1st READING
God brings the desert to life. There is an abundance of color and life in the desert of the north and east of Perth every spring. Wildflowers outdo one another in an outburst of color for the glory of the Lord. The desert is literally carpeted by colors. This is what God’s power can do—the impossible.
1 The desert and the parched land will exult; the steppe will rejoice and bloom. 2 They will bloom with abundant flowers, and rejoice with joyful song. The glory of Lebanon will be given to them, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God. 3 Strengthen the hands that are feeble, make firm the knees that are weak, 4 say to those whose hearts are frightened: Be strong, fear not! Here is your God, he comes with vindication; with divine recompense he comes to save you. 5 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened, the ears of the deaf be cleared; 6 then will the lame leap like a stag, then the tongue of the dumb will sing. Streams will burst forth in the desert, and rivers in the steppe. 7 The burning sands will become pools, and the thirsty ground, springs of water; the abode where jackals lurk will be a marsh for the reed and papyrus. 8 A highway will be there, called the holy way; no one unclean may pass over it, nor fools go astray on it. 9 No lion will be there, nor beast of prey go up to be met upon it. It is for those with a journey to make, and on it the redeemed will walk. 10 Those whom the Lord has ransomed will return and enter Zion singing, crowned with everlasting joy; they will meet with joy and gladness, sorrow and mourning will flee.
PSALM
Psalm 85:9, 10, 11-12, 13-14
R: Our God will come to save us.
9 I will hear what God proclaims; the Lord—for he proclaims peace to his people. 10 Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him, glory dwelling in our land. (R) 11 Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss. 12 Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven. (R) 13 The Lord himself will give his benefits; our land shall yield its increase. 14 Justice shall walk before him, and salvation, along the way of his steps. (R)
GOSPEL
Forgiveness is a greater miracle than the healing of paralysis. The physical realities silence the cries of our spirits. Part of discernment is learning to listen to our spirit so we can also attend to these realities and the more immediate physical ones. Let us allow Jesus to remind us of the importance of reflecting on the spiritual realities and be attentive to them.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Behold the king will come, the Lord of the earth, and he himself will lift the yoke of our captivity.
Luke 5:17-26
17 One day as Jesus was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and Jerusalem were sitting there, and the power of the Lord was with him for healing. 18 And some men brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed; they were trying to bring him in and set him in his presence. 19 But not finding a way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on the stretcher through the tiles into the middle in front of Jesus. 20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “As for you, your sins are forgiven.” 21 Then the scribes and Pharisees began to ask themselves, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who but God alone can forgive sins?” 22 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in reply, “What are you thinking in your hearts? 23 Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 24 But 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, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.” 25 He stood up immediately before them, picked up what he had been lying on, and went home, glorifying God. 26 Then astonishment seized them all and they glorified God, and, struck with awe, they said, “We have seen incredible things today.”
Reflect: “If our greatest need had been money, then God would have sent us an economist. But since our greatest need was forgiveness, then He sent us a Savior.” – Max Lucado
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T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST
thank You, Lord, for:
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Read the Bible in one year - Ezekiel 45-48
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