Daily Readings - Mon Jan 18 2021
Hebrews
1For every high priest, having been taken from among men, is appointed on behalf of men toward the things which pertain to God, so that he may offer gifts and sacrifices on behalf of sins2he is able to commiserate with those who are ignorant and who wander astray, because he himself is also encompassed by infirmity3And because of this, he also must make such offerings for sins even for himself, in the same manner as for the people4Neither does anyone take up this honor himself, but rather he who is called by God, just as Aaron was5Thus, even Christ did not glorify himself, so as to become High Priest, but instead, it was God who said to him: "You are my Son. Today I have begotten you.6And similarly, he says in another place: "You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.7It is Christ who, in the days of his flesh, with a strong cry and tears, offered prayers and supplications to the One who was able to save him from death, and who was heard because of his reverence8And although, certainly, he is the Son of God, he learned obedience by the things that he suffered9And having reached his consummation, he was made, for all who are obedient to him, the cause of eternal salvation10having been called by God to be the High Priest, according to the order of Melchizedek
Mark
18And the disciples of John, and the Pharisees, were fasting. And they arrived and said to him, "Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?19And Jesus said to them: "How can the sons of the wedding fast while the groom is still with them? During whatever time they have the groom with them, they are not able to fast20But the days will arrive when the groom will be taken away from them, and then they shall fast, in those days21No one sews a patch of new cloth onto an old garment. Otherwise, the new addition pulls away from the old, and the tear becomes worse22And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the wineskins, and the wine will pour out, and the wineskins will be lost. Instead, new wine must be put into new wineskins.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of Christ’s priesthood and the newness He brings to our lives. In the first reading from Hebrews, we hear about the role of the high priest, who is called by God to offer sacrifices for sins—both for the people and for himself. This passage emphasizes Christ’s unique priesthood, one that is rooted in His obedience to the Father and His willingness to suffer. Unlike the Levitical priests, Christ’s priesthood is eternal and perfect, for He is both the offering and the one who offers. His priesthood is not based on human lineage but on His divine calling and His ability to sympathize with our weaknesses.
In the Gospel, Mark presents Jesus responding to a question about fasting. Jesus uses the metaphor of the wedding guests and the parable of the wineskins to explain that His disciples do not fast because they are in the presence of the Bridegroom. He emphasizes that the old ways of fasting and tradition cannot contain the new life and joy that He brings. The old must give way to the new, just as new wine requires new wineskins. This teaching challenges us to embrace the freshness and vitality of the Gospel, rather than clinging to outdated practices or mindsets.
These readings remind us that Christ’s mission is one of renewal and transformation. Just as He is the eternal High Priest who offers Himself for our salvation, He also calls us to live in the newness of His Spirit. In our daily lives, we are invited to let go of the old patterns and habits that no longer serve us and to embrace the freedom and joy that come from following Him. Let us ask ourselves: Are we open to the new things God is doing in our lives, or are we holding onto the old? May we, like Christ, learn obedience through suffering and trust in the Father’s plan, allowing His new life to flow into us and through us.