Monday of the Second Week of Advent
Lectionary: 181
Lectionary: 181
The desert and the parched land will exult;
the steppe will rejoice and bloom.
They will bloom with abundant flowers,
and rejoice with joyful song.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to them,
the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;
They will see the glory of the LORD,
the splendor of our God.
Strengthen the hands that are feeble,
make firm the knees that are weak,
Say to those whose hearts are frightened:
Be strong, fear not!
Here is your God,
he comes with vindication;
With divine recompense
he comes to save you.
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened,
the ears of the deaf be cleared;
Then will the lame leap like a stag,
then the tongue of the mute will sing.
Streams will burst forth in the desert,
and rivers in the steppe.
The burning sands will become pools,
and the thirsty ground, springs of water;
The abode where jackals lurk
will be a marsh for the reed and papyrus.
A highway will be there,
called the holy way;
No one unclean may pass over it,
nor fools go astray on it.
No lion will be there,
nor beast of prey go up to be met upon it.
It is for those with a journey to make,
and on it the redeemed will walk.
Those whom the LORD has ransomed will return
and enter Zion singing,
crowned with everlasting joy;
They will meet with joy and gladness,
sorrow and mourning will flee.
the steppe will rejoice and bloom.
They will bloom with abundant flowers,
and rejoice with joyful song.
The glory of Lebanon will be given to them,
the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;
They will see the glory of the LORD,
the splendor of our God.
Strengthen the hands that are feeble,
make firm the knees that are weak,
Say to those whose hearts are frightened:
Be strong, fear not!
Here is your God,
he comes with vindication;
With divine recompense
he comes to save you.
Then will the eyes of the blind be opened,
the ears of the deaf be cleared;
Then will the lame leap like a stag,
then the tongue of the mute will sing.
Streams will burst forth in the desert,
and rivers in the steppe.
The burning sands will become pools,
and the thirsty ground, springs of water;
The abode where jackals lurk
will be a marsh for the reed and papyrus.
A highway will be there,
called the holy way;
No one unclean may pass over it,
nor fools go astray on it.
No lion will be there,
nor beast of prey go up to be met upon it.
It is for those with a journey to make,
and on it the redeemed will walk.
Those whom the LORD has ransomed will return
and enter Zion singing,
crowned with everlasting joy;
They will meet with joy and gladness,
sorrow and mourning will flee.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 85:9AB AND 10, 11-12,
13-14
R. (Isaiah 35:4f) Our God will come to save us!
I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD –for he proclaims peace to his people.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
R. Our God will come to save us!
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
R. Our God will come to save us!
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and salvation, along the way of his steps.
R. Our God will come to save us!
I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD –for he proclaims peace to his people.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
R. Our God will come to save us!
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
R. Our God will come to save us!
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and salvation, along the way of his steps.
R. Our God will come to save us!
Alleluia
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
Behold the king will come, the Lord of the earth,
and he himself will lift the yoke of our capacity.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Behold the king will come, the Lord of the earth,
and he himself will lift the yoke of our capacity.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelLK 5:17-26
One day as Jesus was teaching,
Pharisees and teachers of the law,
who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem,
were sitting there,
and the power of the Lord was with him for healing.
And some men brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed;
they were trying to bring him in and set him in his presence.
But not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd,
they went up on the roof
and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles
into the middle in front of Jesus.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said,
"As for you, your sins are forgiven."
Then the scribes and Pharisees began to ask themselves,
"Who is this who speaks blasphemies?
Who but God alone can forgive sins?"
Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in reply,
"What are you thinking in your hearts?
Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,'
or to say, 'Rise and walk'?
But that you may know
that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"–
he said to the one who was paralyzed,
"I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home."
He stood up immediately before them,
picked up what he had been lying on,
and went home, glorifying God.
Then astonishment seized them all and they glorified God,
and, struck with awe, they said,
"We have seen incredible things today."
Pharisees and teachers of the law,
who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem,
were sitting there,
and the power of the Lord was with him for healing.
And some men brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed;
they were trying to bring him in and set him in his presence.
But not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd,
they went up on the roof
and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles
into the middle in front of Jesus.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said,
"As for you, your sins are forgiven."
Then the scribes and Pharisees began to ask themselves,
"Who is this who speaks blasphemies?
Who but God alone can forgive sins?"
Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in reply,
"What are you thinking in your hearts?
Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,'
or to say, 'Rise and walk'?
But that you may know
that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"–
he said to the one who was paralyzed,
"I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home."
He stood up immediately before them,
picked up what he had been lying on,
and went home, glorifying God.
Then astonishment seized them all and they glorified God,
and, struck with awe, they said,
"We have seen incredible things today."
Meditation: "Your God will come and save
you"
Is there anything in your life that keeps you from
receiving the blessings of God's kingdom? The prophets foretold that when the
Messiah came to usher in God's kingdom the blind would see, the deaf hear, and
the lame walk (Isaiah 35:5-6). Jesus not only brought physical healing, but
healing of mind, heart, and soul as well. Jesus came to bring us the abundant
life of God's kingdom (John 10:10). But that new life and transformation can be
stifled by unbelief, indifference, and sinful pride. Sin cripples us far more
than any physical ailment can. Sin is the work of the kingdom of darkness and
it holds us in eternal bondage. There is only one solution and that is the
healing, cleansing power of Jesus' forgiveness.
The coming of God's kingdom restores, heals, and
brings pardon and new life
Jesus' treatment of sinners upset the religious teachers of the day. When a cripple was brought to Jesus because of the faith of his friends, Jesus did the unthinkable. He first forgave the man his sins. The scribes regarded this as blasphemy because they understood that only God had authority to forgive sins and to unbind a man or woman from their burden of guilt. Jesus claimed an authority which only God could rightfully give. Jesus not only proved that his authority came from God, he showed the great power of God's redeeming love and mercy by healing the cripple of his physical ailment. This man had been crippled not only physically, but spiritually as well. Jesus freed him from his burden of guilt and restored his body as well.
Jesus' treatment of sinners upset the religious teachers of the day. When a cripple was brought to Jesus because of the faith of his friends, Jesus did the unthinkable. He first forgave the man his sins. The scribes regarded this as blasphemy because they understood that only God had authority to forgive sins and to unbind a man or woman from their burden of guilt. Jesus claimed an authority which only God could rightfully give. Jesus not only proved that his authority came from God, he showed the great power of God's redeeming love and mercy by healing the cripple of his physical ailment. This man had been crippled not only physically, but spiritually as well. Jesus freed him from his burden of guilt and restored his body as well.
The Lord Jesus sets us free from slavery to sin and
makes us whole
The Lord Jesus is ever ready to bring us healing of body, mind, and soul. His grace brings us freedom from the power of sin and from bondage to harmful desires and addictions. Do you allow anything to keep you from Jesus' healing power?
The Lord Jesus is ever ready to bring us healing of body, mind, and soul. His grace brings us freedom from the power of sin and from bondage to harmful desires and addictions. Do you allow anything to keep you from Jesus' healing power?
"Lord Jesus, through your merciful love and
forgiveness you bring healing and restoration to body, soul, and mind. May your
healing power and love touch every area of my life - my innermost thoughts,
feelings, attitudes, and memories. Pardon my offenses and transform me in the
power of your Holy Spirit that I may walk confidently in your truth and
righteousness."
Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Jesus heals spiritually and physically,
by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD)
"When the Savior says to him, 'Man, your sins are
forgiven you,' he addresses this to humankind in general. For those who believe
in him, being healed of the diseases of the soul, will receive forgiveness of
the sins which they formerly committed. He may also mean this: 'I must heal
your soul before I heal your body. If this is not done, by obtaining strength
to walk, you will only sin more. Even though you have not asked for this, I as
God see the maladies of the soul which brought on you this
disease.'" (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE,
HOMILY 12)
MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, Luke 5:17-26
Advent Weekday
(Isaiah 35:1-10; Psalm 85)
Advent Weekday
(Isaiah 35:1-10; Psalm 85)
KEY VERSE: "I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home" (v. 24).
TO KNOW: Jesus was continually confronted by the religious leaders who claimed that he was not following their rigid interpretation of the law. Luke contrasted their suspicion with the faith of some men who came to Jesus out of concern for their paralyzed friend. When the men were unable to get through the crowd, they climbed the outside stairway of the house where Jesus was teaching, and removed some tiles from the roof. Then they lowered the invalid through the hole they had made down to the feet of Jesus. Jesus was concerned about the paralytic's physical well-being, but also for his spiritual health. When Jesus told the man that his sins were forgiven, the religious leaders were scandalized as only God could forgive sins. To prove his authority over both physical and spiritual affliction, Jesus healed the man. The people were astonished and gave praise to God, which is the true purpose of any miracle.
TO LOVE: To what lengths am I willing to go to bring a friend to Jesus?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, heal me from anything that impedes my Christian walk.
Monday 10
December 2018
Isaiah
35:1-10. Psalm 84(85):9-14. Luke 5:17-26.
Our God will come to save us! – Psalm 84(85):9-14.
Our God will come to save us! – Psalm 84(85):9-14.
‘They
glorified God and were filled with awe.’
The joy of
the paralysed man who was cured and the awe experienced by those who witnessed
it are echoes of the joy and wonder of God’s work described in Isaiah. With
Jesus’ touch, the paralysed man rejoices and blooms just as more than 12,000
wildflower species brighten the arid regions of Western Australia for six
months of the year. Isaiah promises that with the power of God the blind will
see, the deaf hear, and the lame jump like a deer. Likewise, the faith of the
disabled man and his friends, which represents the power of God acting within
them and recognised by Jesus, led to his cure.
Blessed Adolph Kolping
Saint of the Day for December 10
(December 8, 1813 – December 4, 1865)
 |
| Adolph Kolping | Den katolske kirke |
Blessed Adolph Kolping’s Story
The rise of the factory system in 19th-century Germany brought
many single men into cities where they faced new challenges to their faith.
Father Adolph Kolping began a ministry to them, hoping that they would not be
lost to the Catholic faith, as was happening to workers elsewhere in
industrialized Europe.
Born in the village of Kerpen, Adolph became a shoemaker at an
early age because of his family’s economic situation. Ordained in 1845, he
ministered to young workers in Cologne, establishing a choir, which by 1849 had
grown into the Young Workmen’s Society. A branch of this began in St. Louis,
Missouri, in 1856. Nine years later there were over 400 Gesellenvereine—workman’s
societies—around the world. Today this group has over 450,000 members in
54 countries across the globe.
More commonly called the Kolping Society, it emphasizes the
sanctification of family life and the dignity of labor. Father Kolping worked
to improve conditions for workers and greatly assisted those in need. He and
St. John Bosco in Turin had similar interests in working with young men in big
cities. He told his followers, “The needs of the times will teach you what to
do.” Father Kolping once said, “The first thing that a person finds in life and
the last to which he holds out his hand, and the most precious that he
possesses, even if he does not realize it, is family life.”
Blessed Adolph Kolping and Blessed John Duns Scotus are buried
in Cologne’s Minoritenkirche, originally served by the Conventual Franciscans.
The Kolping Society’s international headquarters are located across from this
church.
Kolping members journeyed to Rome from Europe, America, Africa,
Asia, and Oceania, for Father Kolping’s beatification in 1991, the 100th
anniversary of Pope Leo XIII’s revolutionary encyclical “Rerum Novarum”—“On
the Social Order.” Father Kolping’s personal witness and apostolate helped
prepare for that encyclical.
Reflection
Some people thought that Father Kolping was wasting his time and
talents on young working men in industrialized cities. In some countries, the
Catholic Church was seen by many workers as the ally of owners and the enemy of
workers. Men like Adolph Kolping showed that was not true.
LECTIO DIVINA: LUKE 5:17-26
Lectio Divina:
Monday, December 10, 2018
2nd Week of Advent
1) Opening prayer
Lord our God,
you come among Your people;
to those who are poor and paralyzed
You bring them Your forgiveness
and Your tender compassion
through Your Son Jesus Christ.
God, make us deeply believe
that You want to liberate us
from our discouragement and powerlessness.
Give us a sincere, trusting hope
in Your healing, compassionate love,
through Christ Jesus our Lord.
you come among Your people;
to those who are poor and paralyzed
You bring them Your forgiveness
and Your tender compassion
through Your Son Jesus Christ.
God, make us deeply believe
that You want to liberate us
from our discouragement and powerlessness.
Give us a sincere, trusting hope
in Your healing, compassionate love,
through Christ Jesus our Lord.
2) Gospel Reading - Luke 5:17-26
Now it happened that He was teaching one
day, and Pharisees and teachers of the Law, who had come from every village in
Galilee, from Judea and from Jerusalem, were sitting there. And the power of
the Lord was there so that He should heal.
And now some men appeared, bringing on a bed a paralyzed man whom they were trying to bring in and lay down in front of Him. But as they could find no way of getting the man through the crowd, they went up onto the top of the house and lowered him and his stretcher down through the tiles into the middle of the gathering, in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith He said, “My friend, your sins are forgiven you.”
The scribes and the Pharisees began to think this over. “Who is this man, talking blasphemy? Who but God alone can forgive sins?” But Jesus, aware of their thoughts, replied, “What are these thoughts you have in your hearts? Which of these is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But to prove to you that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins, He said to the paralyzed man ‘I order you: get up, and pick up your stretcher and go home.'” And immediately before their very eyes he got up, picked up what he had been lying on and went home praising God.
They were all astounded and praised God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”
And now some men appeared, bringing on a bed a paralyzed man whom they were trying to bring in and lay down in front of Him. But as they could find no way of getting the man through the crowd, they went up onto the top of the house and lowered him and his stretcher down through the tiles into the middle of the gathering, in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith He said, “My friend, your sins are forgiven you.”
The scribes and the Pharisees began to think this over. “Who is this man, talking blasphemy? Who but God alone can forgive sins?” But Jesus, aware of their thoughts, replied, “What are these thoughts you have in your hearts? Which of these is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But to prove to you that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins, He said to the paralyzed man ‘I order you: get up, and pick up your stretcher and go home.'” And immediately before their very eyes he got up, picked up what he had been lying on and went home praising God.
They were all astounded and praised God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”
3) Reflection
• Sitting down, Jesus taught. People
liked to listen to Him. What was the theme of Jesus’ teaching? He always spoke
about God, His Father, but He spoke in a new way which was attractive and
different from that of the Scribes and the Pharisees (Mk 1: 22.27). Jesus represented
God as the great Good News for human life; a God who loves and
accepts people, and a God who does not threaten and does not condemn.
• A paralyzed man is brought by four men. Jesus is for them their only hope. Seeing their faith, He tells the paralytic: Your sins are forgiven you! At that time, people believed that physical defects (paralysis, etc.) were a punishment from God because of some sin committed. For this reason, the paralytics and many other disabled persons felt that they were rejected and excluded by God! Jesus teaches the contrary. The great faith of the paralytic was a sign that those who helped him were accepted by God. This is why Jesus declares: Your sins are forgiven you! That is: “God does not reject you!”
• The affirmation of Jesus did not coincide with the idea which the Doctors had of God. For this reason, they react: He is talking blasphemy! According to their teaching, only God could forgive sins. And only the priest could declare that a person was forgiven and purified. How could Jesus, in their eyes, a simple lay man, ever declare that the paralytic was forgiven and purified from his sins? And then, if a simple lay person could forgive sins, the doctors and the priests would have lost their function! This is why they react and defend themselves.
• Jesus justifies his action: Which is easier to say: Your sins are forgiven or to say, Get up and walk?. Evidently, for a man it is easier to say: Your sins are forgiven”, because nobody can verify or prove this fact. But if one says: “Get up and walk”, in this case everybody can see if He has or not this power to cure. For this reason, to show that, in the name of God, He had the power to forgive sins, Jesus says to the paralytic: “Get up and walk!” He cures the man! He uses the context of their beliefs, that the physical defect was from sin, to prove He has the power to forgive sins! He also shows that the paralysis is not a punishment from God because of sin, and shows that the faith of the poor is proof that God accepts them in His love.
• A paralyzed man is brought by four men. Jesus is for them their only hope. Seeing their faith, He tells the paralytic: Your sins are forgiven you! At that time, people believed that physical defects (paralysis, etc.) were a punishment from God because of some sin committed. For this reason, the paralytics and many other disabled persons felt that they were rejected and excluded by God! Jesus teaches the contrary. The great faith of the paralytic was a sign that those who helped him were accepted by God. This is why Jesus declares: Your sins are forgiven you! That is: “God does not reject you!”
• The affirmation of Jesus did not coincide with the idea which the Doctors had of God. For this reason, they react: He is talking blasphemy! According to their teaching, only God could forgive sins. And only the priest could declare that a person was forgiven and purified. How could Jesus, in their eyes, a simple lay man, ever declare that the paralytic was forgiven and purified from his sins? And then, if a simple lay person could forgive sins, the doctors and the priests would have lost their function! This is why they react and defend themselves.
• Jesus justifies his action: Which is easier to say: Your sins are forgiven or to say, Get up and walk?. Evidently, for a man it is easier to say: Your sins are forgiven”, because nobody can verify or prove this fact. But if one says: “Get up and walk”, in this case everybody can see if He has or not this power to cure. For this reason, to show that, in the name of God, He had the power to forgive sins, Jesus says to the paralytic: “Get up and walk!” He cures the man! He uses the context of their beliefs, that the physical defect was from sin, to prove He has the power to forgive sins! He also shows that the paralysis is not a punishment from God because of sin, and shows that the faith of the poor is proof that God accepts them in His love.
4) Personal questions
• Placing myself in the position of
those who helped the paralytic: Would I be capable to help a sick person, take
him up to the top of the house and do what the four men did? Do I have such a
great faith?
• What is the image that I have of God in myself and which radiates to others, that of the doctors or that of Jesus? A God of compassion or of threat?
• What is the image that I have of God in myself and which radiates to others, that of the doctors or that of Jesus? A God of compassion or of threat?
5) Concluding Prayer
I will hear what God proclaims;
the Lord – for He proclaims peace to His people.
Near indeed is His salvation to those who fear Him,
glory dwelling in our land. (Ps 85)
the Lord – for He proclaims peace to His people.
Near indeed is His salvation to those who fear Him,
glory dwelling in our land. (Ps 85)
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