Daily Readings - Mon Jan 16 2023
Hebrews
1For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins:2Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity.3And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins.4And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.5So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee.6As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.7Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;8Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;9And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;10Called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.
Mark
18And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?19And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.20But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.21No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse.22And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of priesthood, sacrifice, and the newness that Christ brings to our lives. In the first reading from Hebrews, we hear about the role of the high priest, who is chosen by God to offer sacrifices for the sins of the people. The author emphasizes that the high priest must be able to empathize with the weaknesses of others because he, too, is human. This sets the stage for understanding Jesus as the ultimate High Priest, who, though sinless, humbled himself and learned obedience through suffering. His priesthood is not like that of the old covenant but is eternal and rooted in the order of Melchizedek, a mysterious figure who prefigured Christ’s priesthood.
In the Gospel, Mark presents Jesus responding to the question about why his disciples do not fast. Jesus uses the image of the groom and the wedding to explain that as long as he is with them, it is a time of joy, not fasting. He then uses parables about patching old clothes with new cloth and putting new wine into old wineskins to illustrate that the old ways cannot contain the new life he brings. This teaching challenges us to embrace the fresh and transformative nature of the Kingdom of God, rather than trying to fit it into outdated practices or mindsets.
These readings remind us that our faith is not about clinging to the past but about embracing the newness of life in Christ. Jesus, as the High Priest and the Bridegroom, calls us to live in the present with hope and openness to the Spirit. In our daily lives, this means being willing to let go of old habits or ways of thinking that no longer serve us, and instead, to trust in God’s plan to renew and transform us. Let us ask for the grace to be open to the new wine and new cloth that Christ offers, so that we may live as people of hope and joy, reflecting the eternal salvation he has won for us.