First reading 1 John 5:5-13
There are three witnesses: the Spirit and the water and the blood
Who can overcome the world?
Only the man who believes that Jesus is the Son of God:
Jesus Christ who came by water and blood,
not with water only,
but with water and blood;
with the Spirit as another witness –
since the Spirit is the truth –
so that there are three witnesses,
the Spirit, the water and the blood,
and all three of them agree.
We accept the testimony of human witnesses,
but God’s testimony is much greater,
and this is God’s testimony,
given as evidence for his Son.
Everybody who believes in the Son of God
has this testimony inside him;
and anyone who will not believe God
is making God out to be a liar,
because he has not trusted
the testimony God has given about his Son.
This is the testimony:
God has given us eternal life
and this life is in his Son;
anyone who has the Son has life,
anyone who does not have the Son does not have life.
I have written all this to you
so that you who believe in the name of the Son of God
may be sure that you have eternal life.
Responsorial Psalm 147:12-15,19-20
O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!
or
Alleluia!
O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!
Zion, praise your God!
He has strengthened the bars of your gates
he has blessed the children within you.
O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!
or
Alleluia!
He established peace on your borders,
he feeds you with finest wheat.
He sends out his word to the earth
and swiftly runs his command.
O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!
or
Alleluia!
He makes his word known to Jacob,
to Israel his laws and decrees.
He has not dealt thus with other nations;
he has not taught them his decrees.
O praise the Lord, Jerusalem!
or
Alleluia!
Gospel Luke 5:12-16
‘If you want to, you can cure me’
Jesus was in one of the towns when a man appeared, covered with leprosy. Seeing Jesus he fell on his face and implored him. ‘Sir,’ he said ‘if you want to, you can cure me.’ Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him and said, ‘Of course I want to! Be cured!’ And the leprosy left him at once. He ordered him to tell no one, ‘But go and show yourself to the priest and make the offering for your healing as Moses prescribed it, as evidence for them.’
His reputation continued to grow, and large crowds would gather to hear him and to have their sickness cured, but he would always go off to some place where he could be alone and pray.
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Jesus and the leper
During the time of Jesus, those suffering from leprosy were shunned by those around them for the rest of their lives, as it was a contagious and incurable disease. They lived a life of isolation and loneliness. In today’s gospel, a leper went to Jesus and begged him to heal him. Jesus could have healed the leper from a distance with just His words. However, He chose to approach him, reach out and touch him. By doing this, He wanted to demonstrate that the leper was loved and cared for by God.
Let us remember that some individuals who like the leper, may seem unlovable to us. These could be people who speak badly of us, betray our trust or have difficult personalities. Additionally, there are also others who are rejected by their families, society or even the church, leading them to experience loneliness. Jesus calls us today to go out and try to love those who are unloved, demonstrating through our words and actions that God cares for them as well. Before sharing God’s love with others, let us seek Jesus, spend time with Him, and allow Him to love us first.
Reflective question:
Is there someone in my life who needs me to show them love?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year C” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD.
