Year I

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.

 

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.

 

2nd Week in Ordinary Time, Thursday, Year I

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In today’s Gospel the Our Lord’s fame at healing and casting out unclean spirit has spread so far and wide that people come from far and wide only hoping to touch him and be healed. Back then it was the world of Palestine and its neighbors; today it is the whole world, and Our Lord, in Heaven, as high priest offers the gift and sacrifice of himself to our Father for our benefit forever. Through every celebration of the sacraments he acts, and we encounter him. If we open our hearts to the sacrament he heals us and fortifies us spiritually until one day we worship with him in eternity.

The Letter to the Hebrews is addressed to a group of converts from Judaism who are tired and thinking of falling back on the Jewish worship and Levitic priesthood (described in today’s First Reading as the “law” and arranged by Moses), which is still active in their time. The author encourages them to realize how much more perfect and eternal the priesthood of Christ in Heaven is. Christ is not only a holy and pure priest, but he is one forever. He focuses full time on his ministry (us) without any baggage or weakness. Jewish worship was a foreshadowing of the Heavenly worship inaugurated and continued in eternity by Our Lord.

In his earthly ministry he needed a boat to prevent being crushed by all those who sought him. Now he provides plenty of “space” through our faith and through the sacraments. Let’s draw closer to him through our faith and the sacraments so that he can heal us too.

Readings: Hebrews 7:25–8:6; Psalm 40:7–10, 17; Mark 3:7–12.

2nd Week in Ordinary Time, Wednesday, Year I

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In today’s First Reading the Letter to the Hebrews presents Melchizedek as someone modeled after Our Lord and his priesthood. Melchizedek is an enigmatic figure in the Old Testament who seems to come out of nowhere, the king of Salem and “priest of God Most High” (see Genesis 14:18). Melchizedek is literally translated as “king of righteousness,” and Salem is translated as “peace” (see Hebrews 7:2). So we’re faced with a king of righteousness and peace who is also priest. Is that starting to sound familiar? In the Letter to the Hebrews a connection is observed: “[Melchizedek] is without father or mother or genealogy, and has neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest for ever” (Hebrews 7:3). Notice that Melchizedek is like Christ, not the other way around. Unlike the priesthood established with Levi, there’s no need for blood lineage, because heirs only need to take up the mantle when their predecessors pass away, and Our Lord never passes away. He is not only full of life; his life is eternal, so he exercises his priesthood forever.

The Gospel reminds us today that Our Lord wants to give life in season and out of season. The Pharisees want observance; Our Lord wants to heal. What’s worse, he reads their hearts and knows they want to condemn him for healing on the Sabbath. Mark notes that Our Lord observes their attitude with anger, but then grieves at their hardness of heart. He not only wants to restore the withered hand of a man; he wants to restore the hearts of the Pharisees as well. The hand is restored, but the hearts are not.

Our Lord is full of life, and he wants to give that life to us. Let’s open our hearts to his blessing so that he can fill us with his life and transform us.

Readings: Hebrews 7:1–3, 15–17; Psalm 110:1–4; Mark 3:1–6. See also 23rd Week in Ordinary Time, Monday.