Daily Readings - Fri Jan 27 2023
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. In the first reading from Hebrews, we hear a call to perseverance in the face of trials and afflictions. The author reminds us that our confidence in God should not waver, even when the journey is difficult, because it is through enduring these trials that we receive the promise of eternal life. This passage speaks to the early Christian community, encouraging them to remain steadfast in their faith despite persecution and hardship. It reminds us that true faith is not about immediate results but about trusting in God’s plan, even when the outcome is not yet visible.
In the Gospel, Mark presents two parables that shed light on the Kingdom of God. The first parable compares the Kingdom to a seed that grows mysteriously, even when the sower is unaware of its progress. The second parable likens it to a mustard seed, which, though small, grows into a mighty tree that shelters all. These parables teach us that the Kingdom of God is both hidden and transformative. It begins in small, imperceptible ways, but over time, it grows into something extraordinary. This mirrors the message of Hebrews: just as the seed requires patience and trust in the soil, our faith requires us to trust in God’s timing and providence.
Together, these readings remind us that our faith journey is not about quick fixes or immediate gratification. It is about trusting in God’s plan, even when the path is unclear or difficult. In our daily lives, we are called to embrace this kind of faith—faith that endures trials, faith that trusts in the unseen, and faith that believes in the transformative power of God’s Kingdom. Let us, therefore, cultivate patience and perseverance, knowing that the seeds of faith we plant today will bear fruit in God’s time.