Monday of the Second Week in 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 captivity.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Behold the king will come, the Lord of the earth,
and he himself will lift the yoke of our captivity.
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.
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 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 5, 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: The religious leaders confronted Jesus because they feared 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, 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 5 December 2016
Mon 5th.
Isaiah 35:1-10. Our God will come to save us!—Ps 84(85):9-14. Luke 5:17-26.
Beyond brokenness.
As a child, this was always one of my
favourite miracle stories. I was struck by the love that the man’s friends had
for him that they would go to such lengths as to make a hole in the roof and
lower him down. It seemed to me that he must be a pretty great person to
inspire such love, especially in a society that saw disability as punishment
for sins. They also had a belief that Jesus would see their friend as they saw
him and not as those others who judged him. They knew that Jesus would love him
and feel compassion for him. This is often our challenge; to see beyond the
brokenness of others and into their hearts.
BLESSED PHILLIP RINALDI
St. Phillip Rinaldi
was born on May 28, 1856 in Piedmont, Italy. He met Don Bosco when he was
just five years old, and intuitively recognized that he was a man with a great
mission.
At the age of 22, he entered the Salesian Order at the end of a tremendous vocational struggle, and even before making his vows he was made assistant novice master and was placed in charge of those with late vocations. He was ordained a priest in 1882.
He soon became the Salesian provincial superior in Spain, where he opened many new houses and then served as vicar-general of the Salesians before becoming the Rector Major in 1922, Don Bosco’s third successor.
His humble and quiet leadership of the order – he preferred to remain in the background of events, unnoticed in the crowd -- combined with his tremendous saintly virtue and apostolic zeal, and a healing miracle attributed to him at the end of the Second World War, prompted his cause for canonization.
At the age of 22, he entered the Salesian Order at the end of a tremendous vocational struggle, and even before making his vows he was made assistant novice master and was placed in charge of those with late vocations. He was ordained a priest in 1882.
He soon became the Salesian provincial superior in Spain, where he opened many new houses and then served as vicar-general of the Salesians before becoming the Rector Major in 1922, Don Bosco’s third successor.
His humble and quiet leadership of the order – he preferred to remain in the background of events, unnoticed in the crowd -- combined with his tremendous saintly virtue and apostolic zeal, and a healing miracle attributed to him at the end of the Second World War, prompted his cause for canonization.
He died on December 5,
1931 in Turin, and was beatified on April 29, 1990 by Pope John Paul II.
“What must you do to have life? Before all else, the first thing you have to do is pray for courage every day to carry the cross the Lord has assigned you. Then let each of you do your own work really well, the work proper to your state, as God wants it, and according to your condition.” - Blessed Philip Rinaldi
“What must you do to have life? Before all else, the first thing you have to do is pray for courage every day to carry the cross the Lord has assigned you. Then let each of you do your own work really well, the work proper to your state, as God wants it, and according to your condition.” - Blessed Philip Rinaldi
LECTIO DIVINA: LUKE 5,17-26
Lectio Divina:
Monday, December 5, 2016
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 Judaea 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 paralysed 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, made them this reply, '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 paralysed 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 strange things today.'
And now some men appeared, bringing on a bed a paralysed 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, made them this reply, '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 paralysed 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 strange things today.'
3) Reflection
• Sitting down, Jesus taught. People
liked to listen to him. Which was the theme of Jesus’ teaching? He always spoke
about God, of his Father, but he spoke in a new way, attractive, 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 Father/Mother who
loves and accepts persons, 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 the 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. Such a great faith of the paralytic was an evident sign of the fact that those who helped them 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 functions! 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 shows that the paralysis is not a punishment from God because of sin, and he shows that the faith of the poor is a proof of the fact 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 the 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. Such a great faith of the paralytic was an evident sign of the fact that those who helped them 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 functions! 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 shows that the paralysis is not a punishment from God because of sin, and he shows that the faith of the poor is a proof of the fact 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?
• Which is the image that I have of God in myself and which radiates on others? That of the doctors or that of Jesus? A God of compassion or of threat?
• Which is the image that I have of God in myself and which radiates on 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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