Daily Readings - Mon Jan 18 2021
Hebrews
1For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.2He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness.3Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people.4And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.5So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, "You are my Son, today I have begotten you";6as he says also in another place, "You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek."7In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.8Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.9And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,10being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.
Mark
18Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, "Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?"19And Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.20The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day.21No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made.22And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins--and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh 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.