Daily Reading for Thursday, January 23rd, 2025

Reading 1, Hebrews 7:25-8:6

²⁵ It follows, then, that his power to save those who come to God through him is absolute, since he lives for ever to intercede for them.

²⁶ Such is the high priest that met our need, holy, innocent and uncontaminated, set apart from sinners, and raised up above the heavens;

²⁷ he has no need to offer sacrifices every day, as the high priests do, first for their own sins and only then for those of the people; this he did once and for all by offering himself.

²⁸ The Law appoints high priests who are men subject to weakness; but the promise on oath, which came after the Law, appointed the Son who is made perfect for ever.

¹ The principal point of all that we have said is that we have a high priest of exactly this kind. He has taken his seat at the right of the throne of divine Majesty in the heavens,

² and he is the minister of the sanctuary and of the true Tent which the Lord, and not any man, set up.

³ Every high priest is constituted to offer gifts and sacrifices, and so this one too must have something to offer.

⁴ In fact, if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are others who make the offerings laid down by the Law,

⁵ though these maintain the service only of a model or a reflection of the heavenly realities; just as Moses, when he had the Tent to build, was warned by God who said: See that you work to the design that was shown you on the mountain.

⁶ As it is, he has been given a ministry as far superior as is the covenant of which he is the mediator, which is founded on better promises.

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 40:7-8, 8-9, 10, 17

⁷ then I said, 'Here I am, I am coming.' In the scroll of the book it is written of me,

⁸ my delight is to do your will; your law, my God, is deep in my heart.

⁹ I proclaimed the saving justice of Yahweh in the great assembly. See, I will not hold my tongue, as you well know.

¹⁰ I have not kept your saving justice locked in the depths of my heart, but have spoken of your constancy and saving help. I have made no secret of your faithful and steadfast love, in the great assembly.

¹⁷ Poor and needy as I am, the Lord has me in mind. You, my helper, my Saviour, my God, do not delay.