22ND WEDNESDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Luke 4:38-44) - The Word of God for Everyone

“To the other towns also I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent.” (Lk 4:43)

FIRST READING - Col 1:1-8

"The word of truth, the gospel, that has come to you, just as in the whole world."

A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Colossians

¹ Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, ² to the holy ones and faithful brothers in Christ in Colossae: grace to you and peace from God our Father.

^{[b] 3} We always give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, ⁴ for we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love that you have for all the holy ones ⁵ because of the hope reserved for you in heaven. Of this you have already heard through the word of truth, the gospel, ⁶ that has come to you. Just as in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing, so also among you, from the day you heard it and came to know the grace of God in truth, ⁷ as you learned it from Epaphras^[c] our beloved fellow slave, who is a trustworthy minister of Christ on your behalf ⁸ and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Lk 4:38-44

“To the other towns also I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent.”

✠From the Gospel according to Luke

³⁸ After he left the synagogue, he entered the house of Simon.^[a] Simon’s mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever, and they interceded with him about her. ³⁹ He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately and waited on them.

⁴⁰ At sunset, all who had people sick with various diseases brought them to him. He laid his hands on each of them and cured them. ^41 [b]And demons also came out from many, shouting, “You are the Son of God.” But he rebuked them and did not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Messiah.

^42 [c]At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place. The crowds went looking for him, and when they came to him, they tried to prevent him from leaving them. ⁴³ But he said to them, “To the other towns also I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent.” ⁴⁴ And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.^[d]

22ND WEDNESDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Luke 4:38-44)

The Word of God for Everyone

Dear People of God,

The Word of God today tells of Jesus healing Peter’s mother-in-law from a fever. And through this, God wants to express His love for all of humanity.

The image of Jesus commanding the fever, and the fever leaving Peter’s mother-in-law, shows everyone the authority and power of God, which is immeasurably great and unmatched. Only the merciful love of God can help human beings to be healthy and at peace. Through this healing, God wants to express His love for all of humanity.

God is the Master of the entire universe and of humankind. If human beings do not have God's protection and healing from all illnesses and infirmities, then they will forever live in suffering in this world. But the merciful love of God always overflows and covers all of humanity. He does not have the heart to abandon human beings when they are suffering, sick, or afflicted. He will touch the every pain of human beings to care for and heal them.

God does not abandon any human being when they know how to run to Him. Precisely because He wants to heal humanity, He desires that the work of proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom of Heaven be spread to everyone across the ends of the earth. He does not limit His healing to one nation, one community, or one small group, but He desires to pour out those graces upon all people throughout the entire earth.

Therefore, today God is calling His apostles to also follow the example of Jesus Christ:

• Go forth to proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom of Heaven throughout the whole world and spread the merciful love of God to all of humanity. To accomplish this, the apostles of God must become like Jesus Christ, and look upon His image hanging on the Cross, and follow His example by daring to sacrifice their very lives for others.

• When His apostles, day by day, become more like Jesus Christ, then the power, authority, and holiness of God will dwell within the hearts of those individuals. And through that, the power of God will cast out Satan from the sick and the sinners, and will heal all illnesses and infirmities for others.

To receive the power and authority of God, God calls His apostles today to:

• Become good and loving shepherds.

• Live worthily of the calling to be children of God and those whom God has chosen and sent forth.

• Live according to the command of God, which is to become conformed to the likeness of Jesus Christ, to carry the Cross with Him up to Calvary, to suffer with Him in order to bring sinful souls back to God.

With such practice and with the strength given by God, the legions of Satan will be terrified and will be forced to depart from the sick and the sinners.

Thanks be to God. Amen.