Memorial

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Monday, 28 January 2013 : 3rd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church (First Reading)

Hebrews 9 : 15, 24-28

So Christ is the mediator of a new covenant or testament. His death made atonement for the sins committed under the old testament, and the promise is handed over to all who are called to the everlasting inheritance.

Christ did not enter some sanctuary made by hands, a copy of the true one, but heaven itself. He is now in the presence of God on our behalf. He had not to offer Himself many times, as the High Priest does : he who may return every year, because the blood is not his own.

Otherwise He would have suffered many times from the creation of the world. But no, He manifested Himself only now at the end of the ages, to take away sins by sacrifice, and, as humans die only once and afterwards are judged, in the same way Christ sacrificed Himself once to take away the sins of the multitude.

There will be no further question of sin when He comes again to save those waiting for Him.

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Saturday, 26 January 2013 : 2nd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Saints Timothy and Titus, Bishops (Psalm)

Psalm 95 : 1-2a, 2b-3, 7-8a, 10

Come, let us sing to the Lord, let us make a joyful sound to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come before Him giving thanks, with music and songs of praise. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods.

He is our God, and we His people; the flock He leads and pastures. Would that today you heard His voice!

Do not be stubborn as at Meribah, in the desert, on that day at Massah. For forty years they wearied me and I said, “They are a people of inconsistent heart, they have not known My ways.”

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Saturday, 26 January 2013 : 2nd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of Saints Timothy and Titus, Bishops (First Reading)

2 Timothy 1 : 1-8

From Paul, apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, for the sake of His promise of eternal life in Christ Jesus, to my dear son Timothy.

May grace, mercy, and peace be with you from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

I give thanks to God whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my ancestors did, as I remember you constantly, day and night, in my prayers. I recall your tears and I long to see you that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, so like the faith of your grandmother Lois and of your mother Eunice, which I am sure you have inherited.

For this reason I invite you to fan into a flame the gift of God you received through the laying on of my hands. For God did not confer on us a spirit of bashfulness, but of strength, love, and good judgment. Do not be ashamed of testifying to our Lord, nor of seeing me in chains. On the contrary, do your share in labouring for the Gospel with the strength of God.

 

(Alternative reading – Titus 1 : 15)

To the pure everything is pure; to the corrupt and unbelieving nothing is pure : their minds and consciences have been defiled.

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Thursday, 24 January 2013 : 2nd Week of Ordinary Time, Memorial of St. Francis de Sales, Bishop and Doctor (First Reading)

Hebrews 7 : 25 – Hebrews 8 : 6

Consequently He is able to save for all time, those who approach God through Him. He always lives to intercede on their behalf. It was fitting that our High Priest be holy, undefiled, set apart from sinners and exalted above the heavens; a priest who does not first need to offer sacrifice for himself before offering for the sins of the people, as high priests do.

He offered Himself in sacrifice once and for all. And whereas the Law elected weak men as high priests, now, after the Law, the Word of God with an oath appointed the Son, made perfect forever.

The main point of what we are saying is that we have a High Priest. He is seated at the right hand of the divine Majesty in Heaven, where He serves as minister of the true temple and sanctuary, set up not by any mortal, but by the Lord.

A high priest is appointed to offer to God gifts and sacrifices, and Jesus also has to offer some sacrifice. Had He remained on earth, He would not be a priest, since other offer the gifts according to the Law. In fact, the ritual celebrated by those priests is only an imitation and shadow of the heavenly sanctuary.

We know the word of God to Moses with regard to the construction of the holy tent. He said : “You are to make everything according to the pattern shown to you on the mountain.” Now, however, Jesus enjoys a much higher ministry in being the mediator of a better covenant, founded on better promises.