THURSDAY OF THE THIRTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - Mt 9:1-8 - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

"Courage, child, your sins are forgiven." (Mt 9:2)

READING OF THE DAY

A reading from the Book of Amos

Am 7:10-17

Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent word to Jeroboam,

king of Israel:

"Amos has conspired against you here within Israel;

the country cannot endure all his words.

For this is what Amos says:

Jeroboam shall die by the sword,

and Israel shall surely be exiled from its land."

To Amos, Amaziah said:

"Off with you, visionary, flee to the land of Judah!

There earn your bread by prophesying,

but never again prophesy in Bethel;

for it is the king's sanctuary and a royal temple."

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!"

You say: prophesy not against Israel,

preach not against the house of Isaac.

Now thus says the LORD:

Your wife shall be made a harlot in the city,

and your sons and daughters shall fall by the sword;

Your land shall be divided by measuring line,

and you yourself shall die in an unclean land;

Israel shall be exiled far from its land.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to Matthew

Mt 9:1-8

After entering a boat, Jesus made the crossing, and came into his own town.

And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher.

When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic,

"Courage, child, your sins are forgiven."

At that, some of the scribes said to themselves,

"This man is blaspheming."

Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said,

"Why do you harbor evil thoughts?

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.

THURSDAY OF THE THIRTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Mt 9:1-8

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

The Word of God in today's Gospel reports about Jesus Christ healing a paralytic man in a group of sick people and sinners who came to Him.

Because of love, Jesus Christ came to earth to become a human being and sacrificed His own life to save humanity. He is God, the light that must enter the world to expel sin and banish Satan, who imprisons human souls and bodies. That image is seen clearly in the Gospel when Jesus healed the paralytic man and those around Him placed their faith in God. And it was that faith that saved the paralytic man from sin and from the imprisonment of Satan. In that way, God wants to remind everyone that placing absolute trust in Him will cure and erase all diseases and all sins when they come to Him.

But besides those who believe in God, there are also those who oppose Him. These are reflections of Satan seeking to destroy the works of Jesus Christ. Among those who oppose God, there are people who say: He speaks blasphemy, that He is just a human being, and dares to say forgiveness of sins. In fact, they claim this because they do not believe in Jesus Christ. Their hearts are still hard, their souls are still closed, so they do not recognize the loving deeds of Jesus Christ, so they find ways to oppose Him.

Today, in the work of the House of God the Father, there are many people who do not believe, their hearts are closed, they are imprisoned and controlled and unable to recognize the good deeds that come from God, especially God's chosen Chu Thien Thuong and His prophets of the new era. Satan took advantage of those weaknesses to try to destroy the work of the House of God the Father.

This opposition recalls the image of Jesus Christ. When He performed miracles, healed, cast out demons, and granted forgiveness of sins, yet the Jews said: That He used Belzebul to cast out demons, and He blasphemed.

And today, who are Chu Thien Thuong and God's prophets? They are weak and sinful people, but God lovingly chose, purified, and transformed them so that He could place them in His work to continue the salvation work of Jesus Christ, to collaborate with the Church to carry out God the Father's commandment: to sacrifice and sacrifice oneself to exorcise demons and heal the sick and sinners, saving many sinful souls and have them return to God.

It is God the Father who has the right to forgive sins, heal all diseases, expel demons, and free people from the captivity of Satan. Chu Thien Thuong and His prophets are simply instruments for the purpose of performing the work of God. Therefore, all who want to enjoy God's salvation should open their hearts to receive the grace of the Spirit from God and believe in His work placed in the House of God the Father. Whoever believes will be saved by God, but whoever does not believe, God will always give them freedom. But whoever opposes the Spirit of God will be punished forever, as He said: "Every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.

And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come." (Mt 12:31-32).

Thanks be to God. Amen