Thursday of Week 13 in Ordinary Time
Liturgical Colour: Green. Year A(II).
First Reading
Amos 7:10-17
Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent word to Jeroboam king of Israel as follows.
‘Amos is plotting against you in the heart of the House of Israel; the country can no longer tolerate what he keeps saying. For this is what he says,
“Jeroboam is going to die by the sword, and Israel go into exile far from its country.”’
To Amos, Amaziah said,
‘Go away, seer; get back to the land of Judah; earn your bread there, do your prophesying there. We want no more prophesying in Bethel; this is the royal sanctuary, the national temple.’
Amos replied to Amaziah,
‘I was no prophet, neither did I belong to any of the brotherhoods of prophets. I was a shepherd, and looked after sycamores; but it was the Lord who took me from herding the flock, and the Lord who said, “Go, prophesy to my people Israel.”
So listen to the word of the Lord.
You say:
“Do not prophesy against Israel,
utter no oracles against the House of Isaac.”
Very well, this is what the Lord says,
“Your wife will be forced to go on the streets,
your sons and daughters will fall by the sword,
your land be parcelled out by measuring line,
and you yourself die on unclean soil
and Israel will go into exile far distant from its own land.”’
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 18(19):8-11
Response: The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The law of the Lord is perfect,
it revives the soul.
The rule of the Lord is to be trusted,
it gives wisdom to the simple.
Response: The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The precepts of the Lord are right,
they gladden the heart.
The command of the Lord is clear,
it gives light to the eyes.
Response: The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
The fear of the Lord is holy,
abiding for ever.
The decrees of the Lord are truth
and all of them just.
Response: The precepts of the Lord give joy to the heart.
They are more to be desired than gold,
than the purest of gold,
and sweeter are they than honey,
than honey from the comb.
Gospel
Matthew 9:1-8
Jesus got into the boat, crossed the water and came to his own town.
Then some people appeared, bringing him a paralytic stretched out on a bed.
Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic,
‘Courage, my child, your sins are forgiven.’
And at this some scribes said to themselves,
‘This man is blaspheming.’
Knowing what was in their minds Jesus said,
‘Why do you have such wicked thoughts in your hearts? Now, which of these is easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Get up and walk”? But to prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins’ – he said to the paralytic – ‘get up, and pick up your bed and go off home.’
And the man got up and went home.
A feeling of awe came over the crowd when they saw this, and they praised God for giving such power to men.
Reflection
Today's readings centre on authority—not the authority claimed by human institutions, but the authority that comes from God alone.
Amos is confronted by Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, who sees prophecy as a profession that can be controlled by political power. Amos responds with remarkable humility. He does not claim special status, education, or religious credentials. Instead, he simply tells the truth:
"It was the Lord who took me from herding the flock... Go, prophesy to my people Israel."
Amos reminds us that God's call does not depend upon our qualifications but upon his grace. Throughout salvation history, the Lord repeatedly chooses ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary missions. Moses was a shepherd. David tended sheep. Peter was a fisherman. Amos cared for flocks and sycamore trees. Their authority came not from themselves but from the One who sent them.
The Psalm celebrates this same truth. God's law is not a burden but a gift. It revives the soul, enlightens the mind, and brings joy to the heart. The Catechism teaches that God's law is an expression of his wisdom and fatherly love, leading humanity towards true freedom rather than restricting it (CCC 1950-1953).
The Gospel reveals the highest authority of all.
When the paralytic is brought before Jesus, everyone expects a physical miracle. Instead, Jesus addresses the man's deepest need:
"Courage, my child, your sins are forgiven."
The scribes immediately understand the significance of those words. Only God can forgive sins. Jesus intentionally begins with forgiveness because spiritual healing is greater than physical healing. Illness affects this earthly life, but sin wounds our relationship with God.
To demonstrate that he truly possesses divine authority, Jesus heals the man's body as well. The visible miracle confirms the invisible one. The paralytic rises, not simply because his legs have been restored, but because the Son of God has authority over both body and soul.
The Catechism teaches that Christ exercised his divine authority to forgive sins during his earthly ministry and entrusted this ministry of reconciliation to his Church (CCC 1441-1442). Every celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation continues this same healing ministry today.
Both Amos and Jesus remind us that God often works through unexpected means.
A shepherd becomes a prophet.
A paralytic walks home forgiven.
The greatest miracle is not merely restored health but restored communion with God.
Our world often measures success by influence, recognition, or achievement. God measures differently. He asks only whether we are willing to answer his call and trust his authority.
Like Amos, we are called to speak truth with humility.
Like the paralytic, we are invited to place ourselves before Christ, trusting that he knows our deepest need before we ever ask.
The Lord who forgave sins in Capernaum continues to offer that same mercy today.
One line to carry today
The greatest healing Christ offers is the forgiveness that restores us to God.
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