Catholic Calendar for Thursday, January 20, 2005
Thursday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
St. Fabian, pope, martyr
St. Sebastian, martyr

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Hebrews 7:25--8:6
Psalm 40:7-10,17
Mark 3:7-12

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

"You are the Son of God" (Mark 3:11)

Today's readings emphasize the absolute and supreme power of God vested in Jesus Christ, perfect man and perfect God. He is, in human flesh, the personification of the Almighty, holy, undefiled, Who offered Himself up as the final, unblemished sacrificial Lamb
to die for our sins and so reconcile us with our heavenly Father. Because of His obedience to His Father's plan, His total, self-giving love for our salvation, He received authority over all things, people and every evil power.

In Old Testament times animal sacrifice was practiced by the Israelites as means to acknowledge and repent of their sins; but the blood of mere animals could not erase their sin, the offense against their all-holy God. The only remedy against sin is death, for a dead person can no longer sin. God, in Christ's human flesh representing all mankind, put our sin to death upon the cross. Jesus' substitutionary death satisfied God's justice, for God cannot deny this virtue demanded by His perfect holiness. However, it did much more, since His resurrection from the dead was a promise to us of a new life.

We who desire to participate in this new life, through faith in Christ, are called to die to our sinful flesh by allowing His Holy Spirit to teach us to work out our salvation by participating in God's very virtues and so make His goodness known to this world.

O merciful God,
enable us to begin living Christ's resurrected life
on this earth,
that we may make His kingdom visible in this world
and attract many to Him.
Amen

- Marie Bocko, OCDS
(mlbocko at earthlink dot net)

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posted by joachim at 6:43 AM