http://www.easterbrooks.com/cgi-bin/Cathcal.cgi?20050129

First Reading: Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19
Responsorial Psalm: Luke 1:69-70, 71-72, 73-75
Gospel: Mark 4:35-41

First Reading: Hebrews 11:1-2, 8-19

1

¹ Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence ² of things not seen.

2

Because of it the ancients were well attested.

8

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; he went out, not knowing where he was to go.

9

By faith he sojourned in the promised land as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs of the same promise;

10

for he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and maker is God.

11

By faith he received power to generate, even though he was past the normal age--and Sarah herself was sterile--for he thought that the one who had made the promise was trustworthy.

12

So it was that there came forth from one man, himself as good as dead, descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as countless as the sands on the seashore.

13

All these died in faith. They did not receive what had been promised but saw it and greeted it from afar and acknowledged themselves to be strangers and aliens on earth,

14

for those who speak thus show that they are seeking a homeland.

15

If they had been thinking of the land from which they had come, they would have had opportunity to return.

16

But now they desire a better homeland, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

17

By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was ready to offer his only son,

18

of whom it was said, "Through Isaac descendants shall bear your name."

19

³ He reasoned that God was able to raise even from the dead, and he received Isaac back as a symbol.

Table of Contents Hebrews 11

Footnotes

¹ [1-40] This chapter draws upon the people and events of the Old Testament to paint an inspiring portrait of religious faith, firm and unyielding in the face of any obstacles that confront it. These pages rank among the most eloquent and lofty to be found in the Bible. They expand the theme announced in Hebrews 6:12, to which the author now returns (Hebrews 10:39). The material of this chapter is developed chronologically. Hebrews 11:3-7 draw upon the first nine chapters of Genesis (Genesis 1-9); Hebrews 11:8-22, upon the period of the patriarchs; Hebrews 11:23-31, upon the time of Moses; Hebrews 11:32-38, upon the history of the judges, the prophets, and the Maccabean martyrs. The author gives the most extensive description of faith provided in the New Testament, though his interest does not lie in a technical, theological definition. In view of the needs of his audience he describes what authentic faith does, not what it is in itself. Through faith God guarantees the blessings to be hoped for from him, providing evidence in the gift of faith that what he promises will eventually come to pass (Hebrews 11:1). Because they accepted in faith God's guarantee of the future, the biblical personages discussed in Hebrews 11:3-38 were themselves commended by God (Hebrews 11:2). Christians have even greater reason to remain firm in faith since they, unlike the Old Testament men and women of faith, have perceived the beginning of God's fulfillment of his messianic promises (Hebrews 11:39-40).

² [1] Faith is the realization . . . evidence: the author is not attempting a precise definition. There is dispute about the meaning of the Greek words hypostasis and elenchos, here translated realization and evidence, respectively. Hypostasis usually means "substance," "being" (as translated in Hebrews 1:3), or "reality" (as translated in Hebrews 3:14); here it connotes something more subjective, and so realization has been chosen rather than "assurance" (RSV). Elenchos, usually "proof," is used here in an objective sense and so translated evidence rather than the transferred sense of "(inner) conviction" (RSV).

³ [19] As a symbol: Isaac's "return from death" is seen as a symbol of Christ's resurrection. Others understand the words en parabole to mean "in figure," i.e., the word dead is used figuratively of Isaac, since he did not really die. But in the one other place that parabole occurs in Hebrews, it means symbol (Hebrews 9:9).

Responsorial Psalm: Luke 1:69-70, 71-72, 73-75

69

¹ He has raised up a horn for our salvation within the house of David his servant,

70

even as he promised through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old:

71

salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us,

72

to show mercy to our fathers and to be mindful of his holy covenant

73

and of the oath he swore to Abraham our father, and to grant us that,

74

rescued from the hand of enemies, without fear we might worship him

75

in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

Table of Contents Luke 1

Footnotes

¹ [69] A horn for our salvation: the horn is a common Old Testament figure for strength (Psalm 18:3; 75:5-6; 89:18; 112:9; 148:14). This description is applied to God in Psalm 18:2 and is here transferred to Jesus. The connection of the phrase with the house of David gives the title messianic overtones and may indicate an allusion to a phrase in Hannah's song of praise (1 Sam 2:10), "the horn of his anointed."

Gospel: Mark 4:35-41

35

¹ On that day, as evening drew on, he said to them, "Let us cross to the other side."

36

Leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat just as he was. And other boats were with him.

37

A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat, so that it was already filling up.

38

Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion. They woke him and said to him, "Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?"

39

He woke up, rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Quiet! Be still!" ² The wind ceased and there was great calm.

40

Then he asked them, "Why are you terrified? Do you not yet have faith?"

41

³ They were filled with great awe and said to one another, "Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?"

Table of Contents Mark 4

Footnotes

¹ [4:35-5:43] After the chapter on parables, Mark narrates four miracle stories: Mark 4:35-41; 5:1-20; and two joined together in Mark 5:21-43. See also the notes on Matthew 8:23-34 and 9:8-26.

² [39] Quiet! Be still!: as in the case of silencing a demon (Mark 1:25), Jesus rebukes the wind and subdues the turbulence of the sea by a mere word; see the note on Matthew 8:26.

³ [41] Jesus is here depicted as exercising power over wind and sea. In the Christian community this event was seen as a sign of Jesus' saving presence amid persecutions that threatened its existence.