Daily Readings - Fri Jan 31 2025
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
Today’s readings invite us to reflect on the themes of faith, patience, and the quiet yet powerful work of God in our lives. In the letter to the Hebrews, we are reminded of the early Christian community’s perseverance through trials and persecutions. They faced insults, tribulations, and the loss of material possessions, yet they remained steadfast in their faith. This passage encourages us not to lose confidence, for patience and trust in God’s plan will ultimately lead us to receive the promise of eternal life. The just one, we are told, lives by faith, and it is this faith that sustains us even when the road ahead seems uncertain.
In the Gospel, Jesus uses two parables to illustrate the nature of the kingdom of God. The first compares the kingdom to a seed that grows quietly and inevitably, even when the sower is unaware of its progress. The second likens the kingdom to a mustard seed, which, though small, grows into a great tree providing shelter for all. These parables remind us that God’s work often happens in hidden and unexpected ways. Just as the seed grows without our full understanding, the kingdom of God can take root in the smallest and seemingly insignificant acts of faith and love. Jesus’ message is one of trust and hope: even when we do not see immediate results, God is always at work, transforming the world through the power of His grace.
These readings are deeply connected. Both call us to trust in God’s plan and to be patient in the face of uncertainty. The early Christians endured suffering because they believed in a future promise, and Jesus’ parables assure us that even the smallest acts of faith can lead to great things. In our daily lives, we are invited to embrace this same spirit of trust and perseverance. Let us nurture our faith like a seed, allowing it to grow in the quiet moments and challenging circumstances. May we find the courage to endure trials with patience and to trust that God is always working in our lives, even when we cannot see it. Let us remember that the kingdom of God is not about grand gestures but about the small, consistent acts of love and faith that transform the world.