Daily Readings - Mon Jan 11 2021
Hebrews
1God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,2Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;3Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;4Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.5For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?6And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.
Mark
14Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,15And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.16Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.17And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.18And straightway they forsook their nets, and followed him.19And when he had gone a little further thence, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the ship mending their nets.20And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter the profound truth of Jesus Christ as the ultimate revelation of God and the initiator of a new way of life. The first reading from Hebrews emphasizes that God, who spoke through prophets in the past, has now spoken definitively through His Son, who is the very essence of God’s being and the creator of the world. This passage highlights the superiority of Christ over the angels, underscoring His unique role in salvation history. The Gospel from Mark then shifts our focus to the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry. After John the Baptist’s arrest, Jesus proclaims the arrival of the kingdom of God, calling people to repentance and faith. His encounter with the first disciples—Simon, Andrew, James, and John—demonstrates the radical call to follow Him, leaving behind their familiar lives to become “fishers of men.”
These readings are deeply connected in their emphasis on the authority and uniqueness of Jesus Christ. While Hebrews presents Jesus as the divine Word through whom all things were made, Mark shows Him as the active Messiah who inaugurates the kingdom of God. Together, they invite us to recognize Jesus as the one who surpasses all previous revelations and who calls us to a life of discipleship. The immediate response of the disciples—leaving their nets and family behind—challenges us to consider how we respond to God’s call in our own lives.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: Do we truly recognize Jesus as the ultimate authority in our lives? Are we willing to let go of our comforts and distractions to follow Him? The call to repentance and belief in the Gospel is not a one-time decision but a daily commitment. Just as the first disciples trusted in Jesus’ invitation, we too are called to trust in His plan for us. May we, like them, embrace the adventure of faith, knowing that Jesus is the source of all truth and the one who brings light and salvation to our world.