Presence

Lord, I lay aside my thoughts, worries and cares and focus on you during these few moments of prayer.

First Reading

Isaiah 35:1-10 NRSVue

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and shouting. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the Lord, the majesty of our God.]] Strengthen the weak hands and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are of a fearful heart, “Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God. He will come with vengeance, with terrible recompense. He will come and save you.” Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be opened; then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy. For waters shall break forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert; the burning sand shall become a pool and the thirsty ground springs of water; the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp; the grass shall become reeds and rushes. A highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Holy Way; the unclean shall not travel on it, but it shall be for God’s people; no traveler, not even fools, shall go astray. No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

First Reading Reflection

We can take heart from the readings during Advent, which are to encourage, console and uplift us. Let us rejoice and give thanks and praise that we have a God full of tender mercy and compassion, whose mercies are new every morning. (Lamentations 3:22-23). Advent is a time to renew our hope, and to remember that the Light is coming into the world, ever new, ever needed, ever welcome. We are filled with amazement when we think of the baby of Bethlehem, God become human, small and weak and vulnerable. Let us try to bring this amazement and wonder into our everyday lives, and especially during this season, that we have a God who is with us, Emmanuel. We reflect on the beautiful words of Isaiah, a prophet as much for our times as for ages past, whose message is needed in the “wilderness” of our lives, and who tells us to “Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God”.

Gospel

Luke 5:17-26 NRSVue

One day while he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem were sitting nearby, and the power of the Lord was with him to heal. Just then some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a stretcher. They were trying to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, but, finding no way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down on the stretcher through the tiles into the middle of the crowd in front of Jesus. When he saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you.” Then the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, “Who is this who is speaking blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” When Jesus perceived their questionings, he answered them, “Why do you raise such questions in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the one who was paralyzed—“I say to you, stand up and take your stretcher and go to your home.” Immediately he stood up before them, took what he had been lying on, and went to his home, glorifying God. Amazement seized all of them, and they glorified God and were filled with fear, saying, “We have seen incredible things today.”

Gospel Reflection

They saw strange things, the people who were there for the visit of Jesus. They saw a roof being stripped and a stretcher let down in front of Jesus. They saw the reaction of the religious leaders. They heard that sins were forgiven, and they witnessed a paralysed man walk again. The man who was healed was amazed too, and the stretcher he brought home would be a souvenir forever of the best day of his life – the day he met Jesus. Jesus always has something to offer. Anytime we pray, we are the better for it. In meeting him, there is healing of the soul, of griefs and hurts and the forgiveness of sins. Christmas and our preparation for it is a time of hope, new life, childlike joy and the healing, forgiving power of our God.

Closing Prayer

Lord, I let the words of the prophet Isaiah and the Gospel where you perform this amazing miracle sink into my heart. I ask you to perform a miracle of healing in my own life, to set me free from any ways that I am paralysed or chained by sin, hopelessness or suffering. Amen.