First Reading - Hebrews 9:2-3,11-14
Gospel - Mark 3:20-21
The first reading presents a beautiful pictorial narration of the sacrifice of Jesus and also makes a comparison between the sacrifice offered by men and Jesus. The pictorial description of the sacrifice of Jesus opens the door to understand the suffering and death of Jesus. The author makes it clear that the suffering and death of Jesus is a greater sacrifice of reparation and atonement for the humanity. The sacrifice of Jesus is a gift offered to the humanity for their good.
The comparison made by the author between the sacrifice of Jesus and the sacrifice offered by human priests stands apart. The sacrifice of atonement offered by the priests for the remission of sins of people and their holiness entailed the blood of animals but the sacrifice of Jesus included his own blood, a sign of greater sacrifice. Therefore, the effectiveness of the redemptive act of Jesus is far greater and the effect of his action is supremely immense in the forgiveness of sins of people.
In short, the first reading reminds us that the self-sacrifice of Jesus (offered primarily on the cross and re-enacted in the celebration of the Eucharist) effects grace and renews us to the life of holiness, provided we make an effort to understand this mystery and partake in it consciously, willingly, and joyfully.
The gospel presents a very coarse side of the ministry of Jesus. Jesus was admired and sought after by people for he did good to others by healing and curing them. However, the flip side of the ministry of Jesus is that he was also misunderstood and rejected. It was not by others but by his own family members who thought he was out of his mind. Jesus was not occluded by such hurdles but continued doing good till the end of his life.
My dear friends, we all want to do good for others, but doing good for those who have rejected us, devised evil in store, misunderstood us, neglected us, humiliated us, persecuted us etc. is tough and difficult. Jesus is teaching us, through the readings of the day, to become more loving in doing good to those who give us negative experiences of our lives, to the extent of shattering and breaking us. Jesus was rejected, condemned, derided but he continued to do good for the people till the end of his life. The first reading tells us that the self-sacrifice of Jesus is a gift to humanity for their good so that the humanity may find life in him; so that, all people may draw grace of forgiveness in him; so that all may be able to strive to the life of holiness. The sacrifice of Jesus is not for the self-glory but for the glory of others. This is what we commemorate in the celebration of the Eucharist. Jesus also showed with his life that his goodness always surpassed the negative experiences given to him by his own people. We, as the followers of Jesus, have to reciprocate goodness for negativity and rejection from others like Jesus. May our Lord God, help us become the channel of His goodness.
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