Both the reading from Hebrews and the reading from Mark today contain some beautiful seeds of hope. Hebrews refers to the new covenant God establishes with his people. This is referring to Jesus Christ. The hope of this passage is that no longer does the adherence to the covenant rely solely on our fidelity to it. We have hope that, even in our moments of infidelity, the fidelity of Jesus Christ counts in our favor. This God who became man and died to redeem us, has taken the covenant upon himself.
Seeds of Hope
In the reading from Mark, we hear of Jesus choosing those whom he wants to be with him. He chooses these men who seem to be nothing in the eyes of the world. Yet in his eyes, he sees great things in them. Peter, Andrew, James, and John are fishermen. Matthew is a tax collector. Thomas will struggle to believe in the resurrection. Judas will betray him. Yet these 12 men are seeds of hope. Jesus sees something in them that inspires him to invite them to begin paving the way for the kingdom that will come.
Seeds of Hope in My Life
In the past weeks, together with the ALS, I have constantly struggled with a common cold. Even though it is just a cold, it has been quite intense. However, at the same time a dear friend of mine has had a tumor removed from his brain. He has been an example to me of fortitude in the midst of difficulty. Throughout the days that I have struggled with my cold, it has given me hope to think of him also struggling to heal from his surgery. His constant updates full of positive reports have encouraged me to see my sickness in a positive light.
Reflect on your life over the past week. What seeds of hope can you see? Where do you see the Lord, sending you encouragement? Spend some time in prayer today thanking God for these gifts.
Great Homily