Thursday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Faith On Trial
Liturgical Cycle: A | Lectionary Cycle: II
Introduction
Year II. The priest Amaziah, in the name of the lord king, judges as inopportune the word of God through the prophet Amos. It is not politically relevant.
Gospel. It was, humanly speaking, a meagre consolation for the cripple to hear that his sins were forgiven. But to the believer, sin is the root of human ills; when this root is taken away by forgiveness, the whole person is saved, also in one’s body. In the gospel, the scribes call Jesus a blasphemer. The official people of institutionalised religion challenge the true message of God, on account of the so-called true religion. Let us pray today that we may recognise the true Spirit of God when there is a message to tell us, even when it is unpleasant.
Opening Prayer
Lord our God,
Often, we do not understand
What you ask of us in life.
Give us a trusting faith, we pray you,
that we may keep believing in you
even when we don’t see where you lead us.
Give us the faith of Abraham,
who was willing to sacrifice his son;
Give us the faith of the lame man
who found fresh courage
when his sins were forgiven.
Tell us to stand up and walk
with the certainty that you love us
and want to bring us home to you,
Who is our God forever,
AMEN
First Reading
Amos and Amaziah
Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, then sent word to King Jeroboam of Israel:“Amos is conspiring against you in the very center of Israel; what he says goes too far.
These are his very words: Jeroboam shall die by the sword and Israel shall be exiled from its land.”
Amaziah then told Amos: “Off with you, seer, go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there by prophesying.
But never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is a king’s sanctuary and a national shrine.”
Amos replied to Amaziah: “I am not a prophet or one of the fellow-prophets. I am a sheep breeder and a caretaker of sycamore trees.
But the Lord took me from tending the flock and said to me: Go, prophesy to my people Israel.
Now listen to the word of the Lord:You who say: No more prophecy against Israel, no more insults against the family of Isaac!
This is what the Lord says: Your wife will be made a prostitute in the city, your sons and daughters will fall by the sword, your land will be divided and given to others, and you, yourself, will die in a foreign land, for Israel will be drivenfar from its land.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (10cd) The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
The law of the LORD is perfect,
refreshing the soul;
The decree of the LORD is trustworthy,
giving wisdom to the simple.
R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
The precepts of the LORD are right,
rejoicing the heart;
The command of the LORD is clear,
enlightening the eye.
R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
The fear of the LORD is pure,
enduring forever;
The ordinances of the LORD are true,
all of them just.
R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
They are more precious than gold,
than a heap of purest gold;
Sweeter also than syrup
or honey from the comb.
R. The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.
Alleluia Verse
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ
and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
He Heals a Paralytic
Jesus got back into the boat, crossed the lake again, and arrived in his hometown.
Here, they brought a paralyzed man lying on a bed to him. Jesus saw their faith and said to the paralytic:
“Courage, my son! Your sins are forgiven.”
Some teachers of the law thought to themselves:
“This man insults God.”
Jesus was aware of what they were thinking and said:
“Why do you have such evil thoughts?
Which is easier to say: ‘Your sins are forgiven’ or ‘Stand up and walk’?
But that you may know that the Son of Man has the power on earth to forgive sins,” he said to the paralyzed man:
“Stand up! Take your stretcher and go home!”
The man got up and went home.
When the crowds saw this, they were filled with awe and praised God for granting humans such power.
Prayers of the Faithful
– That the Church, aware of its shortcomings, may humbly offer compassion and forgiveness to all who err, and become in our world a sign and instrument of reconciliation, we pray:
– That we may show special love and care for the handicapped, for children who will never be able to play, for those who will never see God’s colorful world, for those who will never hear or sing songs of joy, we pray:
– That our homes may become places of mutual understanding and reconciliation; that the young may learn from their parents and each other to forget injuries and to accept one another in their diversity and individuality, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God,
through this bread and this wine
you unite us with your Son.
He remained faithful to you
when you demanded of him
an impossible sacrifice.
As we offer this sacrifice of your Son,
help us to learn from him
to say yes to any task or sacrifice
which you demand of us in life.
Give us this faith, this love and loyalty
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God,
you have strengthened us again
by the presence of Jesus, your Son.
Widen the horizons of our faith
and help us to accept, not only with our minds
but also with our hearts and our whole person,
that you see farther than we,
that your heart is greater than ours,
and that sacrifice may be the toll to pay
for freedom, joy and happiness.
Dispose us to accept this in trust and love
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Blessing
With the lame man when he was healed, we praise and thank God who says to us too when we have sinned: “stand up and walk.” May God keep you walking and may he bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
REFLECTIONS
Matthew 9:1-8
Forgiveness is for free!
Jesus is back in Capernaum and continuing his healing mission. In the previous episode, Matthew described how Jesus healed two Gentiles who were possessed by demons. Capernaum is where he heals a person with paralysis, both physically and spiritually.
According to Jewish tradition, physical illness was God's punishment for sins committed by them or their ancestors.
Even today, some people believe that the sins of the ancestors and forefathers, if not forgiven by God, could remain a curse of God on the generations to follow. At the time of Jesus, religious leaders who considered themselves righteous refused to accept those punished by God into their communities. Therefore, sinners and sick people were marginalised.
This is the scenario in which Jesus tells the paralysed man that his sins have been forgiven. It was important to inform those self-proclaimed righteous people that forgiveness and mercy were available to all. 'Have courage, my son, your sins are forgiven.' Jesus proclaims the coming of God's kingdom in one sentence.
The religious leaders were furious at Jesus for speaking blasphemous words - for announcing God's forgiveness! Their fury might have stemmed from the fact that God has forgiven the people whom they despised as sinful and punished by God. The Jews believed physical illness was a sign of God's curse for their sins. Therefore, Jesus first forgives his sins, saving him from physical illness. This concept of free forgiveness was unacceptable to the religious leaders, since forgiveness could be obtained only through sacrifice, and only priests could offer it.
The faith of those people who brought the paralysed man to Jesus is worth imitating. While they hoped for healing for their poor friend, they received more than expected. He received both forgiveness of his sins and physical healing. It was important for Matthew to report instances in which people prayed to Jesus for their friends rather than for themselves. Remember the centurion who pleaded before Jesus for his servant and professed his faith in Jesus? Jesus much appreciated intercessions for the well-being of others.
Coffee With God 6 July 2023 - Forgiveness is for free!