Daily Readings - Thu Jan 16 2025
Hebrews
7So, as the Holy Spirit says: "Today, if you hear his voice,8do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the desert,9where your fathers tested and tried me and for forty years saw what I did.10That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said, 'Their hearts are always going astray, and they have not known my ways.'11So I declared on oath in my anger, 'They shall never enter my rest.'"12See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.13But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.14We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.
Mark
40A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, "If you are willing, you can make me clean."41Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!"42Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured.43Jesus sent him away at once with a strong warning:44"See that you don't tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them."45Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful messages about faith and compassion. The first reading from Hebrews warns against hardening our hearts, referencing the Israelites' disobedience in the desert despite witnessing God's miracles. It urges believers to support one another in faith and avoid the deceit of sin. The Gospel from Mark tells the story of a leper who, with humble faith, asks Jesus for healing. Jesus, moved by pity, heals him with a touch, embodying divine mercy.
These readings connect through themes of faith and response. The leper's plea demonstrates unwavering trust in Jesus' power, while Jesus' compassionate response illustrates God's loving nature. The man's eagerness to spread the news, despite Jesus' request for discretion, highlights the tension between human impulse and divine guidance, reflecting the Hebrews passage's caution against unbelief.
In our daily lives, these lessons encourage us to maintain faith and trust in God, especially during trials. Like the leper, we should approach God with humility and confidence. Additionally, Jesus' compassionate act reminds us to extend mercy to others. Let us strive to keep our hearts open to God's will and be vessels of His compassion, reflecting His love in our actions and decisions.