Daily Catholic Mass Readings for January 12, 2023
First Reading: Hebrews 3.7-14
7Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, "Today, if you hear his voice,8do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness,9where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works10for forty years. Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, 'They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.'11As I swore in my wrath, 'They shall not enter my rest.'"12Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.13But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.14For we share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.
Psalm 95
1Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!2Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!3For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.4In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also.5The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.6Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!7For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today, if you hear his voice,8do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,9when your fathers put me to the test and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.10For forty years I loathed that generation and said, "They are a people who go astray in their heart, and they have not known my ways."11Therefore I swore in my wrath, "They shall not enter my rest."
Gospel: Mark 1.40-45
40And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, "If you will, you can make me clean."41Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, "I will; be clean."42And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.43And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once,44and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them."45But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two profound lessons that guide us in our spiritual journey. The first reading from Hebrews warns us against hardening our hearts, urging us to remain faithful and supportive of one another. The second reading from Mark shares the story of a leper who, with unwavering faith, approaches Jesus for healing. Jesus, moved by compassion, heals the leper and instructs him to present himself to the priests, emphasizing the importance of faith and obedience.
These readings remind us of the delicate balance between individual faith and community support. The leper's courage to approach Jesus reflects the personal trust we must have in God, while the community aspect in Hebrews highlights the need for mutual encouragement to prevent our hearts from becoming hardened by sin. Just as the leper's healing was a testament to others, our actions and faith can inspire those around us.
In our daily lives, let us embrace this dual lesson. May we nurture our personal faith, trusting in God's grace, and actively support one another within our community. By doing so, we not only avoid the pitfalls of sin but also become beacons of hope and faith for others. The moral here is clear: faith and community are intertwined, each strengthening the other, leading us closer to God and fostering a spirit of compassion and trust.