Daily Readings - Mon Jan 30 2023
Hebrews
32And what should I say next? For time is not sufficient for me to give an account of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the Prophets33those who, by faith, conquered kingdoms, accomplished justice, obtained promises, closed the mouths of lions34extinguished the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, recovered from infirmities, showed strength in battle, turned back the armies of foreigners35Women received their dead by means of resurrection. But others suffered severe punishment, not yet receiving redemption, so that they would find a better resurrection36Truly, others were tested by mocking and lashes, and moreover by chains and imprisonment37They were stoned; they were cut; they were tempted. With the slaughter of the sword, they were killed. They wandered about in sheepskin and in goatskin, in dire need, in anguish afflicted38Of them, the world was not worthy, wandering in solitude on mountains, in the caves and caverns of the earth39And all these, having been proven by the testimony of faith, did not receive the Promise40God’s Providence holds something better for us, so that not without us would they be perfected
Mark
1And they went across the strait of the sea into the region of the Gerasenes2And as he was departing from the boat, he was immediately met, from among the tombs, by a man with an unclean spirit3who had his dwelling place with the tombs; neither had anyone been able to bind him, even with chains4For having been bound often with shackles and chains, he had broken the chains and smashed the shackles; and no one had been able to tame him5And he was always, day and night, among the tombs, or in the mountains, crying out and cutting himself with stones6And seeing Jesus from afar, he ran and adored him7And crying out with a loud voice, he said: "What am I to you, Jesus, the Son of the Most High God? I beseech you by God, that you not torment me.8For he said to him, "Depart from the man, you unclean spirit.9And he questioned him: "What is your name?" And he said to him, "My name is Legion, for we are many.10And he entreated him greatly, so that he would not expel him from the region11And in that place, near the mountain, there was a great herd of swine, feeding12And the spirits entreated him, saying: "Send us into the swine, so that we may enter into them.13And Jesus promptly gave them permission. And the unclean spirits, departing, entered into the swine. And the herd of about two thousand rushed down with great force into the sea, and they were drowned in the sea14Then those who pastured them fled, and they reported it in the city and in the countryside. And they all went out to see what was happening15And they came to Jesus. And they saw the man who had been troubled by the demon, sitting, clothed and with a sane mind, and they were afraid16And those who had seen it explained to them how he had dealt with the man who had the demon, and about the swine17And they began to petition him, so that he would withdraw from their borders18And as he was climbing into the boat, the man who had been troubled by the demons began to beg him, so that he might be with him19And he did not permit him, but he said to him, "Go to your own people, in your own house, and announce to them how great are the things that Lord has done for you, and how he has taken pity on you.20And he went away and began to preach in the Ten Cities, how great were the things that Jesus had done for him. And everyone wondered
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on the nature of faith and trust in God. The first reading from Hebrews 11:32-40 presents a roll call of Old Testament figures who exemplified extraordinary faith. These individuals, despite facing immense hardships and not always seeing the fulfillment of God’s promises in their lifetimes, remained steadfast in their trust. Their stories remind us that faith is not about immediate results but about unwavering trust in God’s plan, even when the journey is fraught with challenges.
The Gospel from Mark 5:1-20 shifts our focus to a dramatic encounter between Jesus and a man tormented by many demons. This man, living on the fringes of society, found healing through Jesus’ compassion. The transformation was immediate and profound, leading the man to share his experience widely. This narrative underscores the transformative power of faith and the call to witness to God’s grace in our lives.
Both readings highlight the transformative power of faith and trust in God. The heroes of faith in Hebrews teach us to trust God’s plan, even in uncertainty. The man in Mark’s Gospel shows us that faith leads to healing and compels us to share God’s grace with others. In our daily lives, we are called to trust God in our struggles and to share our experiences of His grace, just as the healed man did. Let us embrace this call, trusting in God’s plan and spreading His love in our communities.