19th January, TuesdayI. Heb 6: 10-20
II. MK 2: 23-28
Theme: Nothing is impossible with God.
The first reading discusses God’s promises to give salvation to all who serve him with strong faith and patience in suffering. The author points to the life of Abraham. God promised that he would give Abraham a son in spite of his old age and he did. The author then stresses that God, in a sense even took an oath to fulfill his promises to Abraham and what more solid basis can one find to swear on than the divine nature itself. This hope we have that God will save us. The author says like an anchor that we can throw not into the sea but up to heaven where Christ eagerly waits to greet when we die. In the gospel, the sabbath in its original purity was observed as a day to remember and thank God for the mighty and merciful deeds he accomplished in the history of Israel. How to observe the sabbath was meticulously laid down by the law. And Jesus and his disciples were fully aware of it. Yet the hungry disciples plucked the corn and ate it on the sabbath day as they passed through the fields. No wonder, the pharisees denounced their action as a violation of sabbath law. But Jesus invites them to mercifully reflect on the sabbath and explain to them the real purpose of the sabbath law. Every law is made for the good and benefit of the human being. The observance of the law should first of all uphold the dignity of the human person and ensure the good of human being with compassion and sensitivity to their needs.
Bro. Prakash Horo
II BTh