Daily Readings - Tue Feb 04 2025
Hebrews
1Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,2Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.3For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.4Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
Mark
21And when Jesus was passed over again by ship unto the other side, much people gathered unto him: and he was nigh unto the sea.22And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet,23And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.24And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him.25And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,26And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,27When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.28For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.29And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague.30And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?31And his disciples said unto him, Thou seest the multitude thronging thee, and sayest thou, Who touched me?32And he looked round about to see her that had done this thing.33But the woman fearing and trembling, knowing what was done in her, came and fell down before him, and told him all the truth.34And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.35While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further?36As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.37And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James.38And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.39And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth.40And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying.41And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise.42And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.43And he charged them straitly that no man should know it; and commanded that something should be given her to eat.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter powerful lessons about faith, perseverance, and the transformative power of God. The first reading from Hebrews encourages us to run the race of life with patience and perseverance, fixing our eyes on Jesus, who endured the cross for the sake of our salvation. The author reminds us that we have not yet shed blood in our struggle against sin, urging us to draw strength from the example of Christ, who sits at the right hand of God. This passage invites us to reflect on our own struggles and to trust in God’s plan, even when the journey seems difficult.
The Gospel from Mark presents two miracles that highlight the power of faith. Jairus, a synagogue ruler, pleads with Jesus to heal his dying daughter, while a woman suffering from a hemorrhage for twelve years secretly touches Jesus’ garment, believing that even this small act will bring her healing. Both stories demonstrate the importance of trust in God’s providence. The woman’s persistence despite her suffering and Jairus’s faith despite the seeming hopelessness of his daughter’s condition show us that God works in ways we cannot always understand. Jesus’ response to both—the healing of the woman and the raising of Jairus’s daughter—reveals His compassion and power to restore life and hope.
These readings remind us that faith is not about having all the answers but about trusting in God’s goodness even in the midst of uncertainty. Like the woman who touched Jesus’ garment, we are called to reach out to Him in our need, believing that He can heal and transform us. Like Jairus, we are invited to bring our deepest concerns to Jesus, trusting that He is always with us. In our daily lives, let us embrace the call to perseverance and faith, knowing that God is always at work, even when we cannot see the full picture. May we, like the witnesses in Hebrews, fix our eyes on Jesus and press on with hope and confidence.