The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to petition the Spirit to guide our Baptismal task of transformation to priest, prophet, and leader in service of the people in our environment.
The reading from the Letter to the Hebrews declares God Has Spoken by His Son and proclaims The Son Is Superior to Angels.
* [1:1–4] The letter opens with an introduction consisting of a reflection on the climax of God’s revelation to the human race in his Son. The divine communication was initiated and maintained during Old Testament times in fragmentary and varied ways through the prophets (Heb 1:1), including Abraham, Moses, and all through whom God spoke. But now in these last days (Heb 1:2) the final age, God’s revelation of his saving purpose is achieved through a son, i.e., one who is Son, whose role is redeemer and mediator of creation. He was made heir of all things through his death and exaltation to glory, yet he existed before he appeared as man; through him God created the universe. Heb 1:3–4, which may be based upon a liturgical hymn, assimilate the Son to the personified Wisdom of the Old Testament as refulgence of God’s glory and imprint of his being (Heb 1:3; cf. Wis 7:26). These same terms are used of the Logos in Philo. The author now turns from the cosmological role of the preexistent Son to the redemptive work of Jesus: he brought about purification from sins and has been exalted to the right hand of God (see Ps 110:1). The once-humiliated and crucified Jesus has been declared God’s Son, and this name shows his superiority to the angels. The reason for the author’s insistence on that superiority is, among other things, that in some Jewish traditions angels were mediators of the old covenant (see Acts 7:53; Gal 3:19). Finally, Jesus’ superiority to the angels emphasizes the superiority of the new covenant to the old because of the heavenly priesthood of Jesus.
* [1:5–14] Jesus’ superiority to the angels is now demonstrated by a series of seven Old Testament texts. Some scholars see in the stages of Jesus’ exaltation an order corresponding to that of enthronement ceremonies in the ancient Near East, especially in Egypt, namely, elevation to divine status (Heb 1:5–6); presentation to the angels and proclamation of everlasting lordship (Heb 1:7–12); enthronement and conferral of royal power (Heb 1:13). The citations from the Psalms in Heb 1:5, 13 were traditionally used of Jesus’ messianic sonship (cf. Acts 13:33) through his resurrection and exaltation (cf. Acts 2:33–35); those in Heb 1:8, 10–12 are concerned with his divine kingship and his creative function. The central quotation in Heb 1:7 serves to contrast the angels with the Son. The author quotes it according to the Septuagint translation, which is quite different in meaning from that of the Hebrew (“You make the winds your messengers, and flaming fire your ministers”). The angels are only sent to serve…those who are to inherit salvation (Heb 1:14).
* [1:6] And again, when he leads: the Greek could also be translated “And when he again leads” in reference to the parousia. (Hebrews, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)
Psalm 97 praises the Glory of God’s Reign.
* [Psalm 97] The hymn begins with God appearing in a storm, a traditional picture of some ancient Near Eastern gods (Ps 97:1–6); cf. Ps 18:8–16; Mi 1:3–4; Heb 3:3–15. Israel rejoices in the overthrowing of idol worshipers and their gods (Ps 97:7–9) and the rewarding of the faithful righteous (Ps 97:10–12). (Psalms PSALM 97 | USCCB, n.d.)
The Gospel of Mark describes the Beginning of the Galilean Ministry when Jesus Calls the First Disciples.
* [1:14–15] After John had been arrested: in the plan of God, Jesus was not to proclaim the good news of salvation prior to the termination of the Baptist’s active mission. Galilee: in the Marcan account, scene of the major part of Jesus’ public ministry before his arrest and condemnation. The gospel of God: not only the good news from God but about God at work in Jesus Christ. This is the time of fulfillment: i.e., of God’s promises. The kingdom of God…Repent: see note on Mt 3:2.
* [1:16–20] These verses narrate the call of the first Disciples. See notes on Mt 4:18–22 and Mt 4:20. (Mark, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB, n.d.)
David Crawford comments that the purpose that should fill our lives is to worship and follow God.
Mark 1 tells us that when Jesus called, Andrew, Simon, James and John immediately dropped everything to follow. They prioritized following Jesus over work and familial responsibilities. Too often I have been ready to follow on my own terms, willing to do what Jesus calls when it did not conflict with my other plans. In fact, I may not even have listened for Jesus calling until after finishing work and taking some “me” time in front of the television. My song for 2025 will be Lead Me, Lord* and I will follow.
Soloist Ariel Merivil with the First-Plymouth Church choir (Crawford, n.d.)
Don Schwager quotes “Common people on an uncommon mission,” by Eusebius of Caesarea (260/263-340 AD).
"Reflect on the nature and grandeur of the one Almighty God who could associate himself with the poor of the lowly fisherman's class. To use them to carry out God's mission baffles all rationality. For having conceived the intention, which no one ever before had done, of spreading his own commands and teachings to all nations, and of revealing himself as the teacher of the religion of the one Almighty God to all humanity, he thought good to use the most unsophisticated and common people as ministers of his own design. Maybe God just wanted to work in the most unlikely way. For how could inarticulate folk be made able to teach, even if they were appointed teachers to only one person, much less to a multitude? How should those who were themselves without education instruct the nations?... When he had thus called them as his followers, he breathed into them his divine power, and filled them with strength and courage. As God himself he spoke God's true word to them in his own way, enabling them to do great wonders, and made them pursuers of rational and thinking souls, by empowering them to come after him, saying: 'Come, follow me, and I will make you fish for people' (Mark 1:17, Matthew 4:19). With this empowerment God sent them forth to be workers and teachers of holiness to all the nations, declaring them heralds of his own teaching." (excerpt from PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 3.7) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Hebrews 1:1-6 comments that this letter, probably written a little before AD 70, seems to have been addressed to Jewish Christians. They would have been very familiar with the idea of the “purification” mentioned here. According to the Law of Moses, the high priest was commanded to make annual sacrifices to purify the people from their sins (see Leviticus 16).
Keep this background in mind as you’re reading through Hebrews in the coming weeks, especially if you feel like you could use some encouragement. Jesus, the One who “accomplished purification,” is the One who “sustains all things by his mighty word” and is now seated “at the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:3). He is the One through whom God has spoken to us. And the purification he accomplished was not just for the readers of the Letter to the Hebrews—it was for you!
“Lord, thank you for coming to purify me! May I grow to love you more and more each day!” (Meditation on Hebrews 1:1-6, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler notes the difference in theology and style from Paul that point to a Jewish Christian author of Hebrews likely from Alexandria who is familiar with Greek philosophy and the spirituality of the “icon” making God present in some way. The message in Mark notes the Kingdom is not a time or a place but is when God’s Love is present in our hearts. Friar Jude reminds us that God transforms the talents we have to serve the Kingdom.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, points to the transformative power of St. Francis and other more recent mystics and prophets. Francis of Assisi (1182–1226) was a living exemplar of where we are all being attracted and led. Just as the Cosmic Christ serves as the Omega Point (Teilhard de Chardin’s term) for all of history, Francis is also a prime attractor, or what medieval theologians called a “final cause.” Christ and Francis draw humanity forward just by walking the full journey themselves. Transformed people quite simply transform people and set the bar of history higher for all of us. That is one of the ways we fundamentally “help” other people.
God gives us highly evolved people to pull us all forward. The Christian word for them was simply “saint.” We cannot imagine something until we see it through a living model or archetypal figure. Then it constellates in our consciousness as maybe possible for us too. Through his story, Francis is still greasing the wheels of consciousness and holiness. It then rubs off and spreads out by osmosis.
I felt this strongly when I was invited to accompany the Dalai Lama. He said little beyond, “My religion is kindness,” but the stadium was packed. The lines just to see him, or perhaps touch him, reached across the Ohio River bridge to Louisville. Many pointed out the direct line between that event and Thomas Merton’s presence down the Kentucky road at Gethsemani Abbey. Merton, Mother Teresa, Pope Francis, and the Dalai Lama are all good examples of prime attractors in our own time. (Rohr, n.d.)
We contemplate the “work” of sharing the “Good News” and seek knowledge through the Spirit to make it real to those we encounter in our own time and place.
References
Crawford, D. (n.d.). Daily Reflection Of Creighton University's Online Ministries. Creighton University's Online Ministries. Retrieved January 13, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/011325.html
Hebrews, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 13, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/hebrews/1?1
Mark, CHAPTER 1 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved January 13, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/1?14
Meditation on Hebrews 1:1-6. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved January 13, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/01/13/1179146/
Psalms PSALM 97 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved January 13, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/97?1
Rohr, R. (n.d.). Love Draws Us Forward. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved January 13, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/love-draws-us-forward/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). The Kingdom of God Is at Hand. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved January 13, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=jan13
