Homily for Thursday, Week 1 of Ordinary Time

Homily for Thursday
Week 1 of Ordinary Time

Jan. 16, 2025
Heb 3: 7-14
Christian Brothers, St. Joseph’s Residence, N.R.

“Encourage yourselves daily while it’s still ‘today’” (Heb 3: 13).

Moses striking the rock at Horeb (Raphael)

Citing another psalm (95, our responsory), the author of the Letter to the Hebrews, reminds Jewish followers of Jesus of the unhappy fate of their ancestors who left Egypt and constantly tested God and Moses as they wandered in the Sinai wilderness.  He exhorts Christ’s followers Christ to persevere in their discipleship:  to “hold the beginning of the reality firm until the end” (3:14).

The author encourages us, and he urges us to encourage one another.  It does take courage to remain faithful.  Surely it’s a great blessing from God to live in a community of brothers who encourage us to daily conversion—let “none have an evil and unfaithful heart” (3:12)—and to live as “partners of Christ” (3:14) “today” (3:13) and every day, “kneeling before the Lord who made us” (Ps 95:6), following the Good Shepherd who guides us (95:7) as friend and partner toward the promised land.