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reading of the letter to the Hebrews
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Brothers you have not yet resisted to
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the point of blood in your struggle
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against sin and you have already
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forgotten the words of encouragement
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that were addressed to you as to
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Children my son do not despise the
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Lord's education do not be discouraged
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when he rebukes you for the Lord
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corrects whom he loves and punishes whom
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he accepts as his son it is for your
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education that you suffer and it is as
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children that God treats you for what is
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the son whom his father does not correct
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at the moment no correction seems to
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bring joy but it causes pain afterwards
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however it produces a fruit of peace and
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justice for those who have been trained
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in it therefore strengthen your weary
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hands and your weak knees make the steps
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of your feet correct so that he who is
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lame may not go astray but rather be
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healed seek peace with all and sanctify
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ification without which no one will see
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the Lord take care that no one abandons
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the grace of God let no poisonous root
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grow among you disturbing and
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contaminating the community word of the
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God proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus
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Christ according to St Mark Glory To You
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Lord at that time time Jesus went to
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Nazareth his homeland and his disciples
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accompanied him when the Sabbath came he
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began teaching in the synagogue many who
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heard him were amazed and said where did
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he get all this from how did he get so
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much wisdom and these great Miracles
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that are performed by his hands isn't
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this man the carpenter son of Mary and
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brother of James of jit of Judas and
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Simon don't your sisters live here with
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us and they were scandalized because of
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him Jesus said to them a prophet alone
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is not esteemed in his country among his
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relatives and relatives and he could not
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perform any Miracles felt their lack of
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faith Jesus went around the surrounding
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Villages teaching word of Salvation
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dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ ye
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have not yet resisted unto blood
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fighting against sin with these
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impactful words from the letter to the
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Hebrews we are confronted today with a
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fundamental truth of our spiritual
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journey the path of faith is not a path
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of comfort but of growth through
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discipline and challenges think for a
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moment about a child learning to walk
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how many times does she fall before she
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can take her first firm steps every fall
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is a lesson every scratch is part of
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learning parents in their love do not
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stop the child from trying again as they
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know that these small adversities are
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essential for their development this is
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the image that the author of Hebrews
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presents to us when he speaks of the
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Lord's discipline the Lord corrects
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those he loves and punishes those he
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recognizes as his son these words may
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sound harsh to our modern ears but they
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contain a profound truth about God's
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love it is not a love that keeps us
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eternal in the spiritual cradle but a
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love that challenges us to grow to
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mature to become more like Christ and
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here today's Gospel offers us a vivid
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example of this challenge Jesus returns
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to Nazareth his hometown where he grew
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up working as a carpenter those who knew
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him as a child cannot see beyond his
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humble Origins is not this the carpenter
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the son of Mary familiarity bred
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disbelief and his own people became an
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obstacle to the manifestation of his
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power what a profound lesson we find
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here sometimes the greatest challenges
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to our faith come from the most familiar
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places from the people closest to us as
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Jesus experienced we may face
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misunderstanding skepticism or even
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rejection from our own family or
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Community when we seek to follow God's
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calling the text tells us that Jesus
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marveled at their lack of faith this
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unbelief limited his action to Nazareth
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where he could not perform per any
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Miracle there what an impressive Paradox
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the Son of God himself limited not by
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lack of power but by the unbelief of
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those who should know him better
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returning to the letter to the Hebrews
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we find guidance on how to respond to
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these challenges no correction causes
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pleasure at the moment but sadness
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afterwards however it produces a fruit
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of peace and righteousness for those who
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have been trained in it what a
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comforting promise the the challenges we
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face today whether they are rejection
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misunderstanding or trials are not the
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end of the story they are instruments in
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the hands of a loving father shaping us
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for a future Harvest of peace and
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Justice the author exhorts us seek peace
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with everyone and sanctification without
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which no one will see the Lord this is a
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call to active perseverance not passive
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resignation we are invited to seek peace
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even with those who reject us to cul at
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Holiness even when the path is difficult
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my dear brothers and sisters what
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challenges are you facing today what
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discipline seems too heavy what
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rejections have you experienced because
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of your faith remember just as Jesus
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continued his ministry despite rejection
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in Nazareth we are called to persevere
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in our journey of Faith the difficulties
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we Face are not punishment but
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opportunities for growth these are not
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signs of God's abandonment but evidence
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of his formative love may we then
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embrace the challenges of our spiritual
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journey with courage and hope may we see
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each trial as an opportunity for growth
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each rejection as an invitation to
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deepen our trust in God and may we never
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forget that even in the most difficult
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times we are in the hands of a loving
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father who is preparing us for a harvest
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of peace and Justice May the grace of
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our Lord Jesus Christ the love of God
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the father and the communion of the Holy
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Spirit be with you all
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amen St Michael the Archangel defend Us
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in battle be our protection against the
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wickedness and snares of the devil may
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God rebuke him we humbly pray and do
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thou o Prince of the Heavenly Host by
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the power of God cast into hell Satan
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and all the evil SP spirits who prow
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throughout the world seeking the ruin of
