1st Week, Thursday, Hebrews 3:7-14 / Mark 1:40-45
Remain faithful to God; Encourage one another.
In the late 1800s a boy was working in a London store. He rose at five o'clock each morning and then worked 14 hours. He lived this routine for two years and then told his mother that if he had to continue like this, he would kill himself.
Then the boy wrote a pathetic letter to a teacher he had in his earlier years. He explained how he was heartbroken and no longer wanted to live.
The teacher answered his letter promptly. He praised him, assured him he was gifted, and offered him a job.
That encouraging letter changed the boy's life. He went on to become one of England's best-known writers, H. G. Wells, who authored nearly 80 books.
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What kind of concern do we show other people? What most people need today is not criticism but encouragement.
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Introduction
The Letter to the Hebrews was written to Jewish converts to Christianity who suffered much on account of their faith. On account of persecution from the Jews, many of them had fled from their home country, Palestine, to live among pagans. They felt insecure and threatened as “displaced persons;” hence, they were in danger, like their ancestors in the desert, of grumbling, contesting God, and perhaps giving up their faith. Today, they are told: “Do not harden your hearts, but keep trusting and listening to God.” Are these not fitting words today to a Church in transition, a Church that is unsettled?
There is the story of the father whose child had been born badly deformed. He was disheartened and could not love it. But one day he said: “If I can only kiss and touch it, then I can completely accept it.” And that is what he did. Jesus did not only heal the leper but he touched him, showing that he loved and accepted the man completely.
Opening Prayer: God, our Father, you let your Son Jesus Christ, share the lot of outcasts and bear the sufferings of all. Let us become like him, so that among us no one stays an outcast, no sin remains unforgivable, no misery is a cause for rejection. Make us with your Son, people who lift up the despised with words of welcome and deeds of encouragement.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord.
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Reflection:
Hebrews 3: 7-14: Faith in the Lord cannot be postponed
The author of the letter to the Hebrews addresses some of the serious difficulties that the community of Jewish Christians were facing in accepting Jesus Christ as Messiah and Lord. Today’s reading is a warning to the Christian community not to fall into the unbelief, of which their forefathers - the Israelites were guilty of in the past. A large part of the reading is a quotation from Psalm 95:6-11 which is also the Responsorial Psalm for today.
The author begins with the call “Do not be stubborn…” and bases his warning on the experience of Israel during the Exodus. In the New Testament, the saving work of Jesus is the new exodus. Jesus’ journey towards Jerusalem for his suffering, death and resurrection is described as a “going out” (Luke 9:31) and similarly, his followers who are called to “go out” from a life of slavery in sin and unbelief to a life of faith and freedom.
Psalm 95 speaks about the hardness of heart of the Israelites who refused to trust in God’s care for them, even though “they had seen the work of God for forty years”. When the Israelites in the desert had no water, they began to complain and abuse Moses for bringing them out of Egypt. In complaining against Moses, they were in effect, complaining against God. This incident took place at Massah and Meribah. ‘Massah’ means ‘place of testing’ and ‘Meribah’ means ‘place of quarrelling or rebellion’.
Although angry with the people for their lack of trust, Yahweh tells Moses to strike a rock and water comes out from it. In the version of the story in the book of Numbers, the focus is on Moses himself. He struck the rock not once but twice and this was taken as a lack of faith on his part. As a punishment for his lack of faith, he could not reach the Promised Land.
The readers of this Letter would have been very familiar with this story and with the Psalm and the implication. If they continue in their unbelief, a similar fate awaits them and “They will not enter my rest.”
In the final sentences, the author turns directly to the Hebrew Christians and warns them against similar forms of unbelief and turning away from the “living” God. The reading touches on three periods: the rebellion of the Israelites against Moses and Yahweh in the desert, the weakening faith of the Jewish Christians to whom the sermon was delivered and, finally, our own experience now.
God is to be found, loved and served in the now. It cannot be postponed to another day.
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16 January 2025: Mark 1: 40-45
Contagious Compassion: Following Christ’s Healing Touch
The Gospel passage of the healing of the leper offers a reflection on Jesus’ response to human suffering and the call for Christians to emulate His mercy. In a society that shunned lepers as impure and cast them out as untouchable, Jesus breaks every barrier of fear and prejudice. The leper’s humble plea—“If you will, you can make me clean”—is met with a compassionate response that goes way beyond physical healing. Jesus, moved by deep pity, stretches out His hand, touches the man, and heals him, restoring his dignity and place in the community.
By reaching out to the leper, He demonstrates that God’s mercy transcends all limits. He embraces the brokenness of humanity and provides His wholeness in exchange. This reciprocal relationship is reflected in every sacrament, particularly in Reconciliation, where Christ liberates us from the “leprosy” of sin, rejuvenating our souls with His grace.
This passage challenges us to confront suffering and marginalisation with the same fearless compassion. In a world where isolation and stigma persist in various forms, we are called to be instruments of Christ’s merciful love. Helping others is not merely a task but a sacred encounter. It requires looking into their eyes, touching their wounds, and offering tender, heartfelt care.
If evil and fear are contagious, so too is goodness. By choosing to spread compassion and kindness, we participate in the mission of Christ. Let us ask ourselves: Do we draw close to those in need with tenderness, or do we help from a distance? Like Jesus, may we extend our hands, touch hearts, and allow God’s mercy to flow through us, healing a world in need.
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Blessed Joseph Vaz (Born on 21 April 1651, Benaulim and died 16 January 1711, Kandy) was a Catholic Oratorian priest from Goa. He is known as the Apostle of Ceylon.
Fr. Vaz entered Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) during the Dutch occupation, when Calvinism was the official religion. He traveled throughout the island bringing the Eucharist and the sacraments to clandestine groups of Catholics. Later in his mission, he found shelter in the Kandyan kingdom where he was able to work freely. At the time of his death, Fr. Vaz managed to rebuild the Catholic church on the island. On 21 January 1995, he was beatified by Pope John Paul II in Colombo.
Originally from Sancoale in Portuguese India, Vaz arrived in Ceylon during the Dutch occupation, a time when the Dutch had banned Catholicism in Ceylon and imposed Calvinism as the official religion after taking control from the Portuguese Empire.
He travelled throughout the island bringing the Eucharist and the Sacraments to clandestine groups of crypto-Catholics. Later in his mission, he found shelter in the Kingdom of Kandy where he was able to work freely. By the time of his death, Vaz had managed to rebuild the Catholic Church on the island.
As a result of his labors, Vaz is known as the Apostle of Ceylon. On 21 January 1995, he was beatified by Pope John Paul II in Colombo. He was canonized on 14 January 2015 by Pope Francis in an open-air Mass ceremony at the Galle Face Green in Colombo.
