20250207 JESUS CHRIST IS THE SAME YESTERDAY AND FOR EVER
07 February 2025, Friday, 4th Week in Ordinary Time
First reading | Hebrews 13:1-8 |
Jesus Christ is the same today as he was yesterday and will be for ever
Continue to love each other like brothers, and remember always to welcome strangers, for by doing this, some people have entertained angels without knowing it. Keep in mind those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; and those who are being badly treated, since you too are in the one body. Marriage is to be honoured by all, and marriages are to be kept undefiled, because fornicators and adulterers will come under God’s judgement. Put greed out of your lives and be content with whatever you have; God himself has said: I will not fail you or desert you, and so we can say with confidence: With the Lord to help me, I fear nothing: what can man do to me?
Remember your leaders, who preached the word of God to you, and as you reflect on the outcome of their lives, imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same today as he was yesterday and as he will be for ever.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 26(27):1,3,5,8-9 |
The Lord is my light and my help.
The Lord is my light and my help;
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life;
before whom shall I shrink?
The Lord is my light and my help.
Though an army encamp against me
my heart would not fear.
Though war break out against me
even then would I trust.
The Lord is my light and my help.
For there he keeps me safe in his tent
in the day of evil.
He hides me in the shelter of his tent,
on a rock he sets me safe.
The Lord is my light and my help.
It is your face, O Lord, that I seek;
hide not your face.
Dismiss not your servant in anger;
you have been my help.
The Lord is my light and my help.
Gospel Acclamation | cf.Lk8:15 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
Blessed are those who,
with a noble and generous heart,
take the word of God to themselves
and yield a harvest through their perseverance.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Mark 6:14-29 |
The beheading of John the Baptist
King Herod had heard about Jesus, since by now his name was well known. Some were saying, ‘John the Baptist has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.’ Others said, ‘He is Elijah’; others again, ‘He is a prophet, like the prophets we used to have.’ But when Herod heard this he said, ‘It is John whose head I cut off; he has risen from the dead.’
Now it was this same Herod who had sent to have John arrested, and had him chained up in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife whom he had married. For John had told Herod, ‘It is against the law for you to have your brother’s wife.’ As for Herodias, she was furious with him and wanted to kill him; but she was not able to, because Herod was afraid of John, knowing him to be a good and holy man, and gave him his protection. When he had heard him speak he was greatly perplexed, and yet he liked to listen to him.
An opportunity came on Herod’s birthday when he gave a banquet for the nobles of his court, for his army officers and for the leading figures in Galilee. When the daughter of this same Herodias came in and danced, she delighted Herod and his guests; so the king said to the girl, ‘Ask me anything you like and I will give it you.’ And he swore her an oath, ‘I will give you anything you ask, even half my kingdom.’ She went out and said to her mother, ‘What shall I ask for?’ She replied, ‘The head of John the Baptist.’ The girl hurried straight back to the king and made her request, ‘I want you to give me John the Baptist’s head, here and now, on a dish.’ The king was deeply distressed but, thinking of the oaths he had sworn and of his guests, he was reluctant to break his word to her. So the king at once sent one of the bodyguard with orders to bring John’s head. The man went off and beheaded him in prison; then he brought the head on a dish and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. When John’s disciples heard about this, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.
JESUS CHRIST IS THE SAME, YESTERDAY AND FOR EVER
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [HEB 13:1-8; PS 27:1,3,5,8-9; MARK 6:14-29]
What does it mean to say that “Jesus Christ is the same as he was yesterday and as he will be for ever”? Simply put, it means that our faith in Jesus Christ is constant. All that Jesus was, He is for us today and forever. Jesus is constant in Himself, in His thoughts, His Life, His love and mercy for us. In other words, the same Jesus we know today is the same Jesus that our forefathers knew. Jesus Christ is therefore reliable and constant in His love. We who claim to be His disciples and love Him, must also live a life that reflects His. What kind of Christian life must we live?
Firstly, the hallmark of a Christian life is love. “Continue to love each other like brothers.” The consciousness of a Christian is that his neighbour is his brother or sister. When we begin to see each other not just as “other” but that we are one in our brotherhood, we will care for each other more, just as we care for our loved ones and family members. It is only when we forget that we are all brothers and sisters in Christ, that we treat each other with suspicion and indifference. Jesus identifies with us. We read earlier, “Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, saying, ‘I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters.'” (Heb 2:11f) Indeed, this is particularly important especially in church. Quite often, people feel unwelcome because they deem the church to be too bureaucratic, our ministry members are arrogant and lack sensitivity and willingness to consider the needs of those who are vulnerable and weaker.
In a wider sense, in the parable of the Last Judgment, the Lord warned us, “Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.” (Mt 25:45) The author exhorts us, “remember always to welcome strangers, for by doing this, some people have entertained angels without knowing it.” Indeed, we must go beyond loving those of our kind. As Christians, we must show great hospitality to others, not just those we meet in Church but also those we do not know but who need our help and kindness. It is not enough to be nice only to our family members and friends, or even fellow Christians. To be a true brother and sister of our Lord, we must also reach out to strangers and be ready to be kind and helpful to them. Only then can we truly pray the Lord’s Prayer in a manner consistent with how we regard God as our Father and all of us as our brothers and sisters.
Secondly, we are called in a special way to identify with those suffering in prison for doing what is right. But our love and mercy should not only be for those who have been wrongly judged and persecuted. We must also extend our sympathy to those who have committed crimes or have made mistakes in life. Even when our brothers and sisters have done wrong, we need to heal their broken lives by showing them the right way to live, which is to give and care for those who are undeserving. As the Lord taught us, “For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?” (Mt 5:46f)
In a special we are reminded of what happened to John the Baptist in today’s gospel. He was put to death for speaking not just the truth but for wanting to save the souls of Herod and Herodias. Instead of seeing him as their friend, they saw him as their foe because he was a thorn in their lives. As a consequence, he was put in prison “For John had told Herod, ‘It is against the law for you to have your brother’s wife.’ As for Herodias, she was furious with him and wanted to kill him.” King Herod knew that it was an unjust thing to do but he was weak. “Herod was afraid of John, knowing him to be a good and holy man, and gave him his protection. When he had heard him speak he was greatly perplexed, and yet he liked to listen to him.” Herod knew the truth but he was not strong enough to stand by it and by John.
Thirdly, for Christians, it is of great importance that we see the sanctity of marriage. The moment we treat marriage as just a personal contract, as in any commercial contract, we forget the holiness of marriage. As Christians, we do not see marriage as just another human relationship, or merely a functional arrangement for practical purposes. Rather, marriage is a sacrament of God’s love for us, more specifically, Christ’s love for His Church. St Paul gives us the analogy of marriage love as akin to Christ’s love for us. He wrote, “For no one ever hates his own body, but he nourishes and tenderly cares for it, just as Christ does for the church, because we are members of his body. ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ This is a great mystery, and I am applying it to Christ and the church. Each of you, however, should love his wife as himself, and a wife should respect her husband.” (Eph 5:29-33)
So the author warns us, “Marriage is to be honoured by all, and marriages are to be kept undefiled, because fornicators and adulterers will come under God’s judgement.” It must not be misunderstood that God lacks mercy for those who failed in their marriage because of human weakness, difficult relationships or plain infidelity. Even then, in some cases of infidelity, it could be due to upbringing, lack of affective relationships, trauma from sexual harassment and even molestation. When God judges, He takes into account each person’s sincerity and personal difficulties and circumstances as well, not just the act itself. Nevertheless, those who failed in protecting the sanctity of marriage will perpetuate the fragmentation of families, dysfunctional upbringing of children, the lack of love and security for their children, and many other social and psychological damages to humanity. Some, because of financial difficulties, even resort to violence, drugs and cheating.
This was the case of Herodias. She was living in adultery with King Herod. She became vindictive because of John the Baptist’s disapproval of the marriage. She became resentful and violent. Not only did she want to stop the preaching of John the Baptist but she wanted him executed, not contented with Herod putting him in prison. And so, knowing Herod’s sexual weakness, she orchestrated to have her daughter dance scantily and seductively before him, in return for a reward. After which, she got her daughter to ask for the head of John the Baptist on a plate, knowing that Herod would be too proud to rescind his promise to give her whatever she asked for. So, adultery led to killing. Surely her daughter would have been impacted by her being made an accomplice to the mother’s viciousness and vindictiveness! She, too, would have grown to behave exactly like her mother. Indeed, the family history of King Herod was one of distrust, suspicion and murder. King Herod himself killed most of his close collaborators when he sensed them to be a danger to his throne.
However, God is merciful. Even if we are in such difficulties, there is grace for those who seek to repair their difficult and painful marriages, families, or personal lives. God assures us of His divine protection. “Put greed out of your lives and be content with whatever you have; God himself has said: I will not fail you or desert you, and so we can say with confidence: With the Lord to help me, I fear nothing: what can man do to me?” Indeed, we need to accept our lot in life, and cooperate with the grace of God to make the best of the situation and circumstances we are in. There is no need to be greedy or angry at the situation we are in. Rather, we need to trust in God. As the responsorial psalm says, “The Lord is my light and my help; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; before whom shall I shrink? Though an army encamp against me my heart would not fear. Though war break out against me even then would I trust. For there he keeps me safe in his tent in the day of evil.”
Finally, we pray that we have good leaders to inspire us along the way. “Remember your leaders, who preached the word of God to you, and as you reflect on the outcome of their lives, imitate their faith.” Indeed, we have the examples of leaders, clerical and lay, who have shown us how to live a life of fidelity to God and to His people. We must remember our forefathers who have shown us the way. So let us hear again what they have taught us, especially in living according to the Word of God. We can be certain that if we imitate them in their faith, we too will find happiness, joy and peace in our lives.
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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