Daily Readings - Sat Jan 28 2023
Hebrews
1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.2This is what the ancients were commended for.8By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.9By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise.10For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.11By faith Abraham, even though he was past age--and Sarah herself was barren--was enabled to become a father because he considered him faithful who had made the promise.12And so from this one man, and he as good as dead, came descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sand on the seashore.13All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth.14People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.15If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.16Instead, they were longing for a better country--a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.17By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son,18even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned."19Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.
Mark
35That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side."36Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him.37A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.38Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"39He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.40He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"41They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the power of faith and trust in God, even in the face of uncertainty and turmoil. In the first reading from Hebrews, we hear about the nature of faith as the "substance of things hoped for" and "the evidence of things not seen." The author highlights the example of Abraham, who obeyed God's call to leave his homeland without knowing where he was going. Abraham's faith was not about having all the answers but trusting in God's promises, even when the future seemed unclear. Similarly, Sarah's faith allowed her to conceive a child in her old age, despite the impossibility of it from a human perspective. The reading reminds us that faith is not about seeing the full picture but trusting in God's plan and His faithfulness.
In the Gospel, Mark presents a dramatic scene where Jesus calms a storm while He and His disciples are on a boat. The disciples, caught in a fierce wind and waves, fear for their lives, while Jesus is seemingly indifferent, sleeping in the stern. When they wake Him, He rebukes the wind and the sea, restoring calm. Jesus' question to the disciples—"Why are you afraid? Do you still lack faith?"—challenges them (and us) to trust in His presence and power, even in the midst of chaos. This story underscores the importance of faith in times of doubt and fear, reminding us that God is always with us, even when we feel abandoned or overwhelmed.
These readings are deeply connected. Both emphasize the necessity of faith in navigating life's uncertainties. Abraham trusted God's promise without knowing the details, just as the disciples were called to trust in Jesus' presence and power during the storm. For us, this means that when we face our own "storms"—whether personal struggles, fears, or uncertainties—we are invited to place our trust in God. Like Abraham, we may not see the full picture, but we can trust that God is faithful and that His plan is at work. Like the disciples, we are reminded that even in the midst of turmoil, God is with us, and we need not be afraid. Let us strive to deepen our faith, trusting in God's love and providence, even when the road ahead seems unclear.