Withering Glance

Jan 18: Wednesday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time

Jan 18, 2023

Jesus takes a rare L in today’s Gospel. Not for lack of trying; He heals a man’s hand, which of course means that man can go and do more work for others. But because it’s the Sabbath, the Pharisees don’t see it that way.

Reading 1

Heb 7:1-3, 15-17

Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of God Most High, met Abraham as he returned from his defeat of the kings and blessed him. And Abraham apportioned to him a tenth of everything. His name first means righteous king, and he was also "king of Salem," that is, king of peace. Without father, mother, or ancestry, without beginning of days or end of life, thus made to resemble the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.

It is even more obvious if another priest is raised up after the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become so, not by a law expressed in a commandment concerning physical descent but by the power of a life that cannot be destroyed. For it is testified: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

The author of Hebrews quickly summarizes the story of Melchizedek, a priest/king who gave homage to Abraham, and to whom Abraham returned a tenth of his treasure. But beyond this brief story, we don’t know anything about him! We don’t know anything about his childhood or his later years. For all we know, he could still be alive!1 He’s a priest/king forever.

Jesus is the new priest/king, over Israel and all the world. Not because he was highborn, but because of his own grace.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 110:1, 2, 3, 4

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

“Forever” is a tricky word. We tend to think of things with a starting point, but no ending point. Despite not being recognized (by most people) as a king at His birth, Jesus was a king and priest from the beginning, and will continue to be forever.

But He was always the Father’s begotten Son, even before He entered into time as Mary’s son. There’s no beginning or end to his reign.

Alleluia

See Mt 4:23

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus preached the Gospel of the Kingdom
and cured every disease among the people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

As king, Jesus welcomes all into His kingdom; as priest, he serves the people. He can do both, in his special position as both God and man, priest and king.

Gospel

Mk 3:1-6

Jesus entered the synagogue. There was a man there who had a withered hand. They watched Jesus closely to see if he would cure him on the sabbath so that they might accuse him. He said to the man with the withered hand, "Come up here before us."

Then he said to the Pharisees, "Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath rather than to do evil, to save life rather than to destroy it?" But they remained silent. Looking around at them with anger and grieved at their hardness of heart, Jesus said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately took counsel with the Herodians against him to put him to death.

Here’s a sequel to yesterday’s story. The Pharisees remember Jesus and the apostles plucking grain on Sabbath, so they’re keeping an eye on him this time.

Jesus is again ready for them. This time, He starts the conversation, asks them a question. Obviously, they have no answer. What are they going to say, “No, do evil?”

Jesus goes back to what he was doing, healing the man, knowing that it’s not going to endear him to the Pharisees. But he’s still sad about it. After all, the purpose of a miracle is not solely to benefit the person being healed, but to help the witnesses see God more clearly. But not everyone is willing to look with God’s eyes.