Daily Readings for January 9, 2015

1ST READING

Jesus has power over the sins and maladies afflicting the human body and spirit. Why doesn’t God just get rid of them? There is no simple answer other than to trust in what God chooses to do and what He chooses not to do. He does not want any of us to suffer. However, suffering will always be part of our human existence because sin has made this so. Jesus had to suffer for our salvation and we cannot avoid suffering in our lives.

Luke 5:12-16

12 It happened that there was a man full of leprosy in one of the towns where Jesus was; and when he saw Jesus, he fell prostrate, pleaded with him, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” 13 Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I do will it. Be made clean.” And the leprosy left him immediately. 14 Then he ordered him not to tell anyone, but “Go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.” 15 The report about him spread all the more, and great crowds assembled to listen to him and to be cured of their ailments, 16 but he would withdraw to deserted places to pray.

P S AL M

Psalm 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20

R: Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

12 Glorify the Lord, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion. 13 For he has strengthened the bars of your gates; he has blessed your children within you. (R) 14 He has granted peace in your borders; with the best of wheat he fills you. 15 He sends forth his command to the earth; swiftly runs his word! (R) 19 He has proclaimed his word to Jacob, his statutes and his ordinances to Israel. 20 He has not done thus for any other nation; his ordinances he has not made known to them. Alleluia. (R)

GOSPEL

Jesus shed His blood on the cross for us. It is this shedding of blood that washes away our sins. The Jews believe that the life-essence of a person is contained in the person’s blood, so the offering of blood becomes the offering of the essence of life. Christ’s blood is the forgiveness of our sins. Let us rediscover the devotion to the Blood of Christ and fully understand its significance today.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Jesus proclaimed the Gospel of the Kingdom and cured every disease among the people.

1 John 5:5-13

5 Beloved: Who indeed is the victor over the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? 6 This is the one who came through water and blood, Jesus Christ, not by water alone, but by water and blood. The Spirit is the one who testifies, and the Spirit is truth. 7 So there are three who testify, 8 the Spirit, the water, and the blood, and the three are of one accord. 9 If we accept human testimony, the testimony of God is surely greater. Now the testimony of God is this — that he has testified on behalf of his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has this testimony within himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar by not believing the testimony God has given about his Son. 11 And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever possesses the Son has life; whoever does not possess the Son of God does not have life. 13 I write these things to you so that you may know that you have eternal life, you who believe in the name of the Son of God.

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