Homily: January 18, 2025, Saturday of the first week in Ordinary Time (High-Priest)

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"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin."

When someone is diagnosed with a major illness, they often turn to others who have gone through a similar experience. They seek advice about doctors, treatments, and coping strategies.

Why? Because those who have been through the same struggles can empathize and possibly share insights about the situation, better than someone who has not been through it.

They know the pain, the challenges, and the fears, the journey. Of course, not everyone’s experience will be the same, but the reference can be useful. I remember when my mummy was diagnosed with cancer, we asked many people who had cancer before which helped us understand some things about the condition. 

In today’s first reading, we hear about Jesus, our High Priest, who sympathizes with our weaknesses and knows what we go through in life, because He has gone through it all.

Throughout His life on earth, Jesus’ ministry was marked by compassion and mercy. At the very beginning of His mission, He proclaimed: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord."

His very mission is mercy.

But Jesus doesn’t just sympathize; He reaches out to help. He walked the path and showed the way, and He sent the Holy Spirit to strengthen and guide us along.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus said: "Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners."

He came specifically for us, sinners.

So, let us always turn to our merciful High Priest, who understands our struggles and walks with us in our journey of faith. When we have Jesus, we never walk alone.

Amen.

 


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