“YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN.” God is love embodied in Jesus.

Seeing their faith, Jesus told the paralytic, “Have courage, son, your sins are forgiven.

He proved His authority to forgive sins and magnify the glory of God in the physical healing.

 St. Elizabeth of Portugal, religious

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 Amos 7:10-17

Amaziah, the priest of Bethel,

Not to be confused with Dedication of Saints Peter and Paul or Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul.

Peter and Paul are the two great pillars of the Church.

Peter was the leader of the 12 apostles.

Paul was not one of the 12, but he is considered an apostle.

Like Peter, He was also called by God through revelation.

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Acts 12:1-11

About that time king Herod

 Thomas, ever the realist.

It is natural that Thomas should doubt. He was not there when the Lord appeared.

He wants physical proof of Jesus coming back to life.

“Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God’”

This declaration of faith is unique.

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Ephesians 2:19-22

Now you are no longer

 Leprosy was highly contagious. They were forbidden to have contact with anyone, were cut off from all society.

What a profound and trusting faith this leper had! He come to Jesus,

He referred to Jesus as "Lord." The leper knew Jesus had the power to heal him.

The leper displayed humility. The leper had a confidence in the power of Christ. He tells Jesus, You can make me clean . Lord, if You are willing.

Jesus understood the leper and was moved by his request.

He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying "I am willing; be cleansed".

St. Irenaeus, bishop, martyr & doctor

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2 Kings 25:1-12

In the ninth year

 But Jesus was asleep.

“Why are you so afraid, you of little faith?”

For, even in his sleep, he knows; even in his silence, he commands. We can rest assured.

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Amos 3:1-8; 4:11-12

Hear this word which

Jesus closes the Sermon on the Mount with the story of the houses they have chosen to build.

If I build my life on his word I can withstand fierce of problems and storms.

who is truly a disciple.
The metaphor of the building to describe a life is particularly powerful. One person hears Jesus’ words and acts on them,

putting them into practice. The other hears Jesus’ words and doesn’t act on them.

  St. Cyril of Alexandria, bishop & doctor

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2 Kings 24:8-17

Jehoiachin was eighteen years old

But when it comes to following the Lord, That’s how the first disciples followed him :

”immediately”,” leaving the boat and their father behind “.

These Verses Remind Us to Put God’s Will First

He does call every single one of us to live with unconditional trust in him.

St. Junipero Serra, pries

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Amos 2:6-10, 13-16

Yahweh says this,

 Our so called “fruits”.

 If a tree is known by its fruits, by what fruit is a true Christian known?

“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” .

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2 King 22:8-13; 23:1-3

At that moment Hilkiah,

These two miracles depict Jesus' power over sickness and death.

We first need to recognize our brokenness so that we may, in faith, ask Jesus to make us whole again.

“Don’t be afraid; just believe.” It is her faith that cured her.

『Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can move mountains.』

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Wisdom 1:13-15; 2:23-24

God did not make death,

 The pearls at the metaphoric level could indicate the teachings of the wise or the interpretation of the Torah.

The pearl is the image of the kingdom of God.

There are no “short-cuts” to a genuine living of the faith,

there can be no “cutting corners” to a truly deep and meaningful spiritual life.

There are two roads that are in counter-position, that of death and that of life.

Anyone who chooses the narrow road, that of life, should know that it is full of afflictions;

narrow means tried by suffering for the sake of faith.

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊    

2 Kings 19:9b-11, 14-21, 31-35a, 36*

Again Sennacherib sent messengers to