Thursday 19 January
Thursday of week 2 in Ordinary Time First reading - Hebrews 7:25-8:6 “The power of Jesus to save is utterly certain, since he is living for ever to intercede for all who come to God through him.” The power of Jesus Christ to save us is utterly certain. So why are we not standing close to Him? Why are we not keeping a close relationship with Him? The reason for this certainty are several. He is living for ever. He is interceding for ever. He is holy, innocent, and uncontaminated, and is raised up above the heavens. He has his place at the right of the throne of divine Majesty in the heavens. He is the minister of the sanctuary and of the true Tent of the Meeting. He is perfect. He is actually the true Tent, where man and God meet. Our presence before God is mediated through Him. Through Him we can be meet the Lord. Jesus is the true mediator. He is the divine space where I can meet my God. “We have seen that he has been given a ministry of a far higher order, and to the same degree it is a better covenant of which he is the mediator, founded on better promises”. Let’s reflect: How far I recognize Jesus as the only space to meet God?
Wednesday 18 January
Wednesday of week 2 in Ordinary Time First reading - Hebrews 7:1-3,15-17 “This becomes even more clearly evident when there appears a second Melchizedek, who is a priest not by virtue of a law about physical descent, but by the power of an indestructible life”. The distinction between a priest by virtue of a law of physical descent and by virtue of an indestructible life is very clear. “He remains a priest for ever”. The grace has the power of indestructible life which can transform us for ever. The changes we make in our life, the transformation we make in our life, must be through by the power of this grace. If we try to make changes or transformation because of the pressures of the situation or because of our egoistic intentions, it will not last. The good which comes out of us through the grace of God will last for ever. So, it’s very important to make sure that our conversion and transformation is through the working of the grace of God. Then the effects will remain for ever. Let’s reflect: Is our transformation and conversion really motivated by grace or just a necessity of the situation?
Tuesday 17 January
Saint Antony, Abbot Tuesday of week 2 in Ordinary Time First reading - Hebrews 6:10-20 We “should have a strong encouragement to take a firm grip on the hope that is held out to us. Here we have an anchor for our soul, as sure as it is firm”. The anchor for our soul is the promise of God that He will bless us always. “I will shower blessings on you and give you many descendants”. The promise of God is irrevocable because it is the Word of God. It cannot be altered. That is our strong encouragement. That is our strong hope. That God will shower blessings on us always. Upon this hope we must build our relationship with God. “Our one desire is that every one of you should go on showing the same earnestness to the end, to the perfect fulfilment of our hopes, never growing careless, but imitating those who have the faith and the perseverance to inherit the promises”. So, we must have earnestness to the end in the abovesaid hope. Not hope in anything else but in the promise of God. Then we must not grow careless or easy going. It should be like the anchor, always held tight and firm. There we need the help. The help is in imitating those who have the faith and perseverance. Imitation of saints. Let’s reflect: Are we anchoring our hope earnestly in the promise of God without growing careless?
Monday 16 January
Monday of week 2 in Ordinary Time First reading - Hebrews 5:1-10 The author of the letter is speaking about the liberation of the priesthood from tribe descendance and becomes a vocation. So, no one takes this honor on himself, but each one is called by God. Not only that the priesthood is a call but also, it’s a life to be lived according to the call. The life of Jesus is the best example. Jesus lived his priesthood to the perfection through suffering in obedience. Although he was Son, he learnt to obey through suffering. And thus, Jesus became for all who obey him the source of eternal salvation. There comes the relevance of following Jesus Christ. In Jesus, our suffering gets a meaning, our obedience gets a meaning, our existence gets a meaning. In Jesus we are liberated and in Jesus our obedience through suffering gets a meaning. Our obedience through suffering becomes a sacrifice. Becomes an act of a high priest in Jesus Christ. Let’s reflect: Are we united with Jesus Christ in our obedience through suffering?