Daily Readings - Tue Jan 14 2025
Hebrews
5For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak.6But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?7Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:8Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.9But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.10For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.11For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,12Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.
Mark
21And they went into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue, and taught.22And they were astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.23And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out,24Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.25And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.26And when the unclean spirit had torn him, and cried with a loud voice, he came out of him.27And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What thing is this? what new doctrine is this? for with authority commandeth he even the unclean spirits, and they do obey him.28And immediately his fame spread abroad throughout all the region round about Galilee.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the dignity of humanity and the authority of Jesus Christ. In the first reading from Hebrews, we are reminded that God has crowned humanity with glory and honor, placing us just below the angels. Yet, it is through Jesus Christ, who was made "a little less than the angels," that we find our true purpose and salvation. His Passion and death demonstrate the depth of God’s love and the completion of our salvation. The reading emphasizes that Jesus is not ashamed to call us his brothers and sisters, showing the intimate bond he shares with us.
In the Gospel, Mark describes a scene where Jesus teaches in the synagogue with authority, astonishing the people. When a man with an unclean spirit cries out, Jesus commands the spirit to leave, and it obeys. This passage highlights Jesus’ divine authority over even the forces of evil. The people are amazed, not only by his teaching but also by his power to cast out demons. This demonstrates that Jesus’ authority is not just in words but in actions, revealing his identity as the Holy One of God.
These readings remind us that we are called to live with faith and courage, trusting in God’s plan for us. Just as Jesus exercised authority over the unclean spirit, we too can trust in his power to guide us through the challenges of life. The moral lesson here is to recognize our dignity as children of God and to rely on Jesus’ authority and grace to overcome sin and evil. Let us strive to live in a way that reflects our identity as brothers and sisters of Christ, praising God in the midst of our lives.