of Our Lord.

Readings: Hebrews 10:1–10; Psalm 40:2, 4ab, 7–8a, 10–11; Mark 3:31–35. See also 16th Week in Ordinary Time, Tuesday.

 

3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Cycle A

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Today’s readings teach us that Our Lord has come to bring us light, liberty, and unity.

In today’s First Reading Isaiah speaks of the moment when Israel will be delivered from the prolonged darkness and oppression it has suffered as a result of its infidelity to God. The darkness of Israel was giving way to a great light, symbolizing the passage from sorrow and oppression to freedom and joy. That moment is described as being like the joy of the harvest: a harvest is the end of a great deal of work, patience, and anxiety. You never know how the weather will fare, whether locusts are on the horizon, and so on. You work hard, but in the end you need the Lord to bring the harvest to completion. Isaiah also makes it clear that the great light is also a liberation from oppression and slavery, evoking indirectly the joy the Israelites felt when they were led out of Egypt by Moses at the Lord’s command. In describing Midian Isaiah is referring to the story of Gideon in the Book of Judges (see Judges 8-9). Gideon defeated the Midianites with a small, select force, and credited the Lord with the victory. Isaiah uses this story to show that it is the Lord who’ll deliver Israel from oppression, not their own strength or prowess.

In today’s Second Reading Paul shows that the Lord does not just liberate us. He also wants us united around him and working with him. Paul is chiding the Corinthians because they are claiming some special provenance based on whoever baptized them or whoever was the most eloquent preacher. Their evangelizers want them united in mind and purpose around Christ and his Gospel as Christians. They were baptized in Christ, not in Paul, Cephas, or Apollos. In doing that they are giving credit where credit is due: Paul rightly reminds them that it was Christ who was crucified for their sins, not him. If they don’t give credit where credit is due, people will not be led to Christ.

In today’s Gospel Our Lord is revealed by Matthew to be that light of liberation and joy spoken of by Isaiah. The fulfillment of a prophecy is not always textbook; it doesn’t happen to the letter. Everything Our Lord said, did, and lived during his earthly mission has something to say, and, in this case, settling in Capernaum shows that light of liberation arriving to a people with a pagan past, an allusion to the darkness and oppression caused by their past infidelities. Our Lord also calls his first disciples today. His light draws others to him not only so that they can see the way, but so that they can someday light the way to Christ as well.

Let’s ask Our Lord today to help us light the path to him so that others may follow him.

Readings: Isaiah 8:23–9:3; Psalm 27:1, 4, 13–14; 1 Corinthians 1:10–13, 17; Matthew 4:12–23.

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.