HEAL AND BRING GOOD NEWS TO THE POOR
Introduction
People and events are agents of salvation: heaven and earth cooperate, but ultimately it is God who saves through people. In the first reading, through the prophet, God addresses Cyrus the Great, who let the Jews return from exile. He was an instrument of God to bring liberation to the Jews. Also pagans are called to salvation.
When he is asked by the disciples of John whether he was the expected Messiah or whether they had to wait for someone else, Jesus reminds them of what the prophets had foretold about the Messiah and to look at what Jesus was doing. He restored the sight of the blind, made the deaf hear, cured lepers and proclaimed the good news of the kingdom to those poor in any way. Was that not a sufficient answer?
Opening Prayer
Lord our God,
in your concern for people
you want all to be saved.
We pray you today
that we may be ready to receive you,
your justice and your peace,
and that in your hands
we may be eager instruments
to share your integrity and love
with all willing to listen.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord. Amen!
1 Reading: Isaiah 45:6c-8, 18, 21c-25
I am the LORD, there is no other; I form the light, and create the darkness, I make well-being and create woe; I, the LORD, do all these things. Let justice descend, O heavens, like dew from above, like gentle rain let the skies drop it down. Let the earth open and salvation bud forth; let justice also spring up! I, the LORD, have created this. For thus says the LORD, The creator of the heavens, who is God, The designer and maker of the earth who established it, Not creating it to be a waste, but designing it be lived in: I am the LORD, and there is no other. Who announced this from the beginning and foretold it from of old? Was it not I, the LORD, besides whom there is no other God? There is no just and saving God but me. Turn to me and be safe, all you ends of the earth, for I am God; there is no other! By myself I swear, uttering my just decree and my unalterable word: To me every knee shall bend; by me every tongue shall swear, saying, “Only in the LORD are just deeds and power. Before him in shame shall come all who vent their anger against him. In the LORD shall be the vindication and the glory of all the descendants of Israel.”
Responsorial Psalm 85:9ab and 10, 11-12, 13-14
R. (Isaiah 45:8) Let the clouds rain down the Just One, and the earth bring forth a Saviour.
I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD–for he proclaims peace to his people.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land. R.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven. R.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and salvation, along the way of his steps. R.
Alleluia: Isaiah 40:9-10
Alleluia, alleluia.
Raise your voice and tell the Good News:
Behold, the Lord GOD comes with power.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel: Luke 7:18b-23
At that time, John summoned two of his disciples and sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?” When the men came to the Lord, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?’” At that time Jesus cured many of their diseases, sufferings, and evil spirits; he also granted sight to many who were blind. And Jesus said to them in reply, “Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, the poor have the good news proclaimed to them. And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.”
Commentary
How do we tell the world that we believe in the true God?
Today’s gospel tells us of six new realities that manifest the works of the Messiah: the healing of the blind, the deaf, the lepers, the crippled, the resurrection of the dead and the proclamation the gospel to the poor. These are the signs of God’s presence in the world. There might be occasions when people around us question us about our faith. Are you believing in a true God?
Today, it remains the responsibility of the Church, – the responsibility of each of us who profess our faith in Christ, to make his presence felt in the world. As we prepare to celebrate the birth of the One who comes, let us remember that the work of Jesus to liberate the lame, the deaf, the blind, the poor, the ostracized – in every sense of those words – still needs to be done and that it is the responsibility of each one of us to make our own contribution
Jesus invites us to heal the sick: How do we do that? That our life example may inspire those who are crippled and are unable to move a step towards the Lord and towards their brothers and sisters that they may walk quickly. That those who are deaf to the word of God, through every word we speak, may listen to God’s Word and be guided by it. Whoever is ashamed of himself of the leprosy of sin that keeps him away from God and from the people, may feel cleansed and confident. Whoever is involved in acts of violence and killing may turn to be promoters of life and love. Whoever regards oneself miserable and hopeless may begin to listen to the good news.
And, as for ourselves, let us pray to be liberated from the blindness, deafness, dumbness and paralysis that prevents us from making that contribution to the building of the Kingdom.
Intercessions
– Lord Jesus, if you are the one who has come among us, why have we kept so many people blind and deaf to your message? Open their eyes and ears, we pray:
– Lord Jesus, if you are alive among us, why are so many among us unclean with sins of hatred and lame because we are slow in bringing justice? Heal us, we pray:
– Lord Jesus, if you are with us, why have we not shared with the poor and brought joy to them? Make us serving communities, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
Lord our God, this bread and this wine
are signs that your Son comes among us
in this Eucharistic celebration.
May he also be present among us in daily life,
as he was present among the people of his time,
when we help those who suffer
and when we bring justice and freedom
to the poor and the oppressed.
Give us the strength to do this
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen!
Prayer after Communion
Lord our God,
you promise us salvation
and we know that your word is irrevocable.
To you a promise is the beginning of its fulfilment.
God, send Jesus among us now, today,
for he is the one to come
and we have not to wait for anyone else.
May people see that he is here
when there is faithfulness and justice among us
and when we speak words of peace.
We ask you this through Christ our Lord. Amen!
Blessing
Can we say that we are Christian communities in whom Christ lives if there are still many poor and neglected people among us, people who suffer, victims of injustice and discrimination? May God change you and bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!