First reading Isaiah 35:1-10
The return of the redeemed through the desert
Let the wilderness and the dry-lands exult,
let the wasteland rejoice and bloom,
let it bring forth flowers like the jonquil,
let it rejoice and sing for joy.
The glory of Lebanon is bestowed on it,
the splendour of Carmel and Sharon;
they shall see the glory of the Lord,
the splendour of our God.
Strengthen all weary hands,
steady all trembling knees
and say to all faint hearts,
‘Courage! Do not be afraid.
‘Look, your God is coming,
vengeance is coming,
the retribution of God;
he is coming to save you.’
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
the ears of the deaf unsealed,
then the lame shall leap like a deer
and the tongues of the dumb sing for joy;
for water gushes in the desert,
streams in the wasteland,
the scorched earth becomes a lake,
the parched land springs of water.
The lairs where the jackals used to live
become thickets of reed and papyrus…
And through it will run a highway undefiled
which shall be called the Sacred Way;
the unclean may not travel by it,
nor fools stray along it.
No lion will be there
nor any fierce beast roam about it,
but the redeemed will walk there,
for those the Lord has ransomed shall return.
They will come to Zion shouting for joy,
everlasting joy on their faces;
joy and gladness will go with them
and sorrow and lament be ended.
Responsorial Psalm 84(85):9-14
Look, our God is coming to save us.
I will hear what the Lord God has to say,
a voice that speaks of peace,
peace for his people.
His help is near for those who fear him
and his glory will dwell in our land.
Look, our God is coming to save us.
Mercy and faithfulness have met;
justice and peace have embraced.
Faithfulness shall spring from the earth
and justice look down from heaven.
Look, our God is coming to save us.
The Lord will make us prosper
and our earth shall yield its fruit.
Justice shall march before him
and peace shall follow his steps.
Look, our God is coming to save us.
Gospel Luke 5:17-26
‘Your sins are forgiven you: get up and walk’
Jesus was teaching one day, and among the audience there were Pharisees and doctors of the Law who had come from every village in Galilee, from Judaea and from Jerusalem. And the Power of the Lord was behind his works of healing. Then some men appeared, carrying on a bed a paralysed man whom they were trying to bring in and lay down in front of him. But as the crowd made it impossible to find a way of getting him in, they went up on to the flat roof and lowered him and his stretcher down through the tiles into the middle of the gathering, in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith he said, ‘My friend, your sins are forgiven you.’ The scribes and the Pharisees began to think this over. ‘Who is this man talking blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ But Jesus, aware of their thoughts, made them this reply, ‘What are these thoughts you have in your hearts? Which of these is easier: to say, “Your sins are forgiven you” or to say, “Get up and walk”? But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’ – he said to the paralysed man – ‘I order you: get up, and pick up your stretcher and go home.’ And immediately before their very eyes he got up, picked up what he had been lying on and went home praising God.
They were all astounded and praised God, and were filled with awe, saying, ‘We have seen strange things today.’
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Faith to bring others to Jesus
In today’s gospel, there were some friends who brought a paralysed man to Jesus. Due to the crowd surrounding Jesus, they could not get their friend to Him. Instead of giving up, they thought of a way to get to their goal. They started to climb the roof, removed the tiles and lowered the stretcher down to where Jesus was. “Seeing their faith”- Jesus was moved by the determined faith of these friends and healed the paralysed man.
In this Advent season, let our faith in Jesus be strong and steadfast so that we can bring our family and friends to encounter Jesus and experience His merciful love. As we spend this time in prayer, let us also think of people we know who are spiritually paralysed due to mental and physical exhaustion, feeling of hopelessness and despair, living in fear and anxiety, etc. Having these people in mind, we can bring them to Jesus in our prayer and ask for the grace to help them experience Christ’s hope and peace.
Question for reflection:
How can I bring a friend in need to encounter Jesus and experience hope and peace?
How can I bring a friend in need to encounter Jesus and experience hope and peace?
