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Isaiah 35:1-10
Psalm 85:9AB & 10, 11-12, 13-14
Luke 5:17-26
Summary
The first reading is a beautiful verse that
proclaims the glory and splendor of God,
and echoes joy and gladness throughout
the land. The responsorial psalm prom-
ises kindness, truth, peace, justice and
salvation to those who believe. Lastly,
the gospel clearly points out the benefits
of faith versus doubt and skepticism.
Reflection
Faith is the cornerstone of the church. Faith is why we are here. Faith can move
mountains and faith can transform lives - turning desperate situations into holy
ones. Faith is trust. Trust in a person, situation, or in God. The common thread
in all of the readings today is Faith. “Be strong, fear not” and “Our God will
come to save us” and “When Jesus saw their faith, he said, ‘As for you, your sins
are forgiven.’” We need to trust in the power of the Lord, trust that God loves us
and wants us to be happy, and trust that we are indeed deserving of the bounty
of God’s gifts.
The first reading is a poetic rendering of the glory of God’s gifts to us. The joy in
this reading is palpable! It is a gorgeous glimpse of what can be, if only we will
trust in God and believe that we deserve it. It is for those with a journey to make
– which is all of us – to leave fear and sorrow behind and swim in the rivers of
everlasting joy. It is an invitation to each one of
us to live in the splendor of our God. And a re-
minder to have faith, in moments of weakness,
that God will strengthen our feeble hands,
steady our weak knees, and send courage to
our frightened hearts. It just takes faith.