12/11/2023
Monday December 11, 2023
ST DAMASUS I, Pp (Opt. Mem)
Office: Psalter Week 2
Mass of the day or of the Memorial,
Preface of Advent 1
Vestment: Violet/White
Today’s Rosary: The Joyful Mystery
ENTRANCE ANTIPHON Cf. Jer 31:10; Is35:4
Hear the word of the LORD, O nations; declare it to the distant lands: Behold, our Saviour will come; you need no longer fear.
COLLECT
May our prayer of petition rise before you, we pray, O Lord, that, with purity unblemished, we, your servants may come, as we desire, to celebrate the great mystery of the Incarnation of your Only-Begotten Son. Who lives and reigns with you......
FIRST READING
_“God will come and save you.”_
A reading from the Book of Isaiah (Isaiah 35:1-10)
The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the lily it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing. 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, fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.” Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters shall break for thin 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. And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Holy Way; the unclean shall not pass over it, and fools shall not err therein. 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.
_The word of the Lord._
RESPONSORIAL PSALM 85:9ab and 10. 11 -12.13-14(R. Isaiah 35:4f)
_R/. Our God will come and save us!_
I will hear what the Lord God speaks;
He speaks of peace for his people and his faithful.
His salvation is near for those who fear him,
And his glory will dwell in our land. R/.
_R/. Our God will come and save us!_
Merciful love and faithfulness have met;
justice and peace have kissed.
Faithfulness shall spring from the earth,
and justice look down from heaven. R/.
_R/. Our God will come and save us!_
Also the Lord will bestow his bounty,
and our earth shall yield its increase.
Justice will march before him,
And guide his steps on the way. R/.
_R/. Our God will come and save us!_
_ALLELUIA_
Alleluia. Alleluia. Behold, the King is coming, the Lord of the earth, and he shall remove the yoke of our captivity. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
_“We have seen strange things today.”_
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Luke 5:17-26)
On one of those days, as Jesus was teaching, there were Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting by, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was with him to heal. And behold, men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralysed, and they sought 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 with his bed through the tiles into their midst before Jesus. And when he saw their faith he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this that speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God only?” When Jesus perceived their questionings, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you, ’or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins”— he said to the man who was paralysed—“I say to you, rise, take up your bed and go home.” And immediately he rose before them, and took up that on which he lay, and went home, glorifying God. And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen strange things today.”
_The Gospel of the Lord._
TODAY’S REFLECTIN
Free Your Heart from Bitterness and Hatred*
_(Monday, 11 December 2023. Read Isaiah 35:1-10, Ps. 85:9-14, Luke 5:17-26)_
_“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?” (Luke 5:21-22)_
A person who cannot be happy with the fortunes of another has a serious problem. A person who is always out to criticise and find faults in everything and everyone has a serious problem. A person who finds it difficult to praise God but constantly complains has a serious problem. What is this serious problem? It is hatred for others arising from bitterness!
In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus was in a house teaching the word of God, and suddenly, he felt the power of God within him to heal. Behold, at that same time, some person brought a paralytic to Jesus. By forgiving his sins before curing his paralysis, Jesus teaches us that physical healing follows when we do away with sin. Reconcile with God today. Go for confession and resolve to refrain from past sins. You will experience healing from all angles.
Jesus' action in today’s Gospel passage confirms that He is the long-awaited Messiah. In today’s reading, Isaiah’s prophecy has come into play: “The eyes of the blind shall be open, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then the lame man leap like a deer and the tongue of the mute sing for joy.”
Ordinarily, you should assume that when something good happens to you, people should be happy for you. Isn’t it? The bitter truth is that there will always be scribes and Pharisees around us - people who take offence knowing we are happy. They pretend to be our friends, but the moment our status changes (when things improve for us), they show their true colours.
The scribes and Pharisees plotted the death of Jesus instead of seeing that the miracle was proof of His Divinity. They didn’t believe that God could take our human flesh. This is what we celebrate at Christmas – the incarnation. The question is: “Do you believe that God has taken our flesh?”
On the other hand, do you sometimes catch yourself criticising others? Do you find it difficult to celebrate the success of others? Examine your heart; you might be harbouring bitterness, which often leads to hatred. Rejoice with those who rejoice. Celebrate the progress of others. Instead of winning every argument, look for ways to incarnate Jesus in our world.
Let us pray: Almighty, ever-living God, may I be an instrument of joy this advent. Through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen.
*Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless you. (Monday of the 2nd week of Advent. Bible Study: Isaiah 35:1-10, Ps. 85:9-14, Luke 5:17-26).*
BLESSING FOR THE NEW WEEK
Lord Jesus, I bless your name for giving me this day and for making me wake up from sleep strong and healthy. May your most Holy name be praised now and forever. Amen.
I offer to you all that we shall do today. Keep us safe, bless our families, favour the work of our hands and may your presence surround us and may it dispel and ward off every attack of the evil one.
Give me a faith that will be willing and ready to give a helping hand to others so that they will come to you and receive their blessings and miracles.
Through my work may the sick be healed, the eyes of the blind be opened, the deaf hear, the dumb speak and those whose hope is lost find their way back to you O Lord.
Make use of me to your own glory and may I become a channel of upliftment as I step out of my house today. May I be ready and willing to help others and in doing so may I never lack your help in my life. Amen.
It is a new day my dear friend, be positive in mind and heart, put in your best in what you do. Be kind to people, you will definitely receive God’s blessings and your testimonies will be sure at the end of the day.
May God’s help and glory rest upon you so that you will do good in his name. Amen.
PERSONAL DEVOTIONAL
"Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise"... Jeremiah 17:14
- Pray for forgiveness of your sins before you go into prayer.
- Place your right hand on your infirmity/disease. Then make the following pronouncements: You… (Name the weakness/ infirmity), you are a stranger in my body. No stranger can enjoy permanent residence, and so your stay in my body is hereby terminated in the name of Jesus Christ.
I, (name), therefore, standing on the word of God in Psalms 68:2, command you to melt as wax melts before fire in the name of Jesus Christ.
Let Us Pray,
Through the power of your cross Lord Jesus, I now resist all forms of sin, sickness and disease.
I say to all forms of sickness and disease caused by my own disobedience, that you are not God’s will for my life, and I enforce the power of the cross upon you right now, by the shed Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth, I command all forms of sickness and diseases to leave my body immediately.
Jesus bore my infirmities He was wounded for my transgressions, by his stripes I have been healed. No sickness, pain, death, fear or addiction shall ever be lord over me again. The penalty has been paid in full. I have been ransomed and redeemed, sanctified and set free Amen.