Daily Reflection – Jan 8, 2015
Friday 8 January 2016
First Reading: 1 John 5:5-13
Responsorial Psalm:
Lord, every nation on earth will adore you
Psalm 147:12-15, 19-20
Gospel Reading: Luke 5:12-16
Today’s Note: Friday after Epiphany. Day of penance
Gospel Reading:
It happened that there was a man full of leprosy in one of the towns where Jesus was;
and when he saw Jesus,
he fell prostrate, pleaded with him, and said,
“Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.”
Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said,
“I do will it. Be made clean.”
And the leprosy left him immediately.
Then he ordered him not to tell anyone, but
“Go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing
what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.”
The report about him spread all the more,
and great crowds assembled to listen to him
and to be cured of their ailments,
but he would withdraw to deserted places to pray.
Reflection:
‘He would always go off to some place where he could be alone and pray.’
The faith that John is describing in his First Letter in today’s reading is aptly demonstrated in Luke’s story of the leper who asked Jesus to cure him. John asks: ‘Who can overcome the world?’ and gives the reply: ‘Only the man who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.’ Clearly, the leper had such faith and left Jesus as a healed man. Luke explains that after healing those who came to him Jesus would go away to pray in a quiet place. This surely is a lesson for us to be people of both action and prayer.
What are you choosing these days? When you get up, choose to get out of bed for the glory of God. When you make your bed, choose to join God in making beauty out of chaos. When you wash your face and brush your teeth, choose to “be made clean” for the glory of God. When you eat breakfast, choose to eat to honor God’s temple, your body. (or as one friend says, God has enough glory. Let’s give God joy!) Etc, etc…
Do we find quiet times of prayer and reflection in the midst of our busy lives? Do we act with faith and sense the Spirit close-by as we participate in the making of the Kingdom?
Lord, if you choose! Choose to make our world clean, our water, air, and soil. Choose and inspire many of us to live more simply, to care more lovingly for our earth.
