JANUARY 07, 2022, FRIDAY
FRIDAY AFTER EPIPHANY (White)
Optional Memorial of Saint Raymond of Peñafort, priest (White)
CYCLE C- YEAR II
Lectionary: 216
Reading I
1 Jn 5:5-13
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.
Responsorial Psalm
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.
Alleluia
See Mt 4:23
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the Kingdom
and cured every disease among the people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Lk 5:12-16
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.
GOSPEL REFLECTION:
A young man called Francis met a leper on the road as he journeyed towards Assisi. The story goes that though the leper caused him no small disgust and horror, he got off his horse and prepared to kiss him. But when the leper put out his hand as though to receive something, he received money along with a kiss. May I reach out with compassionate care, with love, with a touch, to those who have been rejected and mistreated.
An energy-point for Jesus was his prayer, and we find that at key times of his life, he prayed: before calling the twelve, at the time of temptation and the struggle at his Passion and death; and very often as part of his life he went to quiet places to pray. His ministry needed the support and life-giving energy of his relationship with his Father. With us our life of love needs the energy of prayer. Prayer enhances family life, friendship and work or ministry for others. When we bring the love and commitments of our lives to prayer, something happens to being us deeper into the source of our convictions and commitments to God and others.
PRAYER:
Lord, you did things your own way. You were concerned with more than bodily healing. You were bothered most by the helplessness and humiliation of those rejected by society. You did not give them a hand-out but much more: a new relationship with their God, which helped them live with new dignity.
No comments:
Post a Comment