Daily Readings - Fri Jan 17 2025
Hebrews
1Therefore, we should be afraid, lest the promise of entering into his rest may be relinquished, and some of you may be judged to be lacking2For this was announced to us in a similar manner as to them. But the mere hearing of the word did not benefit them, since it was not joined together with a faith in those things that they heard3For we who have believed shall enter into rest, in the same manner as he said: "So it is as I have sworn in my wrath: They shall not enter into my rest!" And certainly, this is when the works from the foundation of the world have been finished4For, in a certain place, he spoke about the seventh day in this manner: "And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.5And in this place again: "They shall not enter into my rest!11Therefore, let us hasten to enter into that rest, so that no one may fall into the same example of unbelief
Mark
1And after some days, he again entered into Capernaum2And it was heard that he was in the house. And so many gathered that there was no room left, not even at the door. And he spoke the word to them3And they came to him, bringing a paralytic, who was being carried by four men4And when they were not able to present him to him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where he was. And opening it, they lowered down the stretcher on which the paralytic was lying5Then, when Jesus had seen their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you.6But some of the scribes were sitting in that place and thinking in their hearts7"Why is this man speaking in this way? He is blaspheming. Who can forgive sins, but God alone?8At once, Jesus, realizing in his spirit that they were thinking this within themselves, said to them: "Why are you thinking these things in your hearts9Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise up, take up your stretcher, and walk?10But so that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins," he said to the paralytic11"I say to you: Rise up, take up your stretcher, and go into your house.12And immediately he got up, and lifting up his stretcher, he went away in the sight of them all, so that they all wondered. And they honored God, by saying, "We have never seen anything like this.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the power of faith and the promise of God’s rest. In the first reading from Hebrews, we are reminded that God’s rest is not merely a physical reprieve but a spiritual state of trust and surrender. The author warns us not to fall into the same disbelief as those who heard God’s Word but did not act on it. True faith requires us to trust in God’s promises, even when the journey seems uncertain. The passage emphasizes that God’s works are complete, and His rest is available to those who believe.
In the Gospel, Mark presents a vivid scene of Jesus healing a paralytic man. The faith of the man’s friends, who went to great lengths to bring him to Jesus, is what moves the Lord to act. Jesus first forgives the man’s sins, addressing the deeper spiritual paralysis before healing his physical condition. This miracle not only demonstrates Jesus’ authority to forgive sins but also reveals that true healing comes from trusting in God’s mercy and power. The scribes’ skepticism contrasts sharply with the faith of the paralytic and his friends, reminding us that faith is not about understanding everything but about surrendering to God’s will.
These readings call us to examine our own faith. Do we, like the paralytic’s friends, trust God enough to bring our struggles and sins to Him? Or do we, like the scribes, allow doubt and fear to harden our hearts? The promise of God’s rest is not just a future hope but a present reality for those who trust in Him. Let us strive to live with the kind of active, bold faith that leads us to surrender our lives to God, knowing that He is always at work in us, even when we cannot see it.