Friday, January 27, 2023

 Friday of the Third Week in ordinary Time

(Hebrews 10:32-39; Mark 4:26-34)

The teacher coaxed her students. “We are not Americants;” she said, “we are all Americans.” Although her phrases may sound jingoistic, she touched on a recurrent theme in geography.  Americans are a pragmatic people.  The author of Hebrews makes a similar statement about Jewish Christians in today’s first reading.

The passage continues the argument that the author’s Jewish Christian readership should maintain their faith in Christ.  He proposes that Jewish Christians have already suffered for their faith.  If they stop believing in Christ now, he says, their suffering will have gained them nothing.  Like the teacher reminding her students of American ability, the author tells his readers that they are a people of perseverance.

In our age of decreasing church membership, the arguments from the Letter to the Hebrews should not be lost.  Faith gives a person an excellent perspective for living.  More than that, it offers the hope of fullness of life in eternity.  It would be a tragic to throw away this future by ceasing to believe. 

Friday, January 30, 2015

Friday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time

(Hebrews 10:32-39; Mark 4:26-34)

During World War II a Protestant community in rural France saved an estimated 5000 Jews from the Holocaust.  The Huguenots of Le Chambon-sur-lignon sheltered and hid Jewish refugees from the Nazis and their French collaborators.  The townspeople provided their persecuted guests with papers and transport to freedom in Switzerland.  Moved by the collective memory of their ancestors being victims of Catholic persecution centuries before, they responded with compassionate service to the horrific ordeal of the Jews.  Their story reflects the first reading today.

The author of the Letter to the Hebrews reminds the people of their heroism during an earlier persecution.  He mentions how they joined in the suffering of fellow Christians who were imprisoned for their faith.  The author is encouraging the people not to give up.  Rather they must keep practicing what they believe despite trials and the delayed return of Christ.

There are signs that we are entering into a new era of religious intolerance.  Hateful fundamentalists are using militant sections of their religious texts to persecute peoples of other beliefs. Equally discomforting, secularists are ridiculing religion as the source of war among peoples rather than the great pacifier of abusive passions that it has predominantly been.  Like the Letter to the Hebrews recommends, we must place our confidence in Christ.  He will provide the spiritual resources to endure present difficulties while working for peace among peoples.

Friday, February 1, 2013

Friday of the Third Week in Ordinary Time

(Hebrews 10:32-39; Mark 4:26-34)

During World War II a Protestant community in rural France saved an estimated 5000 Jews from the Holocaust. The Huguenots of Le Chambon-sur-lignon sheltered and hid Jewish refugees from the Nazis and their French collaborators. The townspeople provided their persecuted guests with papers and transport to freedom in Switzerland. Moved by the collective memory of their ancestors being victims of Catholic persecution centuries before, they responded with compassionate service to the horrific ordeal of the Jews. Their story reflects the first reading today.

The author of the Letter to the Hebrews reminds the people of their heroism during an earlier persecution. He (or she?) mentions how they joined in the suffering of fellow Christians who were imprisoned for their faith. The author is encouraging the people not to give up. Rather they must keep the faith despite trials and the delayed return of Christ.

Religious persecution is perhaps as old as religion itself. There are signs that we are entering into an era of renewed intolerance of Christians. Whether or not we will see segregation and physical abuse, Christian beliefs and moral practices are already being ridiculed. Like the Hebrews we must place our confidence in Christ. He will provide the spiritual resources to endure present difficulties and reward us with eternal life.