Daily Readings - Fri Jan 29 2021
Hebrews
32But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings,33sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated.34For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.35Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.36For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised.37For, "Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay;38but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him."39But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.
Mark
26And he said, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground.27He sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed sprouts and grows; he knows not how.28The earth produces by itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear.29But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come."30And he said, "With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it?31It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth,32yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade."33With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it.34He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of faith, patience, and the mysterious ways of God’s kingdom. In the first reading from Hebrews, we hear words of encouragement to the early Christian community, urging them to persevere through trials and hardships. The author reminds them of their past endurance and the joy they found in suffering for their faith. They are exhorted not to lose confidence, for their faith will be rewarded if they remain patient and trust in God’s promises. This passage emphasizes the importance of steadfastness in the face of adversity, knowing that God’s timing and plan are not always immediate or obvious.
In the Gospel, Jesus uses two parables to describe the kingdom of God. The first parable compares the kingdom to a seed that grows gradually, even without the farmer’s constant intervention. The second parable likens it to a mustard seed, which, though small, grows into a large plant that provides shelter for many. These parables teach us that God’s work often begins quietly and grows in ways we may not fully understand. Like the seed, our faith may start small, but with time and care, it can flourish and bear abundant fruit. Jesus’ use of parables also reminds us that spiritual truths are not always straightforward but require reflection and openness to God’s mystery.
Both readings call us to trust in God’s plan and to cultivate patience and faith in our daily lives. Just as the seed needs time to germinate and grow, our spiritual lives require us to wait on God and nurture our relationship with Him. In moments of uncertainty or difficulty, we are reminded that our confidence should not waver, for God is always at work, even when we cannot see it. Let us strive to live as “sons and daughters of faith,” trusting that God’s promises will be fulfilled in His time. May we also allow our faith to grow and bear fruit, becoming a source of hope and shelter for others, just as the mustard seed becomes a home for the birds of the air.