Reflection on Today's Readings, Friday, 3rd Week in Ordinary Time, Year 1, January 29th, 2021
Texts: Heb. 10:31-39; Ps. 37:3-6.23.24.39-40; Mark 4:26-34
Today's first reading calls us to preserve. Perseverance emphasizes continuation in spite of difficulties. Faith bears perseverance. Put differently, perseverance is an expression of faith. It says, "my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him". This recalls the words: "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him" (Heb. 11:6). We are called to show forth our faith by persevering in doing the Will of God, by persevering in doing good. Faith becomes sterile without the virtue of perseverance. Let us persevere in every kind of good works. St. Paul says, " Let us not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up" (Gal. 6:9). The first reading reminds us that we are people of perseverance when it says, "But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and keep their souls." Jesus Christ says, "But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved" (Mtt. 24:13).
We need endurance to persevere. Though Perseverance and endurance are used interchangeably, their points of emphasis are different. Perseverance emphasizes continuation, the ability to continue, in spite of difficulties; but endurance emphasizes ability to withstand difficulties, hardship and stressful efforts or activities. Perseverance encompasses endurance; no perseverance without endurance. Endurance, the ability to bear difficulties, hardship and stressful efforts, is a gift from God. This is clear in today's psalm: "By the Lord are the steps made firm of one in whose path He delights. Though he stumble he shall never fall, for the Lord will hold him by the hand. But from the Lord comes the salvation of the just, their stronghold in time of distress. The Lord helps them and rescues them, rescues and saves them from the wicked: because they take refuge in him." God gives us endurance that we may do His will. The reading says, "For you have need of endurance, so that you may do the will of God and receive what is promised. The confidence we have in the promise of God engenders the endurance. This means endurance is the expression of our hope.
Today's gospel reading also emphasizes the grace of God. It shows that our growth in holiness, the kingdom of God within us, is by God's grace. Jesus says, "The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed upon the ground, and should sleep and rise day and night, and the seed should sprout and grow, he knows not how."
The gospel also tells us that Jesus deepened the knowledge of His teaching in His disciples. It is said, "With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear; he did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything." This reminds us that, as Christians, we have to deepen the knowledge of the gospel, a kind of knowledge different from general understanding. The deeper understanding of the gospel is given by the Holy Spirit. Hence, we need a close relationship with the Holy Spirit. We could arrive at the deeper understanding of God's word when we read it prayerfully and meditatively. Contemplation is also another means of arriving at this deeper understanding.
God our Father, may your grace in us never be fruitless but bears fruit in perseverance, deeper understanding of Your words, and holiness of life. Amen.
Fr. Andrew Olowomuke
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