“The charity of the good knows no creed and is confined to no one place.”

 

St. Marianne Cope, virgin

(USA) St. Vincent, deacon & martyr

-St. Marianne Cope

 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Hebrews 7:25-8:6

Consequently, he is able to save,

For all time, those who approach God, through him. He always lives, to intercede on their behalf.

It was fitting that our high priest be holy, undefiled, set apart from sinners, and exalted above the heavens;

a priest who does not, first, need to offer sacrifice for himself, before offering for the sins of the people,

as high priests do. He offered himself in sacrifice, once, and for all. And, whereas,

the law elected weak men as high priests, now, after the law, the word of God,

with an oath, appointed the Son, made perfect forever.

 

The main point of what we are saying is that we have a high priest. He is seated at the right hand of the divine majesty,

in heaven, where he serves as minister of the true temple and Sanctuary, set up not by any mortal, but by the Lord.

A high priest is appointed to offer to God gifts and sacrifices, and Jesus, also, has to offer some sacrifice.

Had he remained on earth, he would not be a priest, since others offer the gifts, according to the law. In fact,

 

the ritual celebrated by those priests is only an imitation, and shadow of the heavenly Sanctuary. We know the word of God to Moses,

with regard to the construction of the holy tent. He said: You are to make everything according to the pattern shown to you on the mountain.

Now, however, Jesus enjoys a much higher ministry, in being the mediator of a better Covenant, founded on better promises.

 

Ps 40:7-8a, 8b-9, 10, 17 Here am I Lord; I come to do your will.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

Mark 3:7-12

Jesus and his disciples withdrew to the lakeside, and a large crowd from Galilee followed him.

A great number of people also came from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, Transjordan,

and from the region of Tyre and Sidon, for they had heard of all that he was doing.

 

Because of the crowd, Jesus told his disciples to have a boat ready for him, to prevent the people from crushing him.

He healed so many that all who had diseases kept pressing toward him to touch him.

Even the people who had evil spirits, whenever they saw him, they would fall down before him and cry out,

"You are the Son of God." But he warned them sternly not to tell anyone who he was.

 

Gospel Reflection ：

"You are the Son of God."

The desire to get close to Jesus is very intense in today's Gospel. He has healed the sick,

and his reputation goes before him, so much so that he is in danger of being crushed by the crowds,

all pressing forward to touch him. Do we have that level of desire for Christ?

That fervour and desire for connection or spiritual union with the Lord

was a fundamental motivation for missionaries and martyrs of the early Church, such as St.

 

Vincent of Saragossa, who was imprisoned during the time of Emperor Diocletian and refused to burn Holy Scripture to gain his freedom.

His faith and his relationship with Christ his Saviour was more important to him than prolonging his earthly life.

Our sense of connection with Jesus is essential to having a faith that is alive, that is something not just of the head,

but of the heart, too. To grow in that desire for God we need to cultivate a taste for the things of God.

Reach out to Christ, and by his response you will want to get closer. May the martyrs inspire us to a greater love and fervour.