Reflection on Today's Readings, Friday, 1st Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1, January 15th, 2021
Texts: Heb. 4:1-5.11; Ps. 78:3.4.6-8; Mark 2:1-12
St. Paul says, "So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ" (Rm. 10:17). If the faith is not deepened and strengthened by putting the message into practice, it can be lost. When the faith is lost, whenever we hear the message it becomes empty and boring to us. This is because the message no longer meets faith in us. Hence, today's first reading says, "the message which they heard did not benefit them, because it did not meet with faith in the hearers." Many of us, today, do not feel the impact of the message in our lives because we have lost the faith. Many of us no longer hope in God for help, they have taken their destiny into their hands; they are now doing things contrary to the faith. They no longer believe that practising the faith makes sense, so when they hear the message, it does not benefit them. The message only benefits those who put it into practice, and without faith, the message is difficult to practise. Hence, we are warned thus: "Brethren: While the promise of entering his rest remains, let us fear lest any of you be judged to have failed to reach it. For good news came to us just as to them". Rest, here, is life in the presence of God; it is putting one's hope in Him. When the message meets with faith in us, it gives hope and fill us with zeal for God. Therefore, let us rekindle our faith so that the message will make impact on our lives.
The people in the gospel reading heard about Jesus Christ and they came to Him in faith. When they came to him in faith, they experienced wonders. From the life of the paralytic, we learn that faith could break any barrier. It is said, "And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and when they had made an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic lay. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, 'Child, your sins are forgiven'." Faith is needed for us to break the barrier preventing us from reaching Jesus Christ. There will always be barrier and challenges preventing us from getting to Him, but with faith we will conquer. We also learn from the gospel reading that we need the help of others in our journey of faith. These are the people with whom we share the same faith. This community of people is called church. This means faith grows and deepened in the church; faith outside the church, the mother, cannot break barrier. Hence, we are advised not to scorn or avoid the gathering of the faithful.
God our Father, help to love and appreciate your words and the Church, so that the faith in your Son will grow stronger in our hearts. Amen.
Fr. Andrew Olowomuke
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