Catholic Caucus: Sunday Mass Readings, 02-19-06, Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

USCCB.org/New American Bible ^ | 02-19-06 | New American Bible

[Salvation]

February 19, 2006

Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Psalm: Sunday 11

Reading I
Is 43:18-19, 21-22, 24b-25

Thus says the LORD:
Remember not the events of the past,
the things of long ago consider not;
see, I am doing something new!
Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
In the desert I make a way,
in the wasteland, rivers.
The people I formed for myself,
that they might announce my praise.
Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob,
for you grew weary of me, O Israel.
You burdened me with your sins,
and wearied me with your crimes.
It is I, I, who wipe out,
for my own sake, your offenses;
your sins I remember no more.

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 41:2-3, 4-5, 13-14

R. (5b) Lord, heal my soul, for I have sinned against you.
Blessed is the one who has regard for the lowly and the poor;
in the day of misfortune the LORD will deliver him.
The LORD will keep and preserve him;
and make him blessed on earth,
and not give him over to the will of his enemies.
R. Lord, heal my soul, for I have sinned against you.
The LORD will help him on his sickbed,
he will take away all his ailment when he is ill.
Once I said, “O LORD, have pity on me;
heal me, though I have sinned against you.”
R. Lord, heal my soul, for I have sinned against you.
But because of my integrity you sustain me
and let me stand before you forever.
Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,
from all eternity. Amen. Amen.
R. Lord, heal my soul, for I have sinned against you.

Reading II
2 Cor 1:18-22

Brothers and sisters:
As God is faithful,
our word to you is not “yes” and “no.”
For the Son of God, Jesus Christ,
who was proclaimed to you by us, Silvanus and Timothy and me,
was not “yes” and “no, ” but “yes” has been in him.
For however many are the promises of God, their Yes is in him;
therefore, the Amen from us also goes through him to God for glory.
But the one who gives us security with you in Christ
and who anointed us is God;
he has also put his seal upon us
and given the Spirit in our hearts as a first installment.

Gospel
Mk 2:1-12

When Jesus returned to Capernaum after some days,
it became known that he was at home.
Many gathered together so that there was no longer room for them,
not even around the door,
and he preached the word to them.
They came bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.
Unable to get near Jesus because of the crowd,
they opened up the roof above him.
After they had broken through,
they let down the mat on which the paralytic was lying.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic,
“Child, your sins are forgiven.”
Now some of the scribes were sitting there asking themselves,
“Why does this man speak that way? He is blaspheming.
Who but God alone can forgive sins?”
Jesus immediately knew in his mind
what they were thinking to themselves,
so he said, “Why are you thinking such things in your hearts?
Which is easier, to say to the paralytic,
‘Your sins are forgiven,’
or to say, ‘Rise, pick up your mat and walk?’
But that you may know
that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth”
—he said to the paralytic,
“I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home.”
He rose, picked up his mat at once,
and went away in the sight of everyone.
They were all astounded
and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this.”

[Salvation]

For your reading, reflection, faith-sharing, comments, questions, discussion.

[Salvation]

Alleluia Ping!

Please notify me via FReepmail if you would like to be added to or taken off the Alleluia Ping List.

[Salvation]

From: Isaiah 43:18-19, 21-22, 24b-25


Announcement of a New Exodus (Continuation)

---

(Thus says the Lord), [18] "Remember not the former things, nor
consider the things of old. [19] Behold, I am doing a new thing; now
it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the
wilderness and rivers in the desert. [21] The people whom I formed for
myself that they might declare my praise.


[22] ”Yet you did not call upon me, 0 Jacob; but you have been weary
of me, O Israel! [24b] But you have burdened me with your sins, you
have wearied me with your iniquities.


[25] "I, I am He who blots out your transgressions for my own sake,
and I will not remember your sins."

---

Commentary:


43:14-21. This oracle is part of the doctrinal core of the “Book of
Consolation” (40:1-48:22), where we can see the exodus from Egypt as
the prototype of every instance of liberation brought about by the
Lord. Its most direct reference would be to the return of those exiled
in Babylon. The original exodus from Egypt was quite remarkable and
well worth pondering; but this exodus is truly “new”, surpassing what
happened in former times (cf. vv. 18-19). This prophecy is very
carefully constructed. It first acknowledges God by giving an
impressive list of divine titles, repeated several times: Lord,
Redeemer, Holy One of Israel, Creator, King (vv. 14-15); then comes
the announcement of the new exodus based on traditions to do with the
first exodus, without mentioning it specifically (vv. 16-21); it
recalls, with sadness, yet serenity, the people’s infidelities (vv.
22-24); and it ends with God asserting his forgiveness in the context
Of a "rib", that is, a “legal hearing” (vv. 25-28).


The prophet’s words are designed to fill the people with hope that
they will soon be able to return home, and also with the energy to
undertake the religious restoration of Israel. But they are also a
reminder to people at all times that God never abandons his chosen
ones, and a constant encouragement to renew their fervor. The only
proviso is that they must have recourse to the mercy of God and
sincerely admit their sins. Thus, we find St Gregory the Great
interpreting the “suit” in v. 26 as describing the examination of
conscience that leads to the confession of sins: “The conscience
accuses, reason judges, fear binds, and suffering tortures” ("Moralia
in Job", 25,7, 12-13).

---

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

[Salvation]

From: 2 Corinthians 1:18-22


Why He Has Not Visited Corinth (Continuation)

---

[18] As surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been Yes and
No. [19] For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we preached among you,
Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No; but in him it is
always: Yes. [20] For all the promises of God find their Yes in him.
That is why we utter the Amen through him, to the glory of God.
[21] But it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has
commissioned us; [22] he has put his seal upon us and given us his
Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

---

Commentary:


17-20. He calls on God to witness to the sincerity of his actions and
to his being a man of his word. He cannot act otherwise, he explains,
because he preaches Jesus Christ and follows him: and Christ is
absolutely faithful and truthful (cf. In 14:6) and demanded sincerity
in word and in deed (cf. Mt 5:37; Jas 5:12). The faithfulness of
Christ--in whom it is always "Yes" (vv. 19-20)--is the model for all
Christians, both those who dedicate their lives totally and exclusively
to God in celibacy and those who do so through marriage. Referring to
this passage, John Paul II teaches that "just as the Lord Jesus is 'the
faithful witness' (Rev 3:14), the 'yes' of the promises of God (cf.
2 Cor 1:20), so Christian couples are called to participate truly in
the irrevocable indissolubility that binds Christ to the Church, his
bride, loved by him to the end (cf. Jn 13:1)" ("Familiaris Consortio",
20).


Relying on Christ's faithfulness the faithful are able to say that
"Amen" ("So be it"), by which they adhere fully to the Apostle's
teachings. From the very beginning of Christianity, the "Amen" was said
at the end of the Church's public prayers (cf. 1 Cor 14:16).


Silvanus, called Silas in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 15:40), had
helped St Paul to found the Church in Corinth (cf. Acts 18:5).


18. "As surely as God is faithful': so translated to evoke a form of
words used in taking a oath; literally, "Faithful is God."


21-22. As in other passages of this letter (cf. 3:3; 13:13), St Paul is
here referring explicitly to the promises made of the Blessed Trinity:
it is God (the Father) who has given us our "commission" (anointed us
with grace) establishing us in the Son, through the gift of the Holy
Spirit in our hearts.


Using three different expressions--"commissioned" (anointed), "put his
seal upon us", given us his Spirit "as a guarantee"--the Apostle
describes the way God acts in the soul: in Baptism the Christian is
spiritually anointed with grace and incorporated into Christ; he is
thereby "sealed", for he no longer belongs to himself but has become
the property of Christ; and together with grace, he receives the Holy
Spirit as a "guarantee", a pledge of the gifts he will receive in
eternal life. All those effects of Baptism are reinforced by the
sacrament of Confirmation (St Paul may well have had this sacrament in
mind also, when writing these words).


Commenting on this passage St John Chrysostom explains that by this
action the Holy Spirit establishes the Christian as prophet, priest and
king: "In olden times these three types of people received the unction
which confirmed them in their dignity. We Christians have not one of
these three dignities but all three preeminently. For, are we not
kings, who shall infallibly inherit a kingdom? Are we not priests, if
we offer our bodies as a sacrifice, instead of mere animal victims, as
the Apostle says: 'I appeal to you...to present your bodies as a living
sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God' (Rom 12:1)? And are we not
constituted prophets if, thanks to God, secrets have been revealed to
us which eye has not seen nor ear heard?" ("Hom. on 2 Cor.", 3).


"He has put his seal on us": the St Pius V Catechism uses these words
to explain the "character" which the sacraments of Baptism,
Confirmation and Order impress on the soul; Paul "not obscurely
describes by the word 'sealed' a character, the property of which is to
impress a seal or mark. This character is, as it were, a distinctive
impression stamped on the soul which perpetually inheres and cannot be
blotted out" (II, 1, 30).

---

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

[darkwing104]

Thanks for the spiritual lift...

[Salvation]

The friends of the paralyzed man in the Gospel really did give him a lift!

[Salvation]

From: Mark 2:1-12


The Curing of a Paralytic

---

[1] And when He (Jesus) returned to Capernaum after some days, it was
reported that He was at home. [2] And many were gathered together, so
that there was no longer room for them, not even about the door; and He
was preaching the word to them. [3] And they came, bringing to Him a
paralytic carried by four men. [4] And when they could not get near
Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and when
they had made an opening, they let down the pallet on which the
paralytic lay. [5] And when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the
paralytic, "My son, your sins are forgiven." [6] Now some of the
scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, [7] "Why does
this man speak thus? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God
alone?" [8] And immediately Jesus, perceiving in His spirit that they
thus questioned within themselves, said to them, "Why do you question
thus in your hearts? [9] Which is easier to say to the paralytic,
`Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, `Rise, take up your pallet and
walk?' [10] But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on
earth to forgive sins"-- He said to the paralytic-- [11] "I say to you,
rise, take up your pallet and go home." [12] And he rose, and
immediately took up the pallet and went out before them all; so that
they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything
like this!"

---

Commentary:


4. Many Jewish houses had a terraced roof accessible by steps at the
back. The same structure can be found even today.


5. Here Jesus emphasizes the connection between faith and the
forgiveness of sins. The boldness of the people who brought in the
paralytic shows their faith in Christ, and this faith moves Jesus to
forgive the man's sins. We should question how God views our faith:
the faith of these people leads to the instantaneous physical and
spiritual curing of this man. We should notice also that one person's
need can be helped by the merits of another.


In this man's physical paralysis, St. Jerome sees a type or figure of
spiritual paralysis: the cripple was unable to return to God by his own
efforts. Jesus, God and man, cured him of both kinds of paralysis
(cf. "Comm. in Marcum, in loc."). Cf. notes on Matthew 9:2-7.


Jesus' words to the paralytic--"Your sins are forgiven"--reflect the
fact that his pardon involves a personal encounter with Christ; the
same happens in the Sacrament of Penance: "In faithfully observing the
centuries-old practice of the Sacrament of Penance--the practice of
individual confession with a personal act of sorrow and an intention to
amend and make satisfaction--the Church is defending the human soul's
individual right, man's right to a more personal encounter with the
crucified forgiving Christ, with Christ saying, through the minister of
the Sacrament of Reconciliation: `Your sins are forgiven'; `Go, and do
not sin again' (John 8:11). As is evident, this is also a right on
Christ's part with regard to every human being in the soul's life
constituted by the moment of conversion and forgiveness" (John Paul II,
"Redemptor Hominis", 20).


7-12. Here we find a number of indicators of Jesus' divinity: He
forgives sins, He can read the human heart and has the power to
instantly cure physical illnesses. The scribes know that only God can
forgive sins. This is why they take issue with Our Lord's statement
and call it blasphemous. They require a sign to prove the truth of
what He says. And Jesus offers them a sign. Thus just as no one can
deny that the paralytic has been cured, so no one can reasonably deny
that he has been forgiven his sins. Christ, God and man, exercised
power to forgive sins and, in His infinite mercy, He chose to extend
this power to His Church. Cf. note on Matthew 9:3-7.

---

Source: "The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries". Biblical text
taken from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries
made by members of the Faculty of Theology of the University of
Navarre, Spain. Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock,
Co. Dublin, Ireland.

[Salvation]

Sunday, February 19, 2006
Seventh Sunday in Ordinary time

First Reading: Psalm: Second Reading: Gospel:

Isaiah 43:18-19, 21-22, 24-25 Psalm 41:2-5, 13-14 2 Corinthians 1:18-22 Mark 2:1-12 While still in this world, we must wholeheartedly repent of sins committed in the body and make it possible for the Lord to save us while there is time. When we have left this world, we shall no longer be able to repent and confess our sins. We must do the will of the Father, keep our bodies pure, and observe the commandments of the Lord, for this is the way to obtain eternal life. -- Sermon of the second century

[Salvation]

Work of God

Year B

 -  7th Sunday in ordinary time

Get up, pick up your mat and walk

Mark 2:1-12

1 When he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home.
2 So many gathered around that there was no longer room for them, not even in front of the door; and he was speaking the word to them.
3 Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them.
4 And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay.
5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."
6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts,
7 "Why does this fellow speak in this way? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
8 At once Jesus perceived in his spirit that they were discussing these questions among themselves; and he said to them, "Why do you raise such questions in your hearts?
9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Stand up and take your mat and walk'?
10 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" -- he said to the paralytic --
11 "I say to you, stand up, take your mat and go to your home."
12 And he stood up, and immediately took the mat and went out before all of them; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!" (NRSV)

Inspiration of the Holy Spirit - From the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Here you have the case of a miracle made entirely due to the faith of some men who cared for a sick man.

These men went into a lot of trouble to get the paralyzed man up on the roof, then they made a hole on the roof and lowered him before me.

Their faith gave them determination to get the job done, they knew that I could heal their friend and took many risks. They knew that it was impossible to get through the crowd, so they used their imagination to accomplish their desire.

I was very pleased with that act of faith. But I did not come simply to heal physical diseases, since all men are destined to die one day. I came to heal the soul from the disease of sin that paralyzes and leads to eternal death.

Before I could heal the man physically, I had to clean his soul, therefore on account of the faith of his friends and of his suffering I said to him "Son, your sins are forgiven."

By calling him son, I am showing everyone how I feel for all my sinful children. I feel the same as a good doctor before the sick who are in desperate need of healing, I want to heal everyone, I want to forgive the sins of the whole world.

My response to the Pharisees goes also to those who do not believe in my words, because they protest against the truth. To prove to you that the Son of Man has the power to forgive sins, I said to the paralytic: ”get up, take up your mat and go home.”

I gave my Church power to forgive sins in the sacrament of reconciliation. I commissioned my apostles (John 20:21-23), their successors and those empowered by them as priests, since this is the reason why I came to the world, to forgive sins.

By my death on the cross I paid for the offenses of all humanity, my forgiveness continues when you repent of your sins.

I made my forgiveness available to everyone. Take courage, approach me and confess your sins through a priest anointed by my Church.

Author: Joseph of Jesus and Mary

 

[Salvation]

Lessons from the Paralytic

by Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Ph.D.

Other Articles by Marcellino D'Ambrosio, Ph.D.

Lessons from the Paralytic

02/18/06

Sometimes we act as if sins are just black marks against us in God’s ledger, debits against our rewards account.

But the gospel story of the paralytic (Mk 2:1-12) should wake us up to the real nature of sin. For sin is more than a demerit — it is distancing of a person from God, who happens to be our source of life and energy. God’s Holy Spirit is “the force” that must be with us if we are to have life and strength and vigor.

Sin is always a result of a decision. Original Sin, flowing from the tragic decision of Adam and Eve, causes us to inherit a weakened humanity that from the moment of conception is distanced from God. Actual sin results from each person’s own decisions. Some decisions can cut us off entirely from the divine life source. We call these decisions “mortal.” Some decisions don’t snuff out divine life, but rather weaken it. Such sins are called “venial.”

But whether original or actual, mortal or venial, sin always drains the life right out of us. As we walk away from God, we grow spiritually weaker and weaker till we come to the point that we no longer have the strength to walk back home to our Father.

When Jesus returned to Capernaum after His first mission trip, people flocked to Him. But a paralyzed man couldn’t join the throng — he just lay there watching people pass him by. Until, that is, some of his friends cared enough to pick him up and carry him to Jesus. But then they encountered a problem: the crowd was so thick that they could not get their friend through the door. They could have consoled themselves that they tried, and then taken the poor man home. But they were more determined than that. They hoisted him up on the roof, opened a hole in the thatch, and lowered him down.

The gospel of Mark makes a curious comment at this point. “Seeing their faith,” it says, Jesus turns to the paralyzed man and tells him that his sins are forgiven. First of all, note that faith is something that should be visible. The four stretcher carriers believed that Jesus was, at the very least, a mighty man of God who could help their friend. But this belief manifested itself in resolute, persistent, conspicuous action. And of course this faith was united with charity, since they had gone to such great lengths not for themselves, but for their unfortunate friend.

Notice, however, that it was not the paralyzed man’s faith that prompted Jesus’ decision to forgive his sin. It was the faith of his friends. Perhaps his physical paralysis was a sign of utter spiritual paralysis; maybe he had not the strength to make a positive act of faith.

So his friends’ faith stood in proxy for his own. That’s exactly why infant baptism has always been practiced in the Church from the beginning: the faith of parents, godparents, and the whole Church stand in proxy for the infant who is incapable of faith.

The most deadly paralysis is the paralysis of sin. But when the Pharisees object to Jesus' authority to heal this malady, to wipe out the paralyzed man's past and give him a brand new start (Is 43:18-25), Jesus demonstrates His competence by healing the physical disease as well. Jesus does not say “yes” to our spiritual needs and say “no” to our earthly needs (2 Cor 1:18-22). He created us body and soul and desires that we have fullness of life, in every department, and have it abundantly (Jn 10:10).

So a tormented man who had to be carried to Jesus walked away bearing his own stretcher and free as a lark. It would never have happened, though, if his faith-filled friends had not cared enough to risk ridicule and disappointment to take him to Jesus.

So when’s the last time you invited someone to church?


Dr. D'Ambrosio studied under Avery Cardinal Dulles for his Ph.D. in historical theology and taught for many years at the University of Dallas. He now directs www.crossroadsinitiative.com, which offers Catholic resources for RCIA, adult faith formation, and teens, with a special emphasis on the Year of the Eucharist, the Theology of the Body, the early Church Fathers, and the sacrament of confirmation.

(This article originally appeared in Our Sunday Visitor and is used by permission of the author.)

[AlaninSA]

Thanks, as always, for posting this. I'd forgotten that I'm the lector at the 11:00 Mass this morning -- and I'd not prepared. But, as usual, I'm able to log onto FR and check the readings for prep.

This is a lifesaver (in more ways than one).

[Salvation]

God bless you for serving the Lord in this way.

(BTW, our church provides what we call a workbook, that has the readings, pronunciations, a little bit about how the reading should be proclaimed, and a general synopsis and commentary on the reading. I find it very helpful.)

[Salvation]

Offertory -- Prayer upon Awakening

Office of Readings

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
 as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
 world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.

---

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 144 (145)

The greatness and goodness of God

I will praise you to the heights, O God, my king –
 I will bless your name for ever and for all time.
I will bless you, O God, day after day –
 I will praise your name for ever and all time.

The Lord is great, to him all praise is due –
 he is great beyond measuring.
Generation will pass to generation the praise of your deeds,
 and tell the wonders you have done.
They will tell of your overwhelming power,
 and pass on the tale of your greatness.
They will cry out the story of your great kindness,
 they will celebrate your judgements.
The Lord takes pity, his heart is merciful,
 he is patient and endlessly kind.
The Lord is gentle to all –
 he shows his kindness to all his creation.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
 as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
 world without end.
Amen.

---

Psalm 144 (145)

Let all your creatures proclaim you, O Lord,
 let your chosen ones bless you.
Let them tell of the glory of your reign,
 let them speak of your power –
so that the children of men may know what you can do,
 see the glory of your kingdom and its greatness.
Your kingdom stands firm for all ages,
 your rule lasts for ever and ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
 as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
 world without end.
Amen.

---

Psalm 144 (145)

The Lord is faithful in all his words,
 the Lord is holy in all his deeds.
The Lord supports all who are falling,
 the Lord lifts up all who are oppressed.
All look to you for help,
 and you give them their food in due season.
In your goodness you open your hand,
 and give every creature its fill.

The Lord is just in all his ways,
 the Lord is kind in all that he does.
The Lord is near to those who call on him,
 to all those who call on him in truth.
For those that honour him,
 he does what they ask,
 he hears all their prayers,
 and he keeps them safe.
The Lord keeps safe all who love him,
 but he dooms all the wicked to destruction.

My mouth shall tell the praises of the Lord.
Let all flesh bless his holy name,
 for ever and ever.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
 as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
 world without end.
Amen.

---

Reading

Ecclesiastes 1:1 - 18 ©

The words of Qoheleth son of David, king in Jerusalem. Vanity of vanities, Qoheleth says. Vanity of vanities. All is vanity! For all his toil, his toil under the sun, what does man gain by it? A generation goes, a generation comes, yet the earth stands firm for ever. The sun rises, the sun sets; then to its place it speeds and there it rises. Southward goes the wind, then turns to the north; it turns and turns again; back then to its circling goes the wind. Into the sea all the rivers go, and yet the sea is never filled, and still to their goal the rivers go. All things are wearisome. No man can say that eyes have not had enough of seeing, ears their fill of hearing. What was will be again; what has been done will be done again; and there is nothing new under the sun. Take anything of which it may be said, ‘Look now, this is new’. Already, long before our time, it existed. Only no memory remains of earlier times, just as in times to come next year itself will not be remembered. I, Qoheleth, have reigned in Jerusalem over Israel. With the help of wisdom I have been at pains to study all that is done under heaven; oh, what a weary task God has given mankind to labour at! I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and what vanity it all is, what chasing of the wind! What is twisted cannot be straightened, what is not there cannot be counted. I thought to myself, ‘I have acquired a greater stock of wisdom than any of my predecessors in Jerusalem. I have great experience of wisdom and learning. Wisdom has been my careful study; stupidity, too, and folly. And now I have come to recognise that even this is chasing of the wind. Much wisdom, much grief, the more knowledge, the more sorrow.

---

Reading	A treatise on Charity by St Maximus the Confessor
Without love everything is in vain
Charity is a right attitude of mind which prefers nothing to the knowledge of God. If a man possesses any strong attachment to the things of this earth, he cannot possess true charity. For anyone who really loves God prefers to know and experience God rather than his creatures. The whole set and longing of his mind is ever directed toward him. For God is far superior to all his creation, since everything which exists has been made by God and for him. And so, in deserting God, who is beyond compare, for the inferior works of creation, a man shows that he values God, the author of creation, less than creation itself. The Lord himself reminds us: Whoever loves me will keep my commandments. And this is my commandment: that you love one another. So the man who does not love his neighbour does not obey God’s command. But one who does not obey his command cannot love God. A man is blessed if he can love all men equally. Moreover, if he truly loves God, he must love his neighbour absolutely. Such a man cannot hoard his wealth. Rather, like God himself, he generously gives from his own resources to each man according to his needs. Since he imitates God’s generosity, the only distinction he draws is the person’s need. He does not distinguish between a good man and a bad one, a just man and one who is unjust. Yet his own goodness of will makes him prefer the man who strives after virtue to the one who is depraved. A charitable mind is not displayed simply in giving money; it is manifested still more by personal service as well as by the communication of God’s word to others: In fact, if a man’s service toward his brothers is genuine and if he really renounces worldly concerns, he is freed from selfish desires. For he now shares in God’s own knowledge and love. Since he does possess God’s love, he does not experience weariness as he follows the Lord his God. Rather, following the prophet Jeremiah, he withstands every type of reproach and hardship without even harbouring an evil thought toward any man. For Jeremiah warns us: Do not say: “We are the Lord’s temple”. Neither should you say: “Faith alone in our Lord Jesus Christ can save me”. By itself faith accomplishes nothing. For even the devils believe and shudder. No, faith must be joined to an active love of God which is expressed in good works. The charitable man is distinguished by sincere and long-suffering service to his fellow man: it also means using things aright.

---

Canticle

Te Deum

God, we praise you; Lord, we proclaim you! You, the Father, the eternal – all the earth venerates you. All the angels, all the heavens, every power – The cherubim, the seraphim – unceasingly, they cry: “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts: heaven and earth are full of the majesty of your glory!” The glorious choir of Apostles – The noble ranks of prophets – The shining army of martyrs – all praise you. Throughout the world your holy Church proclaims you. – Father of immeasurable majesty, – True Son, only-begotten, worthy of worship, – Holy Spirit, our Advocate. You, Christ: – You are the king of glory. – You are the Father’s eternal Son. – You, to free mankind, did not disdain a Virgin’s womb. – You defeated the sharp spear of Death, and opened the kingdom of heaven to those who believe in you. – You sit at God’s right hand, in the glory of the Father. – You will come, so we believe, as our Judge. And so we ask of you: give help to your servants, whom you set free at the price of your precious blood. Number them among your chosen ones in eternal glory. Bring your people to safety, Lord, and bless those who are your inheritance. Rule them and lift them high for ever. Day by day we bless you, Lord: we praise you for ever and for ever. Of your goodness, Lord, keep us without sin for today. Have mercy on us, Lord, have mercy on us. Let your pity, Lord, be upon us, as much as we trust in you. In you, Lord, I trust: let me never be put to shame. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,  as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,  world without end. Amen.

A concluding prayer may follow here.

[Salvation]

Catholic Culture

Collect: Father, keep before us the wisdom and love you have revealed in your Son. Help us to be like him in word and deed, for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Prayers: » Ordinary Time, After Pentecost: Table Blessing 2

February 19, 2006 Seventh Sunday of Ordinary Time Jesus immediately knew in his mind what they were thinking to themselves, so he said, "Why are you thinking such things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, pick up your mat and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on earth" — he said to the paralytic, "I say to you, rise, pick up your mat, and go home" (Mark 2:8-11). Sunday Readings The first reading is taken from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah 43:18-19, 21-22, 24-25. The prophet is in Babylon with the exiles and is encouraging his fellow sufferers with words of hope and consolation. The second reading is from the Second Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians 1:18-22. In today's excerpts from his letter we find the Apostle asserting under oath that he was not fickle and changeable. He and his companions taught the truth for they taught Jesus Christ who is absolute, existing truth. Paul's commission to preach the gospel to the Corinthians came from God himself; and the Spirit of God was with him in his missionary activities guaranteeing success. The Gospel is from St. Mark 2:1-12. In this incident we have the fundamental dogma of our Christian faith, namely, that Christ was the Son of God, stated by no less an authority than Christ himself. He had said to the paralytic: "your sins are forgiven"; straight away the Scribes, who knew their Old Testament, objected. This was blasphemy. They said: only God can forgive sins, for all sins are committed against God and it is only the offended person who can forgive an offense; this man is claiming to be God. This was surely blasphemy, for according to them this man was not and could not be God. Christ, in his answer, proved to them how wrong they were. First, he showed them that he knew the thoughts they had in their minds—they had not expressed their feelings openly. Secondly, he asked them which was easier to say and to say effectively: "your sins are forgiven," or "rise, take up your pallet and walk"? Both effective statements required divine power. To prove that he had that power, and to prove it in a way that was visible to them (they could not see whether the man's sins were forgiven or not) he went on: "But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins"—he said to the paralytic—"I say to you rise, take up your pallet and go home." The sick man arose immediately, took up his stretcher and walked away in the presence of that huge crowd. Whether the Scribes were among those who "were amazed and who glorified God" because of what they had witnessed, is doubtful. They were hardhearted and full of pride and therefore, found the reversing of the judgments more than difficult. But we can leave them to the mercy of God. For ourselves, we can thank our divine Lord for giving us this clear proof of his divinity. He claimed to be God, when he forgave sins; he proved that claim by an outstanding miracle. He would have worked this miracle of mercy even if the Scribes had never interfered, but he tells them that he is about to work it to prove to them that he is divine. By a single word of command, given on his own authority, the paralysis leaves the sick man and he is healed instantly—a visible proof of Christ's claim to be God. This is but one of the many proofs of his divinity which Christ gave to his disciples, and through them to us, during his public ministry. His claim to be divine was well known to his enemies, it was in fact the principal charge on which they had him crucified. "The Jews answered Pilate: we have a law and according to that law he must die because he made himself Son of God" (In. 19:7). They did not say that he was God, they could never admit that, all the evidence notwithstanding; but only that he, falsely of course, claimed to be Son of God. We who already are firm believers in the divinity of Christ our Savior have no new doctrine to learn from today's gospel. It can, however, fill us with an ever deeper gratitude to God who sent his Son as man on earth, to make us his own adopted sons and heirs to heaven. It should also make us have a greater appreciation of our own value in the sight of God. He wants us in heaven with himself and so he sent his Son among us to make us capable of going there. Christ, his Son, humbled himself so that we should be glorified. Christ bore the cross so that we might get the eternal crown. Christ died an agonizing death that we might have an unending life of happiness. Is there anything more that God could have done for us? Like the crowd that day in Capernaum, we are amazed at the love God has shown us and the fatherly interest he has in our eternal welfare. Let us imitate the same crowd by glorifying God and his divine Son, who has made us his brothers. Excerpted from The Sunday Readings by Fr. Kevin O'Sullivan, O.F.M.

[Salvation]

Sunday's Gospel Reflections

7th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading I: Isaiah 43:16-19,21-22,24-25 II: 2Cor 1:18-22

---

Gospel
Mark 2:1-12

¹ And when he returned to Caper'na-um after some days, it was reported that he was at home.
² And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room for them, not even about the door; and he was preaching the word to them.
³ And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men.
⁴ And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and when they had made an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic lay.
⁵ And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "My son, your sins are forgiven."
⁶ Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts,
⁷ "Why does this man speak thus? It is blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
⁸ And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, "Why do you question thus in your hearts?
⁹ Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Rise, take up your pallet and walk'?
¹⁰ But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins" --he said to the paralytic--
¹¹ "I say to you, rise, take up your pallet and go home."
¹² And he rose, and immediately took up the pallet and went out before them all; so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"

---

Interesting Details

• Context. Chapter 1, read in the previous 4 Sundays, Mark described a successful beginning of Jesus’ ministry. In 2:1-3:6, read today and in the next two Sundays, leaders and scholars challenged Jesus with five legal issues, with increasingly hostile feeling:
  • 2:1-12: Some scribes quietly held “questions in their hearts” when they heard that Jesus forgave sins, which they considered a blasphemy.
  • 2:13-17: The scribes and Pharisees started to speak up, though only to the disciple and not directly with Jesus, about Him eating with sinners.
  • 2:18-22: People started to challenge Jesus directly because his disciples did not fast.
  • 2:23-28: Pharisees accused Jesus’ disciples of breaking the Sabbath law.
  • 3:1-6: Pharisees plotted to kill Jesus because He healed on the Sabbath.
• The bracketing technique: two very similar verses bracket a point that the writer wants to emphasize. “Questions in their hearts” in verses 6 and 8 thus emphasizes verse 7, “who can forgive sin by God alone?” Similarly, “Rise, take up your pallet and walk” in verses 9 and 11 emphasizes verse 10, “The Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.”
• Judaism then believed that only God can forgive sins, and only in heaven. For anyone else but God to claim this power is blasphemy, which is the conclusion of the high priest at Jesus’ trial (14:64).

---

One Main Point

Jesus is the Son of God, who forgives our sins now.

---

Reflections

1. Do I, like the Pharisees, resort to laws and logics to accuse people with increasing hatred, or do I try to see the presence of Jesus in other people?
2. Do I truly believe in and sense the effect of the forgiving power of God, right here and now?

---

[Salvation]

Homily of the Day

Homily of the Day

Title:	They Carried Their Friend to Jesus
Author:	Monsignor Dennis Clark, Ph.D.
Date:	Sunday, February 19, 2006

Is 43:18-19, 21-22, 24b-25 / 2 Cor 1:18-22 / Mk 2:1-12

Three men came upon a fiercely raging river which they absolutely had to cross. But they were scared to death and didn't know what to do. So the first man prayed, "Lord, give me the strength and courage to cross this river." And poof, God gave him huge arms and strong legs, and he swam across that river in only two hours.

The second man prayed too. "Lord, please give me the courage and ability to cross this river." Poof! God gave him a rowboat and he rowed across in only three hours.

The third man was so scared that he couldn't move. So he prayed fervently, "Lord, please give me the strength and ability to cross this river." Poof! God turned him into a woman, and she walked across the bridge in two minutes!

+ + +

At times we all get paralyzed and just can't move. Sometimes it's fear of the unknown that freezes us in place. Sometimes it's grief that plunges us into darkness so deep that we can't think. Sometimes it's the memory of past failures that makes our heart shrink and turn into itself. Sometimes it's anger or an old grievance that steals life and energy from us and leaves us dead in the water.

Whatever its cause, spiritual paralysis is something everyone experiences at some time in life. And that's why Sunday's gospel has such a valuable lesson for us. The paralyzed man needed healing, in body and spirit. But he couldn't move; he couldn't get to Jesus. So his friends did for him what he couldn't do for himself: They carried him to the place where he could be healed. They made an opening in the roof and carefully lowered him into Jesus' presence! And Jesus did the rest.

It's a perfect model for what we need to do for one another. When our friends hit a time of paralysis — from grief, fear, or whatever, we can pick them up and, ever so gently, carry them spiritually to a 'place' — not a physical but a spiritual place — where healing can happen and their future can be re-imagined. We can help make an opening to a new road.

Finding that opening, or creating it, takes time, and the process of helping our friend move through that opening may be slow. But it's holy work, God's work, to carry our brothers and sisters when they can't walk on their own and when they can see no openings in the blank walls that surround them.

Think how often God has done that for us: Carried and carried us until at last we're ready to receive his healing. There's only one way we can ever thank God for that: By carrying one another as he has carried us, helping our friends find the openings through the walls and into grace and healing, helping them see the bridge and walk across it.

What we have received as a gift, let us give as a gift.

 

[Salvation]

Lauds -- Morning Prayer

Morning Prayer (Lauds)

If this is the first Hour that you are reciting today, you should precede it with the Invitatory Psalm.

O God, come to my aid.
O Lord, make haste to help me.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
 as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
 world without end.
Amen. Alleluia.

---

A suitable hymn may be inserted at this point.

Psalm 92 (93)

The magnificence of the Creator

The Lord reigns! He is robed in splendour,
 clothed in glory and wrapped round in might.
He set the earth on its foundations:
 it will not be shaken.
Your throne is secure from the beginning;
 from the beginning of time, Lord, you are.

The rivers have raised, O Lord,
 the rivers have raised their voices.
 The rivers have raised their clamour.
Over the voices of many waters,
 over the powerful swell of the sea,
 you are the Lord, powerful on high.

All your promises are to be trusted:
 and holy is your habitation,
 O Lord, to the end of time.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
 as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
 world without end.
Amen.

---

Canticle	Daniel 3
All creatures, bless the Lord
Bless the Lord, all his works, praise and exalt him for ever. Bless the Lord, you heavens; all his angels, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, you waters above the heavens; all his powers, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, sun and moon; all stars of the sky, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, rain and dew; all you winds, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, fire and heat; cold and warmth, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, dew and frost; ice and cold, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, ice and snow; day and night, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, light and darkness; lightning and storm-clouds, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, all the earth, praise and exalt him for ever. Bless the Lord, mountains and hills; all growing things, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, seas and rivers; springs and fountains, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, whales and fish; birds of the air, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, wild beasts and tame; sons of men, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, O Israel, praise and exalt him for ever. Bless the Lord, his priests; all his servants, bless the Lord. Bless the Lord, spirits of the just; all who are holy and humble, bless the Lord. Ananias, Azarias, Mishael, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him for ever. Let us bless Father, Son and Holy Spirit, praise and exalt them for ever. Bless the Lord in the firmament of heaven, praise and glorify him for ever.

---

Psalm 148

An anthem to the Lord, the Creator

Praise the Lord from the heavens,
 praise him in the highest heavens.
Praise him, all his angels;
 praise him, all his powers.

Praise him, sun and moon,
 praise him, all stars that shine.
Praise him, waters of the heavens,
 and all the waters above the heavens.

Let them praise the name of the Lord,
 for he commanded and they were made.
He set them firm for all ages,
 he made a decree that will last for ever.

Praise the Lord from the earth,
 sea-serpents and depths of the sea,
fire, hail, snow and fog,
 storms and gales that obey his word,
mountains and hills,
 fruit-trees and cedars,
wild beasts and tame,
 serpents and birds.

Kings of the earth, all peoples,
 all leaders and judges of the earth,
young men and women,
 old people with the young –
praise the name of the Lord,
 for his name alone is exalted.

His splendour is above heaven and earth,
 he has raised up the strength of his people.
This song is for all his chosen ones,
 the children of Israel, the people close to him.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,
 as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
 world without end.
Amen.

A short Bible reading and responsory may follow here.

Canticle	Benedictus
The Messiah and his forerunner
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has come to his people and brought about their redemption. He has raised up the sign of salvation in the house of his servant David, as he promised through the mouth of the holy ones, his prophets through the ages: to rescue us from our enemies and all who hate us, to take pity on our fathers, to remember his holy covenant and the oath he swore to Abraham our father, that he would give himself to us, that we could serve him without fear – freed from the hands of our enemies – in uprightness and holiness before him, for all of our days. And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High: for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his path, to let his people know their salvation, so that their sins may be forgiven. Through the bottomless mercy of our God, one born on high will visit us to give light to those who walk in darkness, who live in the shadow of death; to lead our feet in the path of peace. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit,  as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,  world without end. Amen.

---

Some short prayers may follow here, to offer up the day's work to God.

Our Father, who art in Heaven,
 hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
 thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
 and forgive us our trespasses
 as we forgive those that trespass against us,
and lead us not into temptation,
 but deliver us from evil.

A concluding prayer may follow here.

---

May the Lord bless us and keep us from all harm; and may he lead us to eternal life.

A M E N

[truemiester]

Thanks.

It is good to be reminded of what is truth and what is not.
These are our truths.

[AlaninSA]

Ah, we have the same workbook. I've used it as well, but it's been hard to find in my house. My seven-year-old daughter has began to snag it for reading in her room. She did - by the way - have her first confession this week. Only three more months until her first Communion.

[Ciexyz]

Faith-sharing bump.