Friday after Epiphany
Lectionary: 216
Lectionary: 216
Beloved:
Who indeed is the victor over the world
but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
This is the one who came through water and Blood, Jesus Christ,
not by water alone, but by water and Blood.
The Spirit is the one who testifies,
and the Spirit is truth.
So there are three who testify,
the Spirit, the water, and the Blood,
and the three are of one accord.
If we accept human testimony,
the testimony of God is surely greater.
Now the testimony of God is this,
that he has testified on behalf of his Son.
Whoever believes in the Son of God
has this testimony within himself.
Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar
by not believing the testimony God has given about his Son.
And this is the testimony:
God gave us eternal life,
and this life is in his Son.
Whoever possesses the Son has life;
whoever does not possess the Son of God does not have life.
I write these things to you so that you may know
that you have eternal life,
you who believe in the name of the Son of God.
Who indeed is the victor over the world
but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
This is the one who came through water and Blood, Jesus Christ,
not by water alone, but by water and Blood.
The Spirit is the one who testifies,
and the Spirit is truth.
So there are three who testify,
the Spirit, the water, and the Blood,
and the three are of one accord.
If we accept human testimony,
the testimony of God is surely greater.
Now the testimony of God is this,
that he has testified on behalf of his Son.
Whoever believes in the Son of God
has this testimony within himself.
Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar
by not believing the testimony God has given about his Son.
And this is the testimony:
God gave us eternal life,
and this life is in his Son.
Whoever possesses the Son has life;
whoever does not possess the Son of God does not have life.
I write these things to you so that you may know
that you have eternal life,
you who believe in the name of the Son of God.
Responsorial PsalmPS 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20
R. (12a) Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem;
praise your God, O Zion.
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates;
he has blessed your children within you.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He has granted peace in your borders;
with the best of wheat he fills you.
He sends forth his command to the earth;
swiftly runs his word!
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He has proclaimed his word to Jacob,
his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.
He has not done thus for any other nation;
his ordinances he has not made known to them. Alleluia.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem;
praise your God, O Zion.
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates;
he has blessed your children within you.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He has granted peace in your borders;
with the best of wheat he fills you.
He sends forth his command to the earth;
swiftly runs his word!
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He has proclaimed his word to Jacob,
his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.
He has not done thus for any other nation;
his ordinances he has not made known to them. Alleluia.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
or:
R. Alleluia.
AlleluiaSEE MT
4:23
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the Kingdom
and cured every disease among the people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the Kingdom
and cured every disease among the people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelLK 5:12-16
It happened that there was a man full of leprosy in one of the
towns where Jesus was;
and when he saw Jesus,
he fell prostrate, pleaded with him, and said,
“Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.”
Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said,
“I do will it. Be made clean.”
And the leprosy left him immediately.
Then he ordered him not to tell anyone, but
“Go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing
what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.”
The report about him spread all the more,
and great crowds assembled to listen to him
and to be cured of their ailments,
but he would withdraw to deserted places to pray.
and when he saw Jesus,
he fell prostrate, pleaded with him, and said,
“Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.”
Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said,
“I do will it. Be made clean.”
And the leprosy left him immediately.
Then he ordered him not to tell anyone, but
“Go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing
what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.”
The report about him spread all the more,
and great crowds assembled to listen to him
and to be cured of their ailments,
but he would withdraw to deserted places to pray.
Meditation: "Lord, you can make me clean"
Do you seek the Lord Jesus with expectant faith? No one who
sought Jesus out was refused his help. Even the untouchables and the outcasts
of Jewish society found help in him. Unlike the people of Jesus' time who fled
at the sight of a leper, Jesus touched the leper who approached him and he made
him whole and clean. Why was this so remarkable? Lepers were outcasts of
society. They were driven from their homes and communities and left to fend for
themselves. Their physical condition was terrible as they slowly lost the use
of their limbs and withered away. They were not only shunned but regarded as
"already dead" even by their relatives. The Jewish law forbade anyone
from touching or approaching a leper, lest ritual defilement occur.
This leper did something quite remarkable. He approached Jesus
confidently and humbly, expecting that Jesus could and would heal him. Normally
a leper would be stoned or at least warded off if he tried to come near a
rabbi. Jesus not only grants the man his request, but he demonstrates the
personal love, compassion, and tenderness of God in his physical touch. The
medical knowledge of his day would have regarded such contact as grave risk for
incurring infection. Jesus met the man's misery with compassion and tender
kindness. He communicated the love and mercy of God in a sign that spoke more
eloquently than words. He touched the man and made him clean – not only
physically but spiritually as well.
How do you approach those who seem difficult to love, or who are
shunned by others because they are deformed or have some physical or mental
weakness? Do you show them kindness and offer them mercy and help as Jesus did?
The Lord Jesus is always ready to show us his mercy and to free us from
whatever makes us unclean, unapproachable, or unloving.
Lord Jesus, inflame my heart with your love and make me clean
and whole in body, mind, and spirit. May I never doubt your love nor cease to
tell others of your mercy and compassion."
FRIDAY, JANUARY 9,
CHRISTMAS WEEKDAY, LUKE 5:12-16
(1 John 5:5-13; Psalm 147)
(1 John 5:5-13; Psalm 147)
KEY VERSE: "I do will it. Be made clean" (v 13).
READING: After Jesus announced his mission to the poor and suffering (Lk 4:18-19), he acted upon his words by healing a leper who begged to be made clean. Leprosy included a variety of skin diseases (and even household mold), but the disfiguring leprosy (Hansen's disease) was thought to be incurable. This leprosy was regarded as a living death, a scourge sent from God as punishment for sin. The leper was regarded as an outcast, separated from the community and denied access to Temple worship. Although touching a leper made one "unclean," Jesus reached out to cure the man with his healing touch. Jesus then sent the man to the priest who alone could pronounce him healed and fit to return to society (Lv 14:2-3a). Jesus' fame spread throughout the region, and great crowds gathered to hear him preach and to be healed of their afflictions. After an exhausting day, Jesus found it necessary to renew himself, and he withdrew to a deserted place to pray.
REFLECTING: Who in my community needs my healing touch?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, cleanse me of my sins and restore me to the fullness of life.
Friday 9 January 2015
Day of penance.
1 John 5:5-13. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you—Ps 147:12-15, 19-20. Luke 5:12-16.
1 John 5:5-13. Lord, every nation on earth will adore you—Ps 147:12-15, 19-20. Luke 5:12-16.
Faith is a powerful thing.
The man with leprosy didn’t
hesitate in his belief that Jesus could cure him. Jesus also was unwavering and
immediately provided healing. His response to the man’s faith was automatic and
complete. For the man with leprosy the reward was healing.
The reading from 1 John
reminds us not only what we have faith in, but also what the rewards of that
faith are. For us, the reward is eternal life. No wonder today’s psalm is one
of praise to God.
There can be no other way
to respond to the gift of eternal life and the wonder that it holds, than
praise and thanksgiving. How do we show our gratefulness to God in the
everyday? This is the question we must answer to be truly living our faith.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
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Connect With Others
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Healthy relationships nourish us and teach us how to love. Whether
these relationships come through family, friends, or a faith-based group, if we
seek, we will find. God will always lead us to what we need. Our job is to be
open and willing to follow.
January
9
St. Adrian of Canterbury
(d. 710)
St. Adrian of Canterbury
(d. 710)
Though St. Adrian turned down a papal request to become Archbishop
of Canterbury, England, Pope St. Vitalian accepted the rejection on the
condition that Adrian serve as the Holy Father’s assistant and adviser. Adrian
accepted, but ended up spending most of his life and doing most of his work in
Canterbury.
Born in
Africa, Adrian was serving as an abbot in Italy when the new Archbishop of
Canterbury appointed him abbot of the monastery of Sts. Peter and Paul in
Canterbury. Thanks to his leadership skills, the facility became one of the
most important centers of learning. The school attracted many outstanding
scholars from far and wide and produced numerous future bishops and
archbishops. Students reportedly learned Greek and Latin and spoke Latin as
well as their own native languages.
Adrian
taught at the school for 40 years. He died there, probably in the year 710, and
was buried in the monastery. Several hundred years later, when reconstruction
was being done, Adrian’s body was discovered in an incorrupt state. As word
spread, people flocked to his tomb, which became famous for miracles. Rumor had
it that young schoolboys in trouble with their masters made regular visits
there.
LECTIO DIVINA:
LUKE 5,12-16
Lectio:
Friday, January 9, 2015
1) Opening prayer
All-powerful Father,
you have made known the birth of the Saviour
by the light of a star.
May he continue to guide us with the light,
for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
you have made known the birth of the Saviour
by the light of a star.
May he continue to guide us with the light,
for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel Reading - Luke 5,12-16
Now it happened that Jesus was in one of the towns when suddenly
a man appeared, covered with a skin-disease. Seeing Jesus he fell on his face
and implored him saying, 'Sir, if you are willing you can cleanse me.'
He stretched out his hand, and touched him saying, 'I am willing. Be cleansed.' At once the skin-disease left him. He ordered him to tell no one, 'But go and show yourself to the priest and make the offering for your cleansing just as Moses prescribed, as evidence to them.'
But the news of him kept spreading, and large crowds would gather to hear him and to have their illnesses cured, but he would go off to some deserted place and pray.
He stretched out his hand, and touched him saying, 'I am willing. Be cleansed.' At once the skin-disease left him. He ordered him to tell no one, 'But go and show yourself to the priest and make the offering for your cleansing just as Moses prescribed, as evidence to them.'
But the news of him kept spreading, and large crowds would gather to hear him and to have their illnesses cured, but he would go off to some deserted place and pray.
3) Reflection
• A leper came close to Jesus. He had to live far away from
others, because whoever touched him remained impure! But that leper had great
courage. He transgressed or broke the norms of religion so as to be able to get
close to Jesus. He said: Lord, if you want, you can heal me! That
is: “It is not necessary for you to touch me. It is sufficient for the Lord to
want it, and he cured him!” The sentence shows two evils: a) the evil of
leprosy which renders him impure; b) the evil of solitude to
which he was condemned by society and by religion. This also reveals the man’s
great faith in the power of Jesus. And Jesus profoundly moved, heals him from
both evils! In the first place, to cure the solitude, he touches the leper. It
is as if he would say: “For me you are not excluded. I accept you as a
brother!” And then he cures the leper saying: I want it, be cured!
• The leper, in order to be able to enter in contact with Jesus, had transgressed the norms of the law. Jesus also, in order to be able to help that excluded man and reveal to him a new face of God , transgresses the norms of his religion and touches the leper. At that time, whoever touched a leper became impure according to the religious authority and by the law of the time.
• Jesus, not only cures, but also wants the cured person to be able to live with others. He once again inserts the person in society so that he can live together with others. At that time for a leper to be accepted again in the community, he needed a certificate from a priest, that he had been cured. It is the same today. The sick person leaves the hospital having a document signed by the doctor of the section. Jesus obliges the person to go and look for the document, so that he can live normally with the others. He obliges the authority to recognize that this man has been cured.
• Jesus forbids the leper to speak about the healing. The Gospel of Mark informs us that this prohibition was not effective, did not serve. The leper, went away, but then started freely proclaiming and telling the story everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer go openly into any town, but stayed outside in deserted places (Mk 1, 45) Why? Because Jesus had touched a leper. For this reason, according to the opinion of the religion of the time, now he himself was impure and should be far away from everybody. He could no longer enter into the cities. And Mark says that the people did not care at all about these official norms, in fact, people came to him from all parts (Mk 1, 45). Total Subversion!
• The two-fold message which Luke and Mark give the community of their time and to all of us is the following: a) to announce the Good News means to give witness of the concrete experience that one has of Jesus. What does the leper announce? He tells the others the good that Jesus has done to him. That is all! All this! And this is the witness which impels the others to accept the Good News of God, those brought by Jesus. b) In order to take the Good News to people, it is not necessary to be afraid to transgress the religious norms which are contrary to God’s project and which render communication, dialogue and the lived experience of love, difficult. Even if this implies difficulty for the people, as it happened with Jesus.
• The leper, in order to be able to enter in contact with Jesus, had transgressed the norms of the law. Jesus also, in order to be able to help that excluded man and reveal to him a new face of God , transgresses the norms of his religion and touches the leper. At that time, whoever touched a leper became impure according to the religious authority and by the law of the time.
• Jesus, not only cures, but also wants the cured person to be able to live with others. He once again inserts the person in society so that he can live together with others. At that time for a leper to be accepted again in the community, he needed a certificate from a priest, that he had been cured. It is the same today. The sick person leaves the hospital having a document signed by the doctor of the section. Jesus obliges the person to go and look for the document, so that he can live normally with the others. He obliges the authority to recognize that this man has been cured.
• Jesus forbids the leper to speak about the healing. The Gospel of Mark informs us that this prohibition was not effective, did not serve. The leper, went away, but then started freely proclaiming and telling the story everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer go openly into any town, but stayed outside in deserted places (Mk 1, 45) Why? Because Jesus had touched a leper. For this reason, according to the opinion of the religion of the time, now he himself was impure and should be far away from everybody. He could no longer enter into the cities. And Mark says that the people did not care at all about these official norms, in fact, people came to him from all parts (Mk 1, 45). Total Subversion!
• The two-fold message which Luke and Mark give the community of their time and to all of us is the following: a) to announce the Good News means to give witness of the concrete experience that one has of Jesus. What does the leper announce? He tells the others the good that Jesus has done to him. That is all! All this! And this is the witness which impels the others to accept the Good News of God, those brought by Jesus. b) In order to take the Good News to people, it is not necessary to be afraid to transgress the religious norms which are contrary to God’s project and which render communication, dialogue and the lived experience of love, difficult. Even if this implies difficulty for the people, as it happened with Jesus.
4) Personal questions
• In order to help the neighbour, Jesus transgresses the law of
purity. In the Church today, are there any laws which render difficult or
prevent the practice of love toward neighbour?
• In order to be cured, the leper had the courage to challenge the public opinion of his time. And I?
• In order to be cured, the leper had the courage to challenge the public opinion of his time. And I?
5) Concluding prayer
Praise Yahweh, Jerusalem, Zion, praise your God.
For he gives strength to the bars of your gates,
he blesses your children within you. (Ps 147,12-13)
For he gives strength to the bars of your gates,
he blesses your children within you. (Ps 147,12-13)
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