Friday of Week 12 in Ordinary Time
Liturgical Colour: Green. Year A(II).
First Reading
2 Kings 25:1-12
In the ninth year of Zedekiah's reign,
in the tenth month,
on the tenth day of the month,
Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came with his whole army to attack Jerusalem.
He pitched camp in front of the city
and threw up earthworks round it.
The city lay under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.
In the fourth month,
on the ninth day of the month,
when famine was raging in the city
and there was no food for the populace,
a breach was made in the city wall.
The king made his escape under cover of darkness
with all the fighting men,
by way of the gate between the two walls,
which is near the king's garden.
The Chaldaeans pursued the king
and caught up with him in the plains of Jericho,
where all his troops deserted.
The Chaldaeans captured the king
and brought him before the king of Babylon at Riblah,
who passed sentence on him.
He had the sons of Zedekiah slaughtered before his eyes,
then put out Zedekiah's eyes,
loaded him with chains,
and carried him off to Babylon.
In the fifth month,
on the seventh day of the month,
Nebuzaradan,
commander of the guard,
entered Jerusalem.
He burned down the Temple of the Lord,
the royal palace,
and all the houses in Jerusalem.
The Chaldaean troops demolished the walls surrounding Jerusalem.
Nebuzaradan deported the remainder of the population,
while leaving some of the poorer people behind
to work as vineyard workers and ploughmen.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 136(137):1-6
Response: Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you!
By the rivers of Babylon
there we sat and wept,
remembering Zion.
On the poplars
we hung up our harps.
Response: Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you!
Our captors asked us for songs,
our oppressors demanded joy:
"Sing to us one of Zion's songs."
But how could we sing
the song of the Lord
on alien soil?
Response: Let my tongue be silenced, if I ever forget you!
If I forget you, Jerusalem,
let my right hand wither.
Let my tongue
cling to my mouth
if I remember you not,
if I prize not Jerusalem
above all my joys.
Gospel
Matthew 8:1-4
After Jesus had come down from the mountain,
large crowds followed him.
A leper came up
and bowed low before him.
"Sir," he said,
"if you want to,
you can cure me."
Jesus stretched out his hand,
touched him,
and said,
"Of course I want to!
Be cured!"
Immediately
his leprosy was cured.
Then Jesus said,
"Tell no one,
but go and show yourself to the priest
and make the offering prescribed by Moses
as evidence for them."
Reflection
The fall of Jerusalem marks one of the most heartbreaking moments in Israel's history. The Temple, the visible sign of God's dwelling among his people, is burned. The walls that symbolised security are reduced to rubble. The people who once celebrated God's faithfulness now sit beside the rivers of Babylon weeping for what has been lost.
Yet Scripture never presents exile as the end of the story. Even in judgement, God remains faithful to his covenant. The exile purifies Israel's heart and prepares the way for restoration. The Catechism reminds us that throughout salvation history God continually calls his people back to himself through conversion and mercy (CCC 1428–1432).
The Gospel provides a striking contrast. Where sin had brought separation and ruin, Jesus brings restoration. A man suffering from leprosy approaches Christ with remarkable faith. He does not question Jesus' power; he questions only whether the Lord is willing.
Jesus' response reveals the heart of God:
"Of course I want to."
Before healing the disease, Jesus does something astonishing—he touches the man. Under the Law, lepers were isolated from society. Others avoided them out of fear of becoming unclean. Christ does the opposite. His holiness is not diminished by touching the unclean; instead, his holiness overcomes uncleanness. The Catechism teaches that in his earthly life Jesus showed God's compassionate love for every human person, especially those burdened by suffering (CCC 1503-1505).
The destruction of Jerusalem reminds us what sin destroys.
The healing of the leper reveals what grace restores.
Every Christian experiences both realities. We know the consequences of sin, but we also know the mercy of Christ, who is always willing to heal those who approach him in faith. The same Lord who rebuilt his people after exile continues to restore broken hearts today.
One line to carry today
Christ is always willing to touch and restore the heart that comes to him in faith.
No comments:
Post a Comment