First reading 1 Corinthians 5:1-8
Get rid of the old yeast of evil and wickedness
I have been told as an undoubted fact that one of you is living with his father’s wife. This is a case of sexual immorality among you that must be unparalleled even among pagans. How can you be so proud of yourselves? You should be in mourning. A man who does a thing like that ought to have been expelled from the community. Though I am far away in body, I am with you in spirit, and have already condemned the man who did this thing as if I were actually present. When you are assembled together in the name of the Lord Jesus, and I am spiritually present with you, then with the power of our Lord Jesus he is to be handed over to Satan so that his sensual body may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.
The pride that you take in yourselves is hardly to your credit. You must know how even a small amount of yeast is enough to leaven all the dough, so get rid of all the old yeast, and make yourselves into a completely new batch of bread, unleavened as you are meant to be. Christ, our passover, has been sacrificed; let us celebrate the feast, then, by getting rid of all the old yeast of evil and wickedness, having only the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
Responsorial Psalm 5:5-7,12
Lead me, Lord, in your justice.
You are no God who loves evil;
no sinner is your guest.
The boastful shall not stand their ground
before your face.
You hate all who do evil;
you destroy all who lie.
The deceitful and bloodthirsty man
the Lord detests.
All those you protect shall be glad
and ring out their joy.
You shelter them; in you they rejoice,
those who love your name.
Gospel Luke 6:6-11
Is it against the law on the sabbath to save life?
On the sabbath Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach, and a man was there whose right hand was withered. The scribes and the Pharisees were watching him to see if he would cure a man on the sabbath, hoping to find something to use against him. But he knew their thoughts; and he said to the man with the withered hand, ‘Stand up! Come out into the middle.’ And he came out and stood there. Then Jesus said to them, ‘I put it to you: is it against the law on the sabbath to do good, or to do evil; to save life, or to destroy it?’ Then he looked round at them all and said to the man, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ He did so, and his hand was better. But they were furious, and began to discuss the best way of dealing with Jesus.
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If I am without love, I am nothing
“Then Jesus looked round at them all and said to the man, ‘Stretch out
your hand.’ He did so, and his hand was restored”. Jesus is the first who
always stretches out His hands to help others who are in need. Today,
Jesus also invites us to stretch out our hands and open our hearts to
those who need our help, especially the poor and the weak. We live out
our identity as His disciples when we make space for others in our
hearts. We are also called to stretch our hands out with confidence and
hope to Jesus and ask Him to give us strength and courage so that we
can give ourselves to others with joyful freedom.
your hand.’ He did so, and his hand was restored”. Jesus is the first who
always stretches out His hands to help others who are in need. Today,
Jesus also invites us to stretch out our hands and open our hearts to
those who need our help, especially the poor and the weak. We live out
our identity as His disciples when we make space for others in our
hearts. We are also called to stretch our hands out with confidence and
hope to Jesus and ask Him to give us strength and courage so that we
can give ourselves to others with joyful freedom.
The scribes and the Pharisees had no love for the man in their hearts.
They were more concerned with the rule of law rather than the rule of
love. Do we practice our religion by fulfilling obligations but fail to put
love into practice? May we ask Jesus to help us to have His
compassionate heart, especially when we face the sufferings of others.
They were more concerned with the rule of law rather than the rule of
love. Do we practice our religion by fulfilling obligations but fail to put
love into practice? May we ask Jesus to help us to have His
compassionate heart, especially when we face the sufferings of others.
Reflective question:
What is the message that Jesus wants to tell me today?
What is the message that Jesus wants to tell me today?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year C” by Sr Sandra Seow FMVD.
