13th Week in Ordinary Time
06th July 2023 (Thursday) Readings and Reflection
Psalter: Week 1
Reading of the Day
First Reading: Genesis 22:1-19
In those days: God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place from afar. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. And he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide for himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven and said, “By myself I have sworn, declares the Lord, because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba. And Abraham lived at Beersheba.
Psalm 116:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9 (R. 9)
R/. I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.
Alleluia
V/. Alleluia R/. Alleluia
V/. In Christ, God was reconciling the world to himself, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
R/. Alleluia
Gospel : Matthew 9:1-8
At that time: Getting into a boat Jesus crossed over and came to his own city. And behold, some people brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For 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 bed and go home.” And he rose and went home. When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
Daily Gospel Reflection
The Reflection by Fr. Thumma Mariadas Reddy MSFS{alertWarning}
Highlight: Healing is integral!
Guidlines: Though it may look and sound naive and old-fashioned, it is true that sin is always destructive{alertSuccess}
1. Jesus heals a paralytic. But it looks strange that in his act of healing, he pronounces the words of forgiving. He says, "Your sins are forgiven". In that context, what was needed was physical healing. He could say, “Be healed!” or. “Rise, take up your bed and go home” which he says toward the end of the episode.
2. This forgiving of sins seems to be totally out of place. But, if we reflect a little deeper, it can have wider implications: every sin causes sickness and suffering though we do not say that every suffering is caused by sin only.
3. This clearly means that every sinful way will reap its unpleasant consequences. No evil will go unaccounted and unpaid for, in the sight of God. Every evil will bring upon us only disastrous results.
4. This should guard us against the spiritual paralysis that makes us numb and tepid toward God and good. We should become more vibrant and enthusiastic in our life of faith. We should get rid of that inner leprosy that infected the Pharisees and scribes.
5. Their inner vision of goodness, and their dynamism of optimism was paralysed by jealousy and obstinacy. Consequently, they lost the sensation of the touch of God's grace and power working in and through Jesus. They do not rejoice about the healing of a paralysed brother of them. They do not appreciate Jesus for the godly act of healing. Instead, they accuse Jesus of blasphemy.
6. Physical healing may be easier, quick relief and visibly profiting. But what is more important is the inner healing. This is difficult and we should work on it. Jesus does the physical healing which symbolises the inner healing. In forgiving the sins first and then in healing from paralysis, Jesus makes this abundantly clear.
7. Abraham in the first reading stands as a contrast to this inner paralysis of sin. He had the vibrancy of faith in which he was ready to offer his only son, the heir of the promise. At God’s command to offer his only son, Isaac, there was no hesitation or argument or pleading. So promptly and immediately, he acts.
Practice: We shall seek to be healed from the prevailing paralysis of jealousy and seeking human favour. Let us guard against distorting and rejecting the truth of God's will and power{alertSuccess}