St. Junipero Serra, priest 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Genesis 22:1b-19*

 Some time later God tested Abra­ham and said to him,

“Abra­ham!” And he answered, “Here I am.”  Then God 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 I shall point out to you.”

Abraham rose early next morning and saddled his donkey and took with him two of his young men and his son Isaac. (…..)

 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance,   and he said to the young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there to worship and then we will come back to you.”

Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. He carried in his hand the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke to Abraham, his father, “Father!”  And Abraham replied, “Yes, my son?” Isaac said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for the sacrifice?” Abraham replied, “God himself will provide the lamb for the sacrifice.”

They went on, the two of them to­gether,   until they came to the place to which God had directed them. When Abraham had built the altar and set the wood on it, he bound his son Isaac and laid him on the wood placed on the altar.   He then stretched out his hand to seize the knife and slay his son.  But the Angel of Yahweh called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abra­ham!”

 And he said, “Here I am.”   “Do not lay your hand on the boy; do not harm him, for now I know that you fear God, and you have not held back from me your only son.” (…….)

 

Ps 115:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9

I will walk in the presence of the Lord, in the land of the living.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊      

Matthew 9:1-8

 Jesus got back into the boat, crossed the lake again, and came to his hometown.  Here they brought a paralyzed man to him, lying on a bed. Jesus saw their faith and said to the paralytic, “Courage, my son! Your sins are forgiven.”

Then some teachers of the Law said to themselves, “This man insults God.”   Jesus was aware of what they were thinking, and said, “Why have you such evil thoughts?   Which is easier to say: ‘Your sins are forgiven’ or ‘Stand up and walk’?  You must know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” He then 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 giving such power to human beings.

 

Gospel Reflection：

Sometimes, it is our friends who bear us in their prayers that make a difference in our lives. Their intercession pleases God and help is immediately dispatched from heaven. But there are some who also try to block the graces of God into our lives. They are not happy with the good things that happen to us.

Take for example the teachers of the law. The healing of the paralytic do not impress them. Rather, they are angry at the formula used by the Lord. They think it is blasphemous. They fail to see the wonder unfolding in their eyes because of their narrow, legalistic mind set.

And so Jesus sowed them that He can do and effect healing whatever formula He uses. He obliged them by saying the standard formula used and still the healing takes effect. This in turn earned the admiration of the people. The question from that incident is, “Who is He who can work such great miracles in our midst?”