The Daily Mass Readings July 4, 2013 Thursday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time 1st Reading GN 22:1B-19 God put Abraham to the test. He called to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. Then God said: “Take your son Isaac, your only one, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. There you shall offer him up as a burnt offering on a height that I will point out to you.” Early the next morning Abraham saddled his donkey, took with him his son Isaac, and two of his servants as well, and with the wood that he had cut for the burnt offering, set out for the place of which God had told him. On the third day Abraham got sight of the place from afar. Then he said to his servants: “Both of you stay here with the donkey, while the boy and I go on over yonder. We will worship and then come back to you.” Thereupon Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac’s shoulders, while he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two walked on together, Isaac spoke to his father Abraham: “Father!” he said. “Yes, son,” he replied. Isaac continued, “Here are the fire and the wood, but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?” “Son,” Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the sheep for the burnt offering.” Then the two continued going forward. When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. Next he tied up his son Isaac, and put him on top of the wood on the altar. Then he reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the LORD’s messenger called to him from heaven, “Abraham, Abraham!” “Here I am,” he answered. “Do not lay your hand on the boy,” said the messenger. “Do not do the least thing to him. I know now how devoted you are to God, since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son.” As Abraham looked about, he spied a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. So he went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering in place of his son. Abraham named the site Yahweh-yireh; hence people now say, “On the mountain the LORD will see.” Again the LORD’s messenger called to Abraham from heaven and said: “I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you acted as you did in not withholding from me your beloved son, I will bless you abundantly and make your descendants as countless as the stars of the sky and the sands of the seashore; your descendants shall take possession of the gates of their enemies, and in your descendants all the nations of the earth shall find blessing—all this because you obeyed my command.” Abraham then returned to his servants, and they set out together for Beer-sheba, where Abraham made his home. Responsorial Psalm PS 115:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9 R. (9) I will walk in the presence of the Lord, in the land of the living. or: R. Alleluia. Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name give glory because of your kindness, because of your truth. Why should the pagans say, “Where is their God?” R. I will walk in the presence of the Lord, in the land of the living. or: R. Alleluia. Our God is in heaven; whatever he wills, he does. Their idols are silver and gold, the handiwork of men. R. I will walk in the presence of the Lord, in the land of the living. or: R. Alleluia. They have mouths but speak not; they have eyes but see not; They have ears but hear not; they have noses but smell not. R. I will walk in the presence of the Lord, in the land of the living. or: R. Alleluia. Their makers shall be like them, everyone who trusts in them. The house of Israel trusts in the LORD; he is their help and their shield. R. I will walk in the presence of the Lord, in the land of the living. or: R. Alleluia. Gospel MT 9:1-8 After entering a boat, Jesus made the crossing, and came into his own town. And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.” At that, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, “Why do you harbor evil thoughts? 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 then said to the paralytic, “Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.” He rose and went home. When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe and glorified God who had given such authority to men. Reflection: Authority to forgive: In Jewish understanding physical illness was a manifestation of sin. Someone, the person himself or his parents had sinned, and the paralysis was God’s way of punishing that sin. Illness and sin are both dealt with in the narrative. Matthew’s thrust, however, is directed toward the community’s role in the forgiveness of sins. In his unique declaration to Peter, Jesus states, “Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (16:19). This same sentence is repeated in the story of a brother who sins (18:18). Matthew’s community is claiming authority to forgive sin. This is indicated at the end of the healing. The crowds “were struck with awe and glorified God who had given such authority to human beings” (v . In Matthew’s church the forgiveness of sins has been entrusted to the community, human beings. When it acts, God acts. God mediates forgiveness through people. In the account of the healing of the paralytic, Matthew is telling the reader that not only God has the power to forgive sins, but people have the ability to forgive sins. God acts through people to bring his healing and forgiveness to the world. For one person to refuse to forgive another is to refuse to permit God to continue the forgiveness which he brought about through Jesus. Be blessed and have a good day.
Posted on: Thu, 04 Jul 2013 03:41:30 +0000
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