January 7
Friday after Epiphany
Give a Mass Offering
Mass Intentions
7:45 AM - Monthly Mass League & Patricia Tobin / Rita C.
Prayer for Spiritual Communion
My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there, and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
Readings
First Reading
1 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 who testifies, and the Spirit is truth. So there are three who 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.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20
R. (12a) Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
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.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
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!
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
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.
R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
Gospel Acclamation
See Matthew 4:23
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the Kingdom
and cured every disease among the people.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
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.
“Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.”
Reflection
We have trouble recognizing how hard it was for Jesus to do everything he did to save us from our sins. St. John the Evangelist tells it like it is when he says that Jesus came through water and blood in order to overcome the forces of darkness and doubt that have enslaved humanity and the sinful nature that keeps us separate from God. St. John tells us that the testimony of God is greater than human testimony. We have some clear choices in terms of what we believe. Do we believe what some people say that God is not who he says he is, or do we believe in Jesus, who came through great suffering for no other reason than to give us eternal life?
Jesus gives us more evidence for believing in him when in Luke’s gospel he cures not just one leper, but “great crowds.” It is an interesting thing that there are people who continue to discount everything that Jesus did and said when he was in the world. The very reason for his doing and saying these things is for us to believe in him and in doing so, to attain eternal life. But sadly, there are people who choose to ignore the historical evidence of Jesus’ life and works and cling to their doubt.
We recognize that faith is a gift, but if people never open their hearts to the possibility of Jesus’ presence in our world, they will never be able to receive this wonderful gift. As we look back over the past few weeks, where Christmas and the holidays were experiences celebrated by the whole world, we need to recognize that Jesus is present in the midst of it all. Let us work hard to cement the faith that brings us eternal life in our hearts and minds.
Jesus is Lord!
Deacon Dare
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