January 10

January 10, 2014:  Friday after Epiphany

Readings

• 1 Jn 5:5-13  The one who believes Jesus is God's Son is victor.  The Spirit, the water, and the Blood testify that God gave us eternal life in his Son.  Whoever possesses the Son has life.

• Ps 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20  "Praise the Lord, Jerusalem."  God has strengthened your gates, blessed your children, granted peace in your borders, and filled you with the best of wheat.

• Lk 5:12-16  A leper saw Jesus, fell prostrate, and pleaded with him, saying, “Lord, you can make me clean.”  Jesus touched and cleansed him.  News spread, and crowds came to listen and be cured.

Pope Francis

• Homily:  Whoever abides in God, abides in love, has victory over the world, and this victory is our faith.  The Church is full of Christians who don't believe faith is the victory:  if you don't live your faith, there's defeat, the prince of this world wins.  Faith requires confessing and trusting:  truly believing God who revealed Himself to us, and entrusting yourself to God, leading to strong hope.

• Gospel Joy (Evangelii Gaudium drill-down), resuming Chapter 3 (a series):

Reverence for truth:  Pray to the Spirit, then study the biblical text, humbly recognizing it's beyond us.  Be patient, put aside other concerns, and study with undivided attention; don't seek immediate results.  You love God; take the time you need. 

Understand the words' meaning, what the authors were saying in language of their time.  Use tools of literary analysis:  attend to repeated/emphasized words, recognize structure and movement, consider characters' roles—to discover the message giving the text structure and unity—or else the preaching won't inspire others.  Recognize authors’ ideas and the effects they intended. Don't use texts written to console to correct errors; don't use exhortations to teach; and don't use summonses to praise or outreach to talk about news. 

Relate the message to the teaching of the whole Bible, not contradicting other scriptural teachings—but don't weaken the specific emphasis of the day's text.  Tedious ineffectual preaching doesn't convey the text's intrinsic power.  (3.III, 146-148, pp. 115-118) 

Reflections

• Creighton:  The leper believes in Jesus and believes Jesus can heal him.  When we believe in God and Jesus, we win faith, healing, and life. 

• RC.net:  The untouchables and outcasts found help in Jesus.  A leper was regarded as dead, but Jesus met this one with compassion.  How do I approach those who are hard to love or who others shun?

• Sacred Space

Music

• Love has come/ Maher
• Love has come/ Grant
• O Love, how deep, how broad, how high (lyrics)

Apparel

• Keyboard tie pin with dove:  the Spirit testifies (1st reading)
• Blue shirt:  the water testifies (1st reading)
• Blood donor pin:  the blood testifies (1st reading)
• Wheat pin:  "filled you with the best of wheat" (psalm)
• "Children around Christmas tree" tie:  "God has blessed your children" (psalm), Christmas season
• Medical pin:  healing of leper (gospel)
• "Star" tie pin:  star guiding the magi (Epiphany season)
• Christmas pin and tie:  It's Christmas till Jan. 12!

Dress your life!

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