St. Nicholas, bishop 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Isaiah 35:1-10*

 Let the wilderness and the arid land rejoice,

The desert be glad and blossom.   Covered with flowers, it sings and shouts with joy, adorned with the splendor of Lebanon, the magnificence of Carmel and Sharon.(…….)

 Say to those who are afraid: “Have courage, do not fear. See, your God comes, demanding justice.

He is the God who rewards, the God who comes to save you.”   Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unsealed.  Then will the lame leap as a hart and the tongue of the dumb sing and shout.

For water will break out in the wilderness and streams gush forth from the desert.  The thirsty ground will become a pool, the arid land springs of water.(…….)  There will be a highway which will be called The Way of Holiness; no one unclean will pass over it nor any wicked fool stray there.(…….)

   For the ransomed of Yahweh will return: with everlasting joy upon their heads, they will come to Zion singing, gladness and joy marching with them, while sorrow and sighing flee away.

 

Ps 85:9ab & 10, 11-12, 13-14

Our God will come t osave us!

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊ 

Luke 5:17-26

 One day Jesus was teach­ing and many Pharisees and teachers of the Law had come from every part of Galilee and Judea and even from Jerusalem. They were sitting there while the power of the Lord was at work to heal the sick.  

 Then some men brought a paralyzed man who lay on his mat. They tried to enter the house to place him before Jesus,   but they couldn’t find a way through the crowd. So they went up on the roof and, removing the tiles, they lowered him on his mat into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus.

 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the man, “My friend, your sins are forgiven.”   At once the teachers of the Law and the Pharisees began to wonder, “This man insults God! Who can forgive sins but only God?”

 But Jesus knew their thoughts and asked them, “Why are you reacting like this?   Which is easier to say: ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or: ‘Get up and walk’?   Now you shall know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.”

And Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.”  At once the man stood before them. He took up the mat he had been lying on and went home praising God.

Amazement seized the peo­ple and they praised God. They were filled with a holy fear and said, “What wonderful things we have seen today!”

 

 Gospel Reflection：

Being paralyzed could be a depressing thing. You cannot move without the assistance of others. You are sometimes reduced to helplessness. At the same time, it could be a time of grace.

Although it may seem as a punishment, your sorry state could be an avenue for many revelations. Take for example the paralytic of this gospel. He now knows who really cares for him.

His friends who spare no effort just to secure a spot in front of Jesus are his real friends. they were there when he has absolutely nothing to compensate them. Contrast that with the many dignitaries who come from far and wide just to listen to Jesus.

The Pharisees and the teachers of the Law who are supposed to be advanced in charity are aloof at the miracle happening in front of them. All they could think of is the Law.

The paralytic is nothing compared to their precious observance of the Law. it is easy for them to ignore him. They are not friends. And so, people in position of power and authority sometimes have no qualms sacrificing the interest of the Little ones whom they are not particularly close.

They are just mere numbers rather than persons.