Category: Bible Reading & Meditation
“Do you want to be healed?” –John 5:6 Jesus didn’t ask the sick man: “Do you want to be sick?” The sick man, and most people, would answer with a resounding “No.” Jesus asked him, and asks us, “Do you want to be healed?” (Jn 5:6) The sick man didn’t answer “Yes.” Perhaps he wanted to be rid of his sickness, but didn’t want to change the lifestyle of limitations and sin (Jn 5:14) that he’d built around his sickness. He had a soul sickness as well as a physical sickness. It’s not in Jesus’ nature to do a half-healing....
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“He and his whole household thereupon became believers.” –John 4:53 Mass Readings: March 12 First: Isaiah 65:17-21; Resp: Psalm 30:2,4-6,11-13; Gospel: John 4:43-54 Listen to the Mass Readings There are various points in any work. There is conception, when we conceive an idea. Every work has its beginning and end. Most works are punctuated with breakthroughs, decisions, and problems. The most important point in a work is often the point of faith. For example, a royal official tried unsuccessfully to bring healing to his son who was near death. When he heard that Jesus “had come back from Judea to...
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“God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.” –John 3:17 We are saved by grace through faith (Eph 2:8). Jesus saved us especially by the grace of His death and resurrection. We are being saved by this good news “at this very moment” if we “hold fast to it” (1 Cor 15:2). Yet salvation is not only a past and present reality, it is future. “For if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from...
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“The other man, however, kept his distance, not even daring to raise his eyes to heaven.” –Luke 18:13 The humble tax collector in today’s Gospel passage did not presume he was worthy to approach God. He saw his position in relation to God correctly and realized his only option was to throw himself upon the mercy of God. He hoped in God; otherwise he would not have entered the Temple to pray, but knowing his unworthiness he remained at a distance. Jesus was pleased with this man’s humility, and proclaimed him “justified” in God’s sight (Lk 18:14). This parable is...
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“Take with you words, and return to the Lord.” –Hosea 14:3 Return to the Lord, or you will collapse “through your guilt” (Hos 14:2). “Return to the Lord; say to Him, ‘Forgive all iniquity’ ” (Hos 14:3). Return to the Lord, for He will heal your defection and love you freely (Hos 14:5). Return to the Lord; because of Him you “bear fruit” (Hos 14:9). Return to the Lord, for He is merciful and will not remain angry with you (Jer 3:12). “Return, rebellious children” (Jer 3:14), and He will appoint over you shepherds after His own heart who will...
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