Hebrews 7:1-3, 15-17, Psalm 110:1-4, Mark 3:1-6

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS

Hebrews 7:1-3, 15-17, Psalm 110:1-4, Mark 3:1-6

Hebrews 7:1-3, 15-17

My Beloved, here we have this mysterious Melchizedek King of Salem who is a priest of the Most High God.  He appeared to Abraham out of nowhere.  He is a king yet it does not say of which nation, there is no mention of who was king before him and whom will come after him.

Salem means peace and Melchizedek means justice and once we know these two details we can identify this king and High Priest - the King of Peace, the King of Justice is the Son of God who was born of the Father before all ages. God from God, Light from Light, True God from True God begotten not made consubstantial with the Father.  You received Your priesthood and Your mission as the Messiah from the Father and through you humble submission and perfect obedience in fulfilling this mission, You have won for Yourself people of all time and of every generation.  All acclaim You as their King and Lord.

Psalm 110:1-4

My Beloved, it was always the Father's intention when He created man that this creature made in the image and likeness of God, once redeemed by You would love, adore, worship and above all, belong to You so intimately that we formed one body inseparably united with You.  You have crushed the Enemy on the Cross and You once every evil power already subject to You is overcome, You will take Your place at the Father's right hand and all dominion authority and power will be subject to You and will worship You alone.

In the Nicene Creed we profess that You are begotten not made consubstantial with the Father vs 7b Like dew from the womb of the dawn  so You are of the Father. Our Eternal High Priest who offers to the Father the only sacrifice pleasing to Him - that of Himself, the Lamb of God, Victim for our sins that purifies us and makes us acceptable to the Father for the sake of His Son.

Mark 3:1-6

My Beloved, it was the Sabbath, you entered the synagogue and the man with the withered hand was already there.  Had he heard of Your miracles of healing and hoped for a miracle himself? Did others bring him knowing that You would heal him and it being the Sabbath they waited with eager, malicious expectation to trap and accuse of doing what was unlawful on the Sabbath?

What irony Beloved they were certain You could and would heal but they were oblivious to the fact that You manifested such awesome power. Their narrow, insular minds could only focus on the fact that a law was broken - a cold meaningless law that would rather desire death than life. You were going to heal the man exactly as they had anticipated - but You were not going to play their silly game.  You called the man, asked him to stand in the centre, made sure every gaze was on both him and on You and then You asked them a pertinent question. If they were honest , if they knew the spirit and the heart of the law, they would have spoken up and agreed that it is always lawful to do good rather than harm, to save rather than kill. But they stubbornly refused to answer for then their duplicity would be exposed. 

You saw their hard hearts, their lack of compassion and You were both angry and sad. How often we too feel this Lord when we look at the world. Help us not to get frustrated or become cynical, rather let us continue to repay good for evil and love for hatred thus living out our faith just as fearlessly and courageously as You did.