The healing of the paralytic in Capernaum reveals the connections between faith, forgiveness and healing. May our faith grow each day as we draw closer to the Lord and one another.
Mass Readings – Friday of the 1st Week of the Year (St. Anthony, Abbot)
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Study: Is there anything keeping you from God or another person right now? What steps do you need to take to make it right?
Pray: Call upon the Lord for the strength to repent and seek forgiveness. Remember – the harder it is the more powerful the healing!
Serve: Is there some way you can be an agent of forgiveness? How can you bring people closer to God and one another?
Mass Readings – 2nd Sunday of Advent
John the Baptist comes on the scene blazing like a torch as he exhorts the people to repent of their sins. He minces no words with the Pharisees and Sadduccees; rather, he makes it clear that the path to God leads through the good fruit of our actions.
John is blunt and direct. There is no spin in his message, no soft touch. He comes to us as a verbal bulldozer, seeking to carve out a direct route that leads to the Lord. I can only imagine what it was like to be in his presence, eager to hear his words yet feeling the sting of his speech. After all, repentance is a great thing to talk about…but often painful to put into practice.
And yet nothing brings about healing faster than forgiveness. When relationships are wounded and we find ourselves in a broken and fragile place, repentance clears the ground and allows us to rebuild our lives in an honest and direct fashion.
Repentance has some key components:
As we prepare in this Advent season for the birth of the Messiah, we have the opportunity to examine our hearts and consider what is not worthy of the Lord. Using a good examination of conscience or just the common sense in our souls we have the chance today to repent of our sins, seek forgiveness from God and one another, and live each day in the light and power of Christ.
John tells us that while he baptizes for repentance, the Lord will baptize us in Spirit and fire – allowing us to draw into the very heart of God’s love. Only through repentance will we be able to encounter the burning intensity of divine charity; for when we stand before the Lord whatever is not fitting will burn away. May we cast out whatever is not worthy, and prepare to welcome His holy fire with open hearts.
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Note: This post was first published on November 28, 2016.
The interaction between Jesus and the woman in the Gospel of Luke reveals the healing power of God’s love when we receive the Lord’s forgiveness for our sins.
Mass Readings – Thursday of the 24th Week of the Year
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Study: Recall a time when you experienced a moment of profound forgiveness. How did it change you?
Pray: Are you holding on to anger and resentment? Pray for God’s mercy to soften your heart.
Serve: Is there someone you know in need of mercy? Is there some way you can help others, especially when they are caught up in shame, embarrassment, or the awkwardness of their weaknesses and sins?
Mass Readings – 24th Sunday of the Year
We hear in the Gospel of Luke the familiar parable of the The Prodigal Son. It’s worth a moment to touch on a few key points from this passage:
What a powerful parable! In our daily lives the need for forgiveness is so compelling that it is vital to dwell on the divine mercy of God and recall our need to return to the Lord in our moments of weakness and sin.
Like both brothers in the parable, we all sin and fall short of God’s grace; yet like the brothers, we also have a Father who loves and welcomes us whenever we seek to turn back. Both brothers could speak to their Father – in either humility or anger – and the Father responds to both with tenderness.
Today I would like to suggest two key points for our reflection in the light of this passage:
God longs to welcome us back, and when we can humbly embrace our mistakes and sins we discover a grace beyond anything imaginable. May we have the courage to examine our hearts and return to the Lord – the source of all mercy.
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Note: This post was first published on September 5, 2016.
If you find these posts helpful for your spiritual life:
Jesus Christ knows our hearts – the good, the bad and the ugly – and he offers mercy through his sacrifice on the Cross that we might have life. Take his hand!
Mass Readings – Saturday of the 22nd Week of the Year
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Calling, Yongsung Kim, Oil on Canvas.
Jesus offers three key insights that profoundly impact our spiritual lives in practical ways. The hard part? Putting them into practice every day.
Mass Readings – Wed. of the 19th Week of the Year (St. Maximillian Kolbe)
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The story of Joseph in the Book of Genesis recounts the power of reconciliation within a family. Joseph chooses the higher path and overcomes hatred and discord as he returns compassion toward his brothers. His example inspires us to examine our own families and actively seek opportunities to foster peace.
Mass Readings – Thursday of the 14th Week of the Year (St. Benedict)
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Catholic Inspiration Archives
