Daily Readings - Tue Jan 29 2019
Hebrews
1For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect.2For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.3But in those sacrifices there is a remembrance again made of sins every year.4For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.5Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:6In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.7Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.8Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;9Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.10By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Mark
31There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him.32And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee.33And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren?34And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!35For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of sacrifice, obedience, and the true meaning of family in God’s plan. In the first reading from Hebrews, we hear about the limitations of the old covenant sacrifices. These sacrifices, repeated year after year, could never fully take away sins; they only served as a reminder of sin. But Christ, by offering his own body once for all, has perfected those who are sanctified through his will. This passage emphasizes that true worship is not about outward rituals but about surrendering to God’s will and living in accordance with it.
In the Gospel, Mark presents a moment where Jesus redefines family. When his mother and brothers come to find him, Jesus looks at the crowd around him and says, “Here are my mother and my brothers. Whoever does the will of God is my brother, sister, and mother.” This is not a rejection of his family but an expansion of the concept of family. Jesus is teaching that our spiritual bonds, formed through fidelity to God’s will, are just as real and meaningful as biological ties. True kinship in God’s kingdom is not limited to blood relations but extends to all who seek to do God’s will.
Together, these readings remind us that our relationship with God is rooted in sacrifice and obedience. Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, once for all, has made us holy, but we must continue to live out this holiness by doing God’s will. In our daily lives, this means prioritizing prayer, service, and love. It also means recognizing that our true family extends beyond our immediate circle to include all those who seek to follow God. Let us ask ourselves: Am I living in accordance with God’s will? Am I building bonds of love and unity with my spiritual family? May we find strength in Christ’s sacrifice and strive to live as true children of God, united in faith and purpose.