Daily Catholic Mass Readings for January 23, 2023
First Reading: Hebrews 9.15, 24-28
15For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance--now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.24For Christ did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's presence.25Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, the way the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood that is not his own.26Then Christ would have had to suffer many times since the creation of the world. But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself.27Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,28so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Psalm 98
1Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.2The LORD has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations.3He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.4Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music;5make music to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing,6with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn- shout for joy before the LORD, the King.7Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.8Let the rivers clap their hands, Let the mountains sing together for joy;9let them sing before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity.
Gospel: Mark 3.22-30
22And the teachers of the law who came down from Jerusalem said, "He is possessed by Beelzebub! By the prince of demons he is driving out demons."23So Jesus called them and spoke to them in parables: "How can Satan drive out Satan?24If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.25If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.26And if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand; his end has come.27In fact, no one can enter a strong man's house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he can rob his house.28I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them.29But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin."30He said this because they were saying, "He has an evil spirit."
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter profound reflections on God's power and redemption. The first reading from Hebrews presents Jesus as the mediator of the new covenant, whose singular sacrifice once and for all redeems our transgressions. This text emphasizes that Jesus's death was sufficient to destroy sin, contrasting it with the repeated sacrifices of the old covenant. It invites us to trust in the completeness of Christ's work, assuring us that His sacrifice was enough for our salvation.
The Gospel from Mark shifts our focus to Jesus's ministry, where He faces accusations from the scribes who attribute His power to Beelzebub. Jesus counters this by illustrating the illogic of a divided kingdom and introduces the metaphor of binding the strong man, symbolizing His triumph over Satan. Crucially, He warns against blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, highlighting the gravity of rejecting God's work in our lives. This serves as a reminder to remain open to the Holy Spirit's guidance and to avoid a hardened heart that refuses God's truth.
Together, these readings connect through their themes of redemption and the consequences of rejection. Hebrews underscores the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice, while Mark warns against the spiritual peril of rejecting God's work. In our daily lives, this calls us to trust in God's plan and to remain attentive to the Holy Spirit's presence. Let us approach life with humility, embracing God's grace and avoiding the temptation to dismiss His active role in our world. May we find hope in Christ's sacrifice and remain vigilant against the dangers of a spirit that resists God's love.