Daily Readings - Wed Jan 22 2025
Hebrews
1For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,2and to him Abraham apportioned a tenth part of everything. He is first, by translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then he is also king of Salem, that is, king of peace.3He is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.15This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek,16who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life.17For it is witnessed of him, "You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek."
Mark
1Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand.2And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him.3And he said to the man with the withered hand, "Come here."4And he said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?" But they were silent.5And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.6The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of priesthood, compassion, and the tension between tradition and the call to do what is right. In the first reading from Hebrews, we encounter Melchizedek, a mysterious figure who appears in the Old Testament as both a king and a priest. The author of Hebrews highlights that Melchizedek’s priesthood is unique—it does not depend on lineage or earthly authority but is rooted in the power of an indestructible life. This sets the stage for understanding Jesus as the ultimate high priest, who offers a priesthood that transcends human limitations and lasts forever.
In the Gospel of Mark, we see Jesus confronting the Pharisees over their strict interpretation of the Sabbath. When Jesus heals a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath, he challenges the Pharisees’ legalistic understanding of what is permissible. Jesus’ question, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath, or to do evil, to save a life or to destroy it?” cuts to the heart of the matter. His actions reveal that true faith is not about rigid adherence to rules but about living with compassion and love. The Pharisees’ silence and subsequent plotting against Jesus show how resistance to God’s work can arise from a failure to see beyond human traditions.
These readings remind us that our faith must be lived out in action. Just as Melchizedek’s priesthood was marked by its enduring and transcendent nature, Jesus’ priesthood is characterized by his unwavering commitment to healing and restoration. In our daily lives, we are called to embody this same spirit. When faced with situations that seem bound by rigid rules or traditions, we should ask ourselves: Are we prioritizing compassion and the good of others, or are we allowing legalism to harden our hearts? Let us strive to be like Jesus, who saw the deeper truth of God’s love and acted with courage and mercy, even in the face of opposition.