Friday, January 10 2014 Friday after Epiphany Lectionary: 216

Reading 1 1 jn 5:5-13

Beloved:
Who indeed is the victor over the world
but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

This is the one who came through water and Blood, Jesus Christ,
not by water alone, but by water and Blood.
The Spirit is the one who testifies,
and the Spirit is truth.
So there are three who testify,
the Spirit, the water, and the Blood,
and the three are of one accord.
If we accept human testimony,
the testimony of God is surely greater.
Now the testimony of God is this,
that he has testified on behalf of his Son.
Whoever believes in the Son of God
has this testimony within himself.
Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar
by not believing the testimony God has given about his Son.
And this is the testimony:
God gave us eternal life,
and this life is in his Son.
Whoever possesses the Son has life;
whoever does not possess the Son of God does not have life.

I write these things to you so that you may know
that you have eternal life,
you who believe in the name of the Son of God.

Responsorial Psalm ps 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20

R. (12a) Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Glorify the LORD, O Jerusalem;
praise your God, O Zion.
For he has strengthened the bars of your gates;
he has blessed your children within you.

R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
or:
R. Alleluia.

He has granted peace in your borders;
with the best of wheat he fills you.
He sends forth his command to the earth;
swiftly runs his word!

R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
or:
R. Alleluia.

He has proclaimed his word to Jacob,
his statutes and his ordinances to Israel.
He has not done thus for any other nation;
his ordinances he has not made known to them. Alleluia.

R. Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Gospel lk 5:12-16

It happened that there was a man full of leprosy in one of the towns where Jesus was;
and when he saw Jesus,
he fell prostrate, pleaded with him, and said,
“Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.”
Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said,
“I do will it. Be made clean.”
And the leprosy left him immediately.
Then he ordered him not to tell anyone, but
“Go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing
what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.”
The report about him spread all the more,
and great crowds assembled to listen to him
and to be cured of their ailments,
but he would withdraw to deserted places to pray.

REFLECTION
by
One Bread, One Body - Reflection for January 10, 2014

CHRISTMAS MISERY

"On one occasion in a certain town, a man full of leprosy came to" Jesus. –Luke 5:12

We ask everyone if they had a good holiday and Christmas season, and they all say "Fine." Yet behind those sad smiles and between the lines of our "small talk," we sense a deep hurt, severe depression, unrepentant sin, and devastating bondage. Marriages are destroyed; bitterness and resentment poison family life; hearts are broken by rejection. Some mourn over the death and loss of loved ones. Some have lost contact with God because of sin and self. Many have had a terrible Christmas.

You don't have to smile faintly and tell Jesus about your "nice" Christmas. He sees your sin and pain and "leprosy." Bow "down to the ground" before the Christ-Child and say to Him: "Lord, if You will to do so, You can cure me" (Lk 5:12). Jesus will stretch out His hand, touch you, and say: "I do will it. Be cured" (Lk 5:13). Jesus wills Christmas for us. He wills life, repentance, and healing. He wills salvation for us. Remember the laborers in the vineyard who got the full day's pay even though hired at the last minute (Mt 20:9). Jesus wants to give you the fullness of Christmas, no matter what has happened and how late it is. "I have written this to you to make you realize that you possess eternal life – you who believe in the name of the Son of God" (1 Jn 5:13).

PRAYER: Father, not by my might, not by my power, but by Your Spirit, I will have Christmas (Zec 4:6).
PROMISE: "Who, then, is conqueror of the world? The one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God." –1 Jn 5:5
PRAISE: Michele ruined Christmas by committing fornication. She repented and went to Confession. Jesus gave her the best finish to the Christmas season ever.