Reflection on Today's Readings, Thursday, 3rd Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1, and the Memorial of St. Thomas Aquinas, January 28th, 2021
Texts: Heb. 10:19-25; Ps. 24:1-6; Mark 4:21-25
Whoever is in Jesus Christ lives on the grace won by Christ through His redemptive works. In Jesus Christ we no longer count on ourselves but on Christ's merit.
We have the confidence to stand in the presence of God because Jesus Christ has merited it for us; it is no longer about us but about Jesus Christ. Hence, in today's first reading, it is said, "Brethren, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way which he opened for us through the curtain". The blood, here, refers to His crucifixion and death, the sacrifice of the cross. Through the sacrifice of the cross He makes us worthy to stand in the presence of God.
The reading also tells us that Jesus Christ has opened a new and living way through the curtain, that is, through His flesh, His human nature. The curtain alludes to the veil that separated the Holy Place from the the Most Holy Place, where the presence of God appeared. Only the high priest entered the Most Holy Place and it was once in a year, with the blood of sacrifice. For us it is with the blood of Jesus Christ that we enter the Most Holy Place, the presence of God. What this means is that with the blood of Jesus Christ we are cleansed of our sins and made holy. Being made holy we are able to stand before God, that is, with blood of Jesus Christ we enter the presence of God. It also means with the blood of Jesus Christ, we pass from old life to a new life. The new life is a life of holiness, signified by the Most Holy Place. One must be holy to enter the Most Holy Place, the presence of God. This recalls the words, "Be holy, for I am holy" (Lev. 11:44).
The reading also signifies the curtain in the human nature of Jesus Christ. In this way, it makes the human nature of Jesus Christ the revelation of God. This takes us back to the prologue, where it is said, "He reflects the glory of God and bears the very stamp of his nature, upholding the universe by his words of power (1:3). Hence, the new and living way opened for us through His flesh, His human nature, is encapsulated in His ways of life, deeds and words in the flesh. This means we enter the presence of God when we are formed by His ways of life, deeds and words. Discipleship becomes the new and living way by which we enter the Most Holy Place, the presence of God.
The reading demands our response to so great a merit Christ has gained for us. It says, "let us draw near with true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." Our response must manifest in full assurance of faith, that is, full commitment to Him, and by approaching the Sacrament of baptism, where we are sprinkled clean from evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. At baptism the conscience is healed of evil and made pure and Innocent. The water of baptism washes guilt and sins off and regenerates us. We are also asked to respond by holding fast the confession of our hope without wavering because Jesus Christ who promised is faithful. We may now ask what makes the confession of our hope: resurrection, eternal life, heaven, His second coming, judgement. The Response to Christ's merit also includes encouraging one another to love and practice good works. This calls us to honour the gathering of brothers and sisters in the Lord.
Today's gospel reading takes further the message of revelation and discipleship. Discipleship makes us another christs, revealing God to the world through our works of love; for God is love. Once we become the disciples of Jesus Christ, we cannot do but to reveal God to the world. Hence, Jesus Christ says, "Is a lamp brought in to be put under a bushel, or under a bed, and not on a stand? For there is nothing hidden, except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret, except to come to light."
The more we grow in likeness of Christ, the revelation of God, the more the grace of God abounds, for He says, "the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you."
God our Father, we thank you for the gift of Your Son to us; grant that we may follow the new and living way He has opened for us. Amen.
Fr. Andrew Olowomuke
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