Daily Readings for January 28, 2015

1ST READING 

Jesus has made the definitive offering for our sins, both past and future. This is neither a license for us to sin with impunity nor an invitation to treat temptations lightly. What then is the appropriate response to God who has forgiven our sins? How do we express our gratitude? How do we make it known to God that we will not take His gift of salvation for granted?

Hebrews 10:11-18

11 Every priest stands daily at his ministry, offering frequently those same sacrifices that can never take away sins. 12 But this one offered one sacrifice for sins, and took his seat forever at the right hand of God; 13 now he waits until his enemies are made his footstool. 14 For by one offering he has made perfect forever those who are being consecrated. 15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying: 16 This is the covenant I will establish with them after those days, says the Lord: “I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them upon their minds,” 17 he also says: Their sins and their evildoing I will remember no more. 18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer of fering for sin.

P S A L M

Psalm 110:1, 2, 3, 4

R: You are the priest forever, in the line of Melchizedek.

1 The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool.” (R) 2 The scepter of your power the Lord will stretch forth from Zion: “Rule in the midst of your enemies.” (R) 3 “Yours is princely power in the day of your birth, in holy splendor; before the daystar, like the dew, I have begotten you.” (R) 4 The Lord has sworn, and he will not repent: “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.” (R)

GOSPEL

We celebrate today the Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas, a great theologian and philosopher who synthesized much of the Church’s theology and provided the framework for the study of our faith for the next 700 years. It is only in the last century that approaches besides scholasticism were seriously considered. He was also a holy Dominican monk who, despite his enormous intellect, was known for his humility. May theologians today be inspired by the holiness and orthodoxy of St. Thomas as they seek to advance in understanding the faith.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower; all who come to him will live for ever.

Mark 4:1-20

1 On another occasion, Jesus began to teach by the sea. A very large crowd gathered around him so that he got into a boat on the sea and sat down. And the whole crowd was beside the sea on land. 2And he taught them at length in parables, and in the course of his instruction he said to them, 3 “Hear this! A sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Other seed fell on rocky ground where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep. 6 And when the sun rose, it was scorched and it withered for lack of roots. 7Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it and it produced no grain. 8 And some seed fell on rich soil and produced fruit. It came up and grew and yielded thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.” 9 He added, “Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.” 10 And when he was alone, those present along with the Twelve questioned him about the parables. 11 He answered them, “The mystery of the kingdom of God has been granted to you. But to those outside everything comes in parables, 12 so that they may look and see but not perceive, and hear and listen but not understand, in order that they may not be converted and be forgiven.” 13 Jesus said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand any of the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 These are the ones on the path where the word is sown. As soon as they hear, Satan comes at once and takes away the word sown in them. 16 And these are the ones sown on rocky ground who, when they hear the word, receive it at once with joy. 17 But they have no roots; they last only for a time. Then when tribulation or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18 Those sown among thorns are another sort. They are the people who hear the word, 19 but worldly anxiety, the lure of riches, and the craving for other things intrude and choke the word, and it bears no fruit. 20 But those sown on rich soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.”

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