Daily Readings - Wed Jan 30 2019
Hebrews
11And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:12But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;13From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.14For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.15Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,16This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;17And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.18Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.
Mark
1And he began again to teach by the sea side: and there was gathered unto him a great multitude, so that he entered into a ship, and sat in the sea; and the whole multitude was by the sea on the land.2And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine,3Hearken; Behold, there went out a sower to sow:4And it came to pass, as he sowed, some fell by the way side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it up.5And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth:6But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away.7And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.8And other fell on good ground, and did yield fruit that sprang up and increased; and brought forth, some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred.9And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.10And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.11And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:12That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.13And he said unto them, Know ye not this parable? and how then will ye know all parables?14The sower soweth the word.15And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.16And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;17And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.18And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,19And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.20And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter profound truths about God’s plan and our response to it. The letter to the Hebrews reminds us of the superiority of Christ’s sacrifice over the repeated offerings of the old covenant. While priests once offered sacrifices daily, unable to eradicate sin, Christ’s single sacrifice achieves what the old covenant could not, offering redemption once and for all. This passage highlights the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecy, where God’s laws are inscribed on hearts and minds, and sins are no longer remembered. The Gospel, on the other hand, presents Jesus’ parable of the sower, illustrating how the word of God is received in different hearts. The parable teaches us about the varying responses to God’s word, from rejection by the hardened heart to abundant fruit in the fertile heart.
The context of these readings is deeply rooted in the theological and pastoral concerns of their audiences. Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians, reassuring them of the superiority of Christ’s sacrifice and the new covenant’s efficacy. Mark’s parable reflects Jesus’ concern for His disciples’ understanding and the broader crowd’s spiritual state, emphasizing the importance of receptive hearts. Together, these readings connect by highlighting God’s ultimate plan: Christ’s sacrifice paves the way for the word of God to take root in human hearts, leading to a fruitful life.
In our daily lives, these readings challenge us to examine how we receive God’s word. Do we let it take root, or do we allow the pressures of life to choke it out? The moral lesson here is clear: true faith is not superficial but deeply rooted, enduring through trials and producing abundant fruit. Just as Christ’s sacrifice is sufficient, our response must be wholehearted, nurturing fertile soil where God’s word can flourish. Let us strive to be the good soil, allowing God’s word to transform us and bear fruit in our lives.