Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection January 23, 2025

23rd January 2025 (Thursday)

Psalter: Week 2

Readings of the Day

First Reading: Hebrews 7:25-8:6

Jesus is always able to save those who approach God through him, since he lives forever to make intercession for them. It was fitting that we should have such a high priest: holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, higher than the heavens. He has no need, as did the high priests, to offer sacrifice day after day, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; he did that once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints men subject to weakness to be high priests, but the word of the oath, which was taken after the law, appoints a son, who has been made perfect forever. The main point of what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle that the Lord, not man, set up. Now every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus the necessity for this one also to have something to offer. If then he were on earth, he would not be a priest, since there are those who offer gifts according to the law. They worship in a copy and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary, as Moses was warned when he was about to erect the tabernacle. For God says, “See that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” Now he has obtained so much more excellent a ministry as he is mediator of a better covenant, enacted on better promises.

Psalm 40:7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 17 (R. 8a and 9a)

R/. Here am I, Lord; I come to do your will.

Gospel Acclamation

V/. Alleluia

R/. Alleluia

V/. Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death and brought life to light through the Gospel.

R/. Alleluia.

Gospel: Mark 3:7-12

Jesus withdrew toward the sea with his disciples. A large number of people followed from Galilee and from Judea. Hearing what he was doing, a large number of people came to him also from Jerusalem, from Idumea, from beyond the Jordan, and from the neighborhood of Tyre and Sidon. He told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, so that they would not crush him. He had cured many and, as a result, those who had diseases were pressing upon him to touch him. And whenever unclean spirits saw him they would fall down before him and shout, “You are the Son of God.” He warned them sternly not to make him known.

Daily Gospel Reflection

Thursday – 2nd Week in Ordinary Time

Guidelines: God is ever ready to touch us and heal us; He is eager to drive out our evil spirits and put in His Spirit. How much are we ready and willing?

1. Down through the ages, God continues to intervene in the lives of humanity. The purpose is to liberate them, save them, and to give them a renewed dignity and joy. But at the appointed time, He incarnates His divinity in human form in the person of Jesus Christ. He is our unique and supreme High priest. Unlike the other high priests, he no longer offers other ordinary sacrifices. Rather he offers his own self. He makes himself one among the sinners, but separated from them. He is the high priest, holy, blameless and unstained. This is the excellent ministry of his expiation for our purification and sanctification.

2. This is concretely seen in Jesus’ ministry. Jesus sets himself on a relentless mission of healing and exorcism. The opposition, the jealousy and the evil of the Pharisees and scribes do not deter him or discourage him. Unconditioned benevolence steers him on a path of immense good. If God is ceaselessly announcing His good news, healing and exorcising, then why still many continue discomforted and misguided, sick and weak, evil-possessed and evil-driven?

3. See the irony: even the evil spirits acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God, but the humans do not. As long as one does not see and accept one’s sickness and evil, as long as one does not feel the need for healing, and as long as one refuses to approach Jesus for his touch, one will not change and become better. God’s grace and power is abundantly available, but the openness and eagerness to respond and cooperate is lacking!

Practice: Not realizing, not accepting, not diagnosing sickness is worse than the sickness itself. What is sad is preferring to be sick, throwing away the remedies of health!