FIRST READING
The sacrifice of Abraham, our father in faith.
A reading from the Book of Genesis (Genesis 22: 1-19)
In those days: God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I” He said, “Take your son, your only- begotten son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering upon one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.” So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; and he cut the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him. On the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place afar off. Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you.” And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took in his hand the fire and the knife. So they went both of them together. And Isaac said to his father Abraham, “My father!” And he said, “Here am I, my son.” He said, “Behold, the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” Abraham said, “God will provide himself the lamb for a burnt offering, my son.” So they went both of them together. When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. Then Abraham put forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven, and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here am I.” He said, “Do not lay your hand on the lad or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only-begotten son, from me.” And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called the name of that place The Lord will provide; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.” And the angel of the Lord called to Abraham a second time from heaven, and said, “By myself I have sworn, says the Lord, because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only-begotten son, I will indeed bless you, and I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven and as the sand which is on the seashore. And your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies, and by your descendants shall all the nations of the earth bless themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.” So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beersheba; and Abraham dwelt at Beersheba.
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm116:1-2.3-4.5-6.8-9(R.9)
R/. I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.
Or: Alleluia.
I love the Lord, for he has heard
my voice, my appeal;
for he has turned his ear to me whenever I call. R.
They surrounded me, the snares of death;
the anguish of the grave has found me;
anguish and sorrow I found.
I called on the name of the Lord:
“Deliver my soul, O Lord!” R.
R/. I will walk in the presence of the Lord in the land of the living.
Or: Alleluia.
How gracious is the Lord, and just;
our God has compassion.
The Lord protects the simple;
I was brought low, and he saved me. R.
He has kept my soul from death,
my eyes from tears,
and my feet from stumbling.
I will walk in the presence of the Lord
In the land of the living. R.
ALLELUIA 2 Corinthians 5:19
Alleluia. God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
“They glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Matthew 9:1-8)
At that time: Getting into a boat Jesus crossed over and came to his own city. And behold, they brought to him a paralytic, lying on his bed; and when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For 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, take up your bed and go home.” And he rose and went home. When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Today’s Reflection
“To err is human, to forgive, divine,” says Alexander Pope. Forgiveness is an attribute of God which flows from the abundance of his Heart’s love. Where there is forgiveness, there is love and where there is love, there is forgiveness. God who is the fountain of love cannot contain in his heart anger against his children. Christ manifested God’s forgiveness through his preaching, teaching, miracles and most of all by his supreme sacrifice on the cross. The scribes accuse him of blasphemy because he makes himself equal to God. But he unequivocally asserts that he has authority on earth to forgive sins because he is both God and human. Forgiveness is the attribute of God. And anyone who extends forgiveness is already divine with Godly virtues because ‘to forgive is divine’!