Monday of week 4 in Ordinary Time
Saint Blaise, Bishop, Martyr
Saint Ansgar (Oscar), Bishop
First reading Hebrews 11:32-40
Hebrews 11:32-40 highlights the faith of the judges, kings, and prophets of the Old Testament, portraying them as heroes who, through unwavering trust in God, accomplished great deeds. By faith, they conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and experienced miraculous victories, even in moments of personal weakness. Their strength did not come from themselves but from their steadfast reliance on God’s promises. Yet, despite their remarkable faith and the mighty works they performed, they did not receive the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise, for they lived before the coming of Jesus Christ. Their faith was commendable, but it remained incomplete without the fulfillment found in Christ. It is only in Jesus that faith reaches its full realization, for He is the fulfillment of God’s promises, bringing salvation and perfection to all who believe in Him. Thus, even the greatest figures of faith in the Old Testament were ultimately waiting for Christ, through whom all believers—past, present, and future—are made perfect. Let’s reflect: How does understanding that even the greatest heroes of faith in the Old Testament were incomplete without Christ shape my own faith and reliance on Him today?
Don Giorgio