1st Week of the Advent - Monday
5th December 2022 (Monday) Readings and Reflection
Dear Brothers and Sisters, we are on the Monday of 1st Week of the Advent. Today's gospel reflection is on the theme Come to the Lord!
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For more certainty the Readings are posted from the Latest Catholic Lectionary{alertInfo}
Reading of the Day
First Reading: Isaiah 35:1-10
1. The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; 2. it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God. 3. Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. 4. Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.” 5. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 6. then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; 7. the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes. 8. And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.a 9. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. 10. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
Psalm 85:9ab and 10, 11-12, 13-14 (R. see Isaiah 35:4f)
Response: Our God will come and save us!
I will hear what the Lord God speaks;
he speaks of peace for his people and his faithful.
His salvation is near for those who fear him,
and his glory will dwell in our land. Response
Merciful love and faithfulness have met;
justice and peace have kissed.
Faithfulness shall spring from the earth,
and justice look down from heaven. Response
Also the Lord will bestow his bounty,
and our earth shall yield its increase.
Justice will march before him,
and guide his steps on the way. Response
Gospel :Luke 5:17-26
17. On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal. 18. And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, 19. but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. 20. And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” 21. And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” 22. When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? 23. Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 24. But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” 25. And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. 26. And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”
Daily Gospel Reflection
The Reflection by Fr. Thumma Mariadas Reddy MSFS{alertWarning}
Main Theme: Come to the Lord!
Indicative: The coming of the Lord is transformative. It heals and renews everything. He will bring forth an abundance of joy and new vigour{alertSuccess}
1. As we move toward the holy Christmas, these days of Advent instil into us immense hope and comfort. Especially the first reading from Isaiah is full of promises for a glorious future with the advent of Messiah. We need not fear or feel weak because our Saviour comes to save and recompense us.
2. We shall see the glory and power of our God. These glory and power are not self-confined or self-seeking. They transform what is lowly and glorify what is miserable. They ignite new hope and joy in everything. The eyes of the blind, the ears of the deaf shall be opened. The lame shall leap like a deer and the mute sing for joy.
3. It is not merely physical healing. It is an integrated wholeness. The way of life shall change. It will be the “Way of holiness”, where people live clean, do not go astray, and are ransomed and redeemed. Further, it is not only limited to humans. It transforms the whole creation. For streams shall flow in the desert, wilderness, and barren ground, turning them into springs and pools.
4. Therefore, a healing and transforming touch leading to wholeness and holiness shall be the abiding sign and effect of the Messiah. Jesus embodies this. He infuses comfort and new hope into the dispirited hearts. He heals many sick. But his healing is not just physical. It is holistic. It transforms the whole person and life.
5. It restores the lost dignity and adds new joy. Sorrow and sighing flee away in his presence. This is concretely illustrated in the healing story of a paralysed man. He heals him with powered words, “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home”. But he does not stop there. He pronounces, “Man, your sins are forgiven you”.
6. This sounds blasphemous to the Pharisees and scribes. But Jesus wants to make clear to them two things: that he has the power to forgive sin; and that real healing is the release from sin. In fact, sin is the greatest sickness. It is from sin we must rise and walk in the way of the Lord.
Imperative: Let the comforting words of Isaiah vibrate in our hearts: Be strong and fear not. Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. For your God is coming{alertSuccess}
Video Reflection
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