Friday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time (1/20/23)

January 20, 2023

Saints

St. Sebastian was a Christian martyr who lived in the 3rd century AD. He is said to have been a member of the Roman Imperial Guard, but was secretly a Christian. He was discovered to be a Christian and was ordered to be executed by the Roman emperor Diocletian. According to legend, Sebastian was tied to a post and shot with arrows, but miraculously survived. He was then clubbed to death.

St. Sebastian is a popular saint in the Catholic Church and is often depicted in art as a young man tied to a post and being shot with arrows. He is the patron saint of soldiers, athletes, and plague victims. His feast day is celebrated on January 20th.

St. Fabian was a Pope of the Catholic Church, who reigned from 236 to 250 AD. He was elected as the Bishop of Rome during a time of great political and religious turmoil in the Roman Empire, and is known for his leadership during this period.

St. Fabian is said to have been a strong leader and a gifted orator, who used his talents to defend the faith and promote Christian unity. He is also credited with organizing the first recorded martyrs' cemetery, the Catacombs of San Callisto in Rome. He was martyred during the persecution of Emperor Decius.

St. Fabian is the patron saint of the city of Rome, and his feast day is celebrated on January 20th, the same day as St. Sebastian.

Scripture

Hebrews 8:6-13 is a passage from the New Testament book of Hebrews that describes the new covenant established by Jesus Christ.

The passage begins by quoting from Jeremiah 31:31-34, in which the prophet Jeremiah speaks of a new covenant that God will make with his people. The author of Hebrews then applies this prophecy to Jesus, saying that he is the mediator of a new covenant, which is superior to the old covenant established with Moses.

The passage goes on to say that the old covenant was limited and imperfect, because it was only able to deal with external behavior, not the hearts of the people. But the new covenant, established by Jesus, is able to change hearts and minds and make people holy. The passage also states that this new covenant is not based on written laws, but on the forgiveness of sins, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and the knowledge of God.

The passage concludes by saying that this new covenant is not only for the Israelites, but for all people, and it will never be revoked.

In general, this passage emphasizes on the superiority of the new covenant, established by Jesus Christ, over the old covenant established with Moses which only dealt with external behavior and not with the hearts of the people. The new covenant is able to change hearts and minds and make people holy, it is based on forgiveness of sins, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and the knowledge of God and it is for all people and it will never be revoked.

Mark 3:13-19 is a passage from the New Testament book of Mark that describes the calling of Jesus' twelve apostles.

The passage begins by describing how Jesus went up on a mountain and called his twelve disciples to him. He then gives them the authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. The twelve apostles are named as: Simon (who Jesus later renames Peter), James and John (the sons of Zebedee), Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Thaddaeus, Simon (the Zealot), and Judas Iscariot (who later betrays Jesus).

The passage also describes how a crowd gathers around Jesus, and he begins to teach them. But when the scribes from Jerusalem accuse Jesus of being possessed by Beelzebul, Jesus responds by saying that every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. He also says that if Satan is divided against himself, how can his kingdom stand? He goes on to say that if he is driving out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon them.

This passage highlights the authority and power of Jesus, as well as the calling of his twelve apostles. It also shows how Jesus responds to the accusations made against him by the religious leaders of the time, and how he uses his miracles to demonstrate the power of God.

Theme

The theme that unites these passages is the authority and power of Jesus, and his role as the mediator of a new covenant.

Hebrews 8:6-13 emphasizes on the new covenant established by Jesus Christ, which is superior to the old covenant established with Moses. The new covenant is able to change hearts and minds and make people holy, it is based on forgiveness of sins, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and the knowledge of God and it is for all people and it will never be revoked.

Mark 3:13-19 highlights the authority and power of Jesus, as he calls his twelve apostles and gives them the authority to drive out evil spirits and heal every disease and sickness. It also shows how Jesus responds to the accusations made against him by the religious leaders of the time, and how he uses his miracles to demonstrate the power of God.

Both passages demonstrate the authority and power of Jesus, and the belief that he is the mediator of a new covenant that is superior to the old one. They also show how Jesus' teachings and actions were perceived by his contemporaries and how it challenged their understanding of the world.

Haiku

St. Sebastian's fate
Arrows pierce, yet he lives on
Martyr for the faith

St. Fabian's strong will
Led the Church through troubled times
Martyr for the faith

New covenant's call
Hearts changed, sins forgiven
Jesus, our mediator

Apostles chosen
Jesus' power they possess
Healing and salvation

Limericks

St. Sebastian bold
Was shot full of arrows, I'm told
But he wouldn't die
And to the sky
He ascended, as legends unfold

St. Fabian, Pope of Rome
Led the Church through a troubled time
He was martyred for faith
But his legacy
Lives on in the Church's climb

Hebrews 8:6-13 explains
A new covenant, Jesus sustains
Superior to old
With hearts to be told
Of sins forgiven, and holy gains

Mark 3:13-19, Jesus' might
Called twelve apostles to fight
With power to heal
And demons to expel
For the kingdom of God, is in sight

Reflection

Ladies and gentlemen, today we are going to take a look at two scripture passages that talk about the authority and power of Jesus, and the role of two saints, St. Sebastian and St. Fabian.

The first passage is Hebrews 8:6-13 which speaks of the new covenant established by Jesus Christ, which is superior to the old covenant established with Moses. This passage emphasizes on the new covenant, which is able to change hearts and minds and make people holy, it is based on forgiveness of sins, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and the knowledge of God and it is for all people and it will never be revoked.

The second passage is Mark 3:13-19 which highlights the authority and power of Jesus, as he calls his twelve apostles and gives them the authority to drive out evil spirits and heal every disease and sickness. This passage also shows how Jesus responds to the accusations made against him by the religious leaders of the time, and how he uses his miracles to demonstrate the power of God.

Now, let us take a look at two saints, St. Sebastian and St. Fabian. St. Sebastian was a Christian martyr who lived in the 3rd century AD. He is said to have been a member of the Roman Imperial Guard, but was secretly a Christian. He was discovered to be a Christian and was ordered to be executed by the Roman emperor Diocletian. According to legend, Sebastian was tied to a post and shot with arrows, but miraculously survived. He was then clubbed to death. He is the patron saint of soldiers, athletes, and plague victims.

St. Fabian was a Pope of the Catholic Church, who reigned from 236 to 250 AD. He was elected as the Bishop of Rome during a time of great political and religious turmoil in the Roman Empire, and is known for his leadership during this period. He is the patron saint of the city of Rome, and his feast day is celebrated on January 20th, the same day as St. Sebastian.

In conclusion, these two passages and the two saints remind us of the authority and power of Jesus. They remind us that Jesus is the mediator of a new covenant that is superior to the old one, and that this new covenant is able to change hearts and minds and make people holy. They also remind us that Jesus' teachings and actions were perceived by his contemporaries and how it challenged their understanding of the world. Let us follow the examples of St. Sebastian and St. Fabian, who stood firm in their faith and devotion to Jesus, even in the face of persecution. May their examples inspire us to do the same. Amen.

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