Faith of Others

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/011615.cfm) reminds me that God honors even the faith of others to benefit us.

There are people in our lives that we look up to in the aspect of faith. We ask people to pray for and with us. There are people whose faith inspires us. And in today’s gospel, we are reminded that God honors the faith of others and blesses us because of them.

The benefits of faith are transferrable. Your faith can bless others around you.

The four friends of the paralytic man had great faith. It was not enough that they made an effort to carry the man and bring him to Jesus. When they saw a lot of people, when they saw challenges, their faith shone even brighter. They made the effort to bring him down through the roof. And when Jesus saw this, especially the faith of the men, he forgave the man and healed him.

Like stars that shine brightest during the darkest of night, faith shines brightest during the toughest of situations.

In life, we are also faced with challenges. Things don’t come easy. However, we are reminded to have faith for God will honor our faith. We are also reminded not just to have friends who have a lot of faith or who are very spiritual, but be that kind of friend to others. May our faith benefit not only ourselves, but others around us as well.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another weekend coming up. Lord, I thank you for the gift of faith. Thank you for honoring my faith, and for giving me friends who pray for me. I also ask you that you help me strengthen my faith, not just for myself and my needs, but so that I may be able to bless others through it. Amen.

Blessed weekend!

In Christ,

-g-

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January 16, 2015

Friday of the First Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 309

Reading 1 Heb 4:1-5, 11

Let us be on our guard

while the promise of entering into his rest remains,

that none of you seem to have failed.

For in fact we have received the Good News just as our ancestors did.

But the word that they heard did not profit them,

for they were not united in faith with those who listened.

For we who believed enter into that rest,

just as he has said:

As I swore in my wrath,

“They shall not enter into my rest,”

and yet his works were accomplished

at the foundation of the world.

For he has spoken somewhere about the seventh day in this manner,

And God rested on the seventh day from all his works;

and again, in the previously mentioned place,

They shall not enter into my rest.

Therefore, let us strive to enter into that rest,

so that no one may fall after the same example of disobedience.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 78:3 and 4bc, 6c-7, 8

R. (see 7b) Do not forget the works of the Lord!

What we have heard and know,

and what our fathers have declared to us,

we will declare to the generation to come

The glorious deeds of the LORD and his strength.

R. Do not forget the works of the Lord!

That they too may rise and declare to their sons

that they should put their hope in God,

And not forget the deeds of God

but keep his commands.

R. Do not forget the works of the Lord!

And not be like their fathers,

a generation wayward and rebellious,

A generation that kept not its heart steadfast

nor its spirit faithful toward God.

R. Do not forget the works of the Lord!

Alleluia Lk 7:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

A great prophet has arisen in our midst

and God has visited his people.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

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 him,

“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.”