Memorial of Saint Agatha, virgin and martyr

Today's Mass Readings

Today’s first reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Hebrews and the gospel passage from Mark serve as an intriguing pair. At first glance, the Hebrews reading is very otherworldly, focused on heaven, while the passage from Mark is very down-to-earth. In the gospel, we sense Jesus’ humanity, and the mission of those who followed him. This mission involved such commonplace things as walking, sandals, clothes, dust, and preaching. We can almost picture this man Jesus providing his disciples with simple instructions and sending them on their way. On the other hand, this passage from Mark contains some unusual information which shows that Jesus’ mission, given also to his disciples, is not merely one of the earth as we usually think about it. Jesus gives his followers authority over unclean spirits, and they proceed to drive out demons and cure the sick. They also take no food or money – absolutely no provisions. In this sense we see their absolute reliance on God to provide for them as they do his work under Jesus’ instruction. In other words, there is more going on here than simply a human mission. This is a divine mission, and, as such, it is one that concerns heaven as much as earth. The demands of discipleship call us to live on earth with our thoughts constantly on heaven. This is not meant to be a split of our attention, but rather a focusing. We are conscious of our actions on earth precisely because of that which awaits us in heaven.

The otherworldliness of our discipleship is reflected in the passage from Hebrews. The second half of the reading beautifully describes a heavenly liturgy, and all the people who are gathered to worship. The Hebrews reading provides a contrast between the people of Israel under Moses’ leadership and the people of God saved through Jesus’ sacrifice. We are able to participate in the heavenly worship described even while we are on earth. In fact, we are the best disciples when we are worshiping God at the Eucharist.

But we cannot – while we are on earth – be always at the Eucharist. Hence we are called to live out our life of discipleship beyond the walls of our churches that we attend each Sunday. This is true discipleship: the ability to let our heavenly worship transform our earthly lives, such that each day of our lives is a witness to the heaven that lies just beyond our earthly existence. The saint whose feast we celebrate today is an excellent model for us. Little is known about St. Agatha, but we know that she was unwilling to forfeit her Christian beliefs, even in the face of abuse, torture, and ultimately martyrdom. St. Agatha allowed the divine and heavenly to guide her decisions while on earth. While we are not subject to such dramatic circumstances, let us pray that today we might be conscious of this connection between heaven and earth and willing to witness to God’s love represented by this.

- Maria Morrow