First reading Hebrews 8:6-13
The first covenant is already old
We have seen that Christ has been given a ministry of a far higher order, and to the same degree it is a better covenant of which he is the mediator, founded on better promises. If that first covenant had been without a fault, there would have been no need for a second one to replace it. And in fact God does find fault with them; he says:
See, the days are coming – it is the Lord who speaks –
when I will establish a new covenant
with the House of Israel and the House of Judah,
but not a covenant like the one I made with their ancestors
on the day I took them by the hand
to bring them out of the land of Egypt.
They abandoned that covenant of mine,
and so I on my side deserted them. It is the Lord who speaks.
No, this is the covenant I will make
with the House of Israel
when those days arrive – it is the Lord who speaks.
I will put my laws into their minds
and write them on their hearts.
Then I will be their God
and they shall be my people.
There will be no further need for neighbour to try to teach neighbour,
or brother to say to brother,
‘Learn to know the Lord.’
No, they will all know me,
the least no less than the greatest,
since I will forgive their iniquities
and never call their sins to mind.
By speaking of a new covenant, he implies that the first one is already old. Now anything old only gets more antiquated until in the end it disappears.
Responsorial Psalm 84(85):8,10-14
Mercy and faithfulness have met.
Let us see, O Lord, your mercy
and give us your saving help.
His help is near for those who fear him
and his glory will dwell in our land.
Mercy and faithfulness have met;
justice and peace have embraced.
Faithfulness shall spring from the earth
and justice look down from heaven.
The Lord will make us prosper
and our earth shall yield its fruit.
Justice shall march before him
and peace shall follow his steps.
Gospel Mark 3:13-19
He appointed twelve to be his companions
Jesus went up into the hills and summoned those he wanted. So they came to him and he appointed twelve; they were to be his companions and to be sent out to preach, with power to cast out devils. And so he appointed the Twelve: Simon to whom he gave the name Peter, James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James, to whom he gave the name Boanerges or ‘Sons of Thunder’; then Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, the man who was to betray him.
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Call to be contemplative and active
In today’s gospel, Jesus chose the Twelve to be His companions and sent them out to bring the good news of God’s love to others. Likewise, He also calls each of us to be with Him and sends us out to preach the good news with our words and life. Our Christian life consists of these two fundamental dimensions: prayer and action. From being with Jesus, listening to what He has to say to us and allowing Him to nourish our lives, we go out to live His mission of bringing His presence to others.
Jesus chose and called each of His disciples personally. However, we know that in the end, Peter denied Him, Judas betrayed Him, and the rest ran away from Him. Each of them was free to choose how they wanted to live out their discipleship. Today, Jesus calls us by name. He calls, and we are free to respond. He never forces us to respond to His call. Let us strive to be faithful to Jesus because He is the first who is always faithful to us.
Reflective question:
How can I live out the Christian dimensions of prayer and mission?
How can I live out the Christian dimensions of prayer and mission?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Sandra Seow FMVD.
