DAILY GOSPEL Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. John 6:68 Friday, 09 January 2015 Friday after Epiphany Saint(s) of the day : Sts. Julian and Basilissa, Martyrs († c. 313) See commentary below or click here Saint Anthony of Padua : Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, I do will it. Be made clean First Letter of John 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 that testifies, and the Spirit is truth. So there are three that 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. Psalms 147:12-13.14-15.19-20. 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. 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! 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. Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 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. Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB Commentary of the day : Saint Anthony of Padua (c.1195-1231), Franciscan, Doctor of the Church Sermons for Sundays and Feasts of the Saints Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, I do will it. Be made clean Oh! How I marvel at that hand! That “hand of my Beloved, of gold adorned with chrysolites” (Wsd 5,14). That hand whose touch loosened the tongue of the dumb man, raised the daughter of Jairus (Mk 7,33; 5,41) and cleansed lepers. That hand of which the prophet Isaiah said: “My hand made all these things!” (Is 66,2). To stretch out ones hand is to present a gift. O Lord, stretch out your hand – that hand which the executioner stretched out on the cross. Touch the leprous man and grant him your favor. Everything your hand touches will be cleansed and healed. “He touched Malchus ear” Saint Luke says, “and healed him” (22,51). He stretched out his hand to grant the gift of healing to the leper. He said: “I do will it. Be made clean” and the leprosy left him immediately. “Whatever he wills, he does” (Ps 115[113B),3). In him nothing divides the will from the deed. Now, God works this kind of instantaneous healing daily in the sinners soul through the ministry of the priest. Priests have a threefold office: to extend the hand, that is to say to pray for the sinner and have mercy on him; to touch him, comfort him, assure him of forgiveness; to will this forgiveness and grant it by absolution. This was the threefold pastoral ministry the Lord entrusted to Peter when he said to him three times: “Feed my lambs” (Jn 21,15f.).
Posted on: Fri, 09 Jan 2015 03:02:00 +0000
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