DOING GOOD ON THE LORD’S DAY
Introduction
Hebrews gives us an example of rabbinical reasoning that compares the absence about data of the origin of Melchizedek with the divine origin of Jesus. The priest Melchizedek comes as if from nowhere, without any Levitical, human genealogy mentioned. Likewise, Jesus has no Levitical, human genealogy; he is eternal.
We sometimes reduce our religion to a matter of casuistic laws: Is it permitted to heal on Sundays? When does it become a mortal sin if I am late for Mass? Is it wrong if I do not raise my hands for the Our Father? We sometimes behave like immature kids. God wants us to grow up in our faith. Where is the Good News of Jesus? Where is our love for the Lord and for people?
Opening Prayer
Gracious and holy God,
you have chosen us to be
your kingdom of peace and mature love.
But we have to acknowledge with shame
that there is still much room for growth.
Make our love richer, more sensitive;
Complete the work you have begun in us,
that we may have a permanent place in your heart
and reflect the adult, healing goodness
of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen!
1 Reading HEBREWS 7:1-3, 15-17
Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of God Most High, met Abraham as he returned from his defeat of the kings and blessed him. And Abraham apportioned to him a tenth of everything. His name first means righteous king, and he was also “king of Salem,” that is, king of peace. Without father, mother, or ancestry, without beginning of days or end of life, thus made to resemble the Son of God, he remains a priest forever. It is even more obvious if another priest is raised up after the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become so, not by a law expressed in a commandment concerning physical descent but by the power of a life that cannot be destroyed. For it is testified: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
Responsorial PSALM 110:1, 2, 3, 4
R. (4b) You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.
The LORD said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand
till I make your enemies your footstool.” R.
The scepter of your power the LORD will stretch forth from Zion:
“Rule in the midst of your enemies.” R.
“Yours is princely power in the day of your birth, in holy splendour;
before the daystar, like the dew, I have begotten you.” R.
The LORD has sworn, and he will not repent:
“You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.” R.
Alleluia cf. MATTHEW 4:23
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus preached the Gospel of the Kingdom
and cured every disease among the people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel MARK 3:1-6
Jesus entered the synagogue. There was a man there who had a withered hand. They watched Jesus closely to see if he would cure him on the Sabbath so that they might accuse him. He said to the man with the withered hand, “Come up here before us.” Then he said to the Pharisees, “Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?” But they remained silent. Looking around at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart, Jesus said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel with the Herodians against him to put him to death.
Intentions
– That people everywhere may be given the time to rest and recover from the pressure of their work, and be given the opportunity to worship God and help people, we pray:
– That the faithful who go to Mass on Sundays will also live according to the Gospel on weekdays, we pray:
– That the Eucharistic celebration on Sundays may be to all Christian communities a source of great joy as we deeply encounter the Lord and receive the strength to follow him on his ways, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Our healing God,
you set the table of your Son
not merely for a select few
but for all, for the sick and the suffering,
for the weak and the lonely.
Let Jesus’ love, his acceptance of people,
his spirit of sharing and healing be ours
in all our Christian communities.
Teach us to set the table of ourselves,
as Jesus did, your Son and our brother,
who lives with you and stays with us,
now and for ever. Amen!
Prayer after Communion
Our saving and healing God,
we thank you for uniting us
at the table of your Son in this Eucharistic celebration.
Let the Christian community be
to all people what you are to us:
love and healing, peace and joy
and a surprisingly generous gift,
a gift freely given and never regretted.
We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen!
Blessing
When did you visit me? Perhaps, the best day to visit our brother Jesus in the sick is Sunday, the day of the Lord! Bring God’s healing to people, with the blessing of Almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!
Commentary
A priesthood to serve
Today we begin the week of prayer for Christian Unity. This week is traditionally observed from the 18th to the 25th January – the octave of St. Peter and St. Paul. This year’s observance of the week is based on the theme: “Do good, seek justice” (Isaiah 1:17). The Church is called to be the sign and instrument of the unity, God desires for the whole of His creation (cf. Lumen gentium, 1) but the division between Christians weakens the Church’s effectiveness. In this week we in a special way pray that we repent for our divisions and work together in order to be a source of reconciliation and unity in the world.
Today’s reading invites us to reflect on the meaning of Jesus Christ as our priest. It discusses both the similarities and differences between the Old Testament figure of the priest and Christ. The author recalls Psalm 110 – “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek” and applies it to Christ.
Melchizedek, is described in the Book of Genesis as the King of Salem and a priest of the Most High God, who meets with Abraham (Gen 14) who was returning from a battle, and blessed him. In return, Abraham gave him “one-tenth of everything”, suggesting Abraham made an offering of tithe to the priest of the Most High God. Melchizedek, the priest “brought out bread and wine.” Christ the High Priest too comes to meet his people with the bread and wine, offering his body and blood as source of life.
You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek. What is this order? Melchizedek does not come from the priestly class. In fact, there is no mention about his parents or family in the Old Testament. Jesus too, does not come from the priestly family of Aron. His priesthood results from his resurrection from the dead – therefore, a “priest for ever.” He is our High Priest but on a totally different level from the priests of the Jerusalem Temple.
Today’s scripture speaks eloquently of gratitude and generosity. Melchizedek gives Abraham a “blessing.” And Abraham, filled with gratitude, in return bestows a “tenth of everything he possessed.” So too, in the gospel Jesus heals the man with the withered arm.
It is up to us to see if our disposition, our generosity is like that of Abraham and Melchizedek, and of Jesus?