Daily Readings - Tue Jan 28 2025
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 and the true meaning of family. In the first reading from Hebrews, we hear that the sacrifices of the old covenant, though well-intentioned, could never fully remove sin. They were merely shadows of the perfect sacrifice that was to come. Christ, by offering his own body once and for all, fulfilled God’s will and sanctified us in a way that animal sacrifices never could. This passage reminds us that our salvation is not through outward rituals but through the self-giving love of Jesus Christ.
In the Gospel, Mark presents a moment where Jesus redefines family. When his mother and brothers come to find him, Jesus expands the concept of family beyond blood ties. He looks at the crowd 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 earthly family but a profound statement about the spiritual bonds that unite us. True family is not just about flesh and blood but about sharing a common purpose and commitment to God’s will.
These readings challenge us to live our faith in a way that goes beyond superficial practices or biological connections. They call us to embrace a deeper understanding of sacrifice and family. Just as Christ’s sacrifice was not about external rituals but about love and obedience, our lives should be shaped by a genuine commitment to God’s will. Similarly, our sense of belonging should extend beyond our immediate circles to include all those who seek to live according to God’s plan. May we strive to be part of this spiritual family, united by our shared purpose and love for God.