Daily Readings - Tue Jan 14 2025
Hebrews
5It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking.6But there is a place where someone has testified: "What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?7You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor8and put everything under his feet.? In putting everything under him, God left nothing that is not subject to him. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him.9But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.10In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering.11Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.12He says, "I will declare your name to my brothers; in the presence of the congregation I will sing your praises."
Mark
21They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach.22The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law.23Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out,24"What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God!"25"Be quiet!" said Jesus sternly. "Come out of him!"26The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek.27The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching--and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him."28News about him spread quickly over the whole region of 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.