Reading 1
Heb 6:10-20
Brothers and sisters:
God is not unjust so as to overlook your work
and the love you have demonstrated for his name
by having served and continuing to serve the holy ones.
We earnestly desire each of you to demonstrate the same eagerness
for the fulfillment of hope until the end,
so that you may not become sluggish, but imitators of those who,
through faith and patience, are inheriting the promises.
When God made the promise to Abraham,
since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself,
and said, I will indeed bless you and multiply you.
And so, after patient waiting, Abraham obtained the promise.
Now, men swear by someone greater than themselves;
for them an oath serves as a guarantee
and puts an end to all argument.
So when God wanted to give the heirs of his promise
an even clearer demonstration of the immutability of his purpose,
he intervened with an oath,
so that by two immutable things,
in which it was impossible for God to lie,
we who have taken refuge might be strongly encouraged
to hold fast to the hope that lies before us.
This we have as an anchor of the soul,
sure and firm, which reaches into the interior behind the veil,
where Jesus has entered on our behalf as forerunner,
becoming high priest forever
according to the order of Melchizedek.
Ps 111:1-2, 4-5, 9 and 10c
Responsorial PsalmR. (5)
The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart
in the company and assembly of the just.
Great are the works of the LORD,
exquisite in all their delights.
R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He has won renown for his wondrous deeds;
gracious and merciful is the LORD.
He has given food to those who fear him;
he will forever be mindful of his covenant.
R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He has sent deliverance to his people;
he has ratified his covenant forever;
holy and awesome is his name.
His praise endures forever.
R. The Lord will remember his covenant for ever.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Gospel
Mk 2:23-28
As Jesus was passing through a field of grain on the sabbath,
his disciples began to make a path while picking the heads of grain.
At this the Pharisees said to him,
“Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?”
He said to them,
“Have you never read what David did
when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry?
How he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest
and ate the bread of offering that only the priests could lawfully eat,
and shared it with his companions?”
Then he said to them,
“The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.
That is why the Son of Man is lord even of the sabbath.”
Meditation: Hebrews 6:10-20
“Hold fast to the hope that lies before us.” (Hebrews 6:18)
What is this hope? It’s the hope that one day we will all enjoy eternal life in heaven, in union with God and all believers. We have a taste of this union whenever we gather as a church, but the sad fact is that Christians have experienced painful divisions over the years. Even today, the body of Christ is divided.
That’s why many Christian churches have designated January 18-25 of every year as the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. And this year, the churches have chosen a theme for prayer and reflection that captures the unity that the early church experienced right after Pentecost: “They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers” (Acts 2:42). So as we begin this week, let’s think about what we can do to pray for deeper unity among believers.
The apostles’ teaching. It’s worth knowing what we believe, and why, because it deepens our faith. Learning about our church’s teaching helps us understand what Jesus did for us and what he calls us to do for him. It also shows us that what unites us is far greater than what divides us.
Communal Life. Are there believers in your workplace or neighborhood with whom you could meet to share your faith? Our love for the Lord can draw us to people with that same love and provide us with opportunities to support one another in Christ.
Breaking of the bread and the prayers. While our differences prevent us from taking communion together, we can “break bread” in other ways. Perhaps we can work together for a common cause, such as serving the poor or protecting the unborn. We can also pray with people from other faiths—whether spontaneously or in organized prayer services. Praying with other Christians is a powerful way to break new ground and change the way we view each other’s faith traditions.
This week is a special time to intercede for Christian unity. But it’s just the beginning. We can become a prophetic people all year long, anticipating the day when we will all be completely united in Jesus, our common Lord and Savior.
“Jesus, all our hope lies in you. Soften our hearts and heal our wounds so that we can become one with all who follow you.”
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