Body and Soul

Greetings on this the Thursday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Readings: Am 7:10-17; PS 19:8, 9, 10, 11; Mt 9:1-8
Notes: Today’s gospel portion is closely related to yesterday’s gospel portion.

• Those you heal, will be healed.
• Those you free, will be freed.

https://deacongerrypalermo.blog/2022/06/29/all-gave-some-some-gave-all/

Jesus heals Body and Soul.
Primacy is the soul but visually we can see in the body.

• He heals when he speaks (and we proclaim).
• He heals when he touches and we touch (Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick).
• He heals when he forgives and we forgive sin (Sacrament of Reconciliation).

Prayer before Deacon proclaims the Gospel:
May the Lord be in your heart and on your lips,
that you may proclaim his Gospel worthily and well,
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Prayer after the proclaiming the Gospel:
Through the words of the Gospel may our sins be wiped away.
(Hearing the proclaimed Gospel removes venial sin).

ALSO
First Martyrs of the Church of Rome (Optional but timely)
https://www.franciscanmedia.org/saint-of-the-day/first-martyrs-of-the-church-of-rome

Before we get so high and mighty about making this nation without true Religious Freedom, we may want to consider when the power is in the other’s hands!

According to the historian Tacitus, many Christians were put to death because of their “hatred of the human race.” Peter and Paul were probably among the victims.

Reflection

Wherever the Good News of Jesus was preached, it met the same opposition as Jesus did, and many of those who began to follow him shared his suffering and death. But no human force could stop the power of the Spirit unleashed upon the world. The blood of martyrs has always been, and will always be, the seed of Christians.

First reading
Amos answered Amaziah, “I was no prophet,
nor have I belonged to a company of prophets;
I was a shepherd and a dresser of sycamores.
The LORD took me from following the flock, and said to me,
‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’
Now hear the word of the LORD!”

God does not call the qualified. He qualifies the called.

Responsorial Psalm
The judgments of the Lord are true, and all of them are just.

Alleluia Verse
God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ
and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

Gospel Portion
Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’
or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?
But that you may know that the Son of Man
has authority on earth to forgive sins”–
he then said to the paralytic,
“Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”
He rose and went home.
When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe
and glorified God who had given such authority to men.

Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry