Word to the Wise
Wednesday, January 11, 2023 - Wednesday in the 1st Week in Ordinary Time
[Heb 2:14-18 and Mark 1:29-39]Surely [Jesus] did not help angels but rather the descendants of Abraham; therefore, he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every way, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest before God to expiate the sins of the people. Because he himself was tested through what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested. [Hebrews]
There is an old hymn, "Nobody knows the trouble I've seen," that might characterize the goal of the Letter to the Hebrews, i.e., to encourage a community of believers not to abandon their faith in Jesus simply because it can be difficult to live it fully. The letter focuses on the meaning of Jesus' role as a mediator, a high priest, whose own life was the sacrifice that he offered. Examples of perseverance in faith are given from the Old Testament to inspire. [Heb. 11:1-39]
Suffering of any kind can be a lonely experience and a test of faith. It is tempting to believe that no one else can understand what "I" am going through, even in a "support group." Jesus can seem to be in a "distant past or a distant heaven." (Pope St. John Paul II to the Dominican General Chapter 2002). The Letter to the Hebrews assures us that our trials and sufferings are very much understood by God and are not meaningless even if we are unable, for many different reasons, to find any significance in them. Viktor Frankl's classic, THE HUMAN SEARCH FOR MEANING, based on Nazi concentration camp experiences, shows that the effort to find meaning even in hopeless circumstances is very human. The Letter to the Hebrews tells us that Jesus was very human in his suffering, which was endured for our sakes. "In the days when he was in the flesh, he offered prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered; and when he was made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him..." [Heb. 5:7-9] AMENa