Friday, week 1 in Ordinary Time

Brothers,
let us fear,
as long as the promise remains to enter into God's rest,
let us fear that one of you may arrive,
in some way, too late.
Certainly, we have received Good News, as they did;
however, the word they heard did them no good,
because it was not welcomed with faith by those who heard it.
But we who have come to faith,
we enter into the rest of which it is said:
In my anger, I have sworn:
They shall certainly not enter into my rest!
God's work, assuredly, was completed
since the foundation of the world,
as Scripture says about the seventh day:
And God rested on the seventh day
from all his work.
And in the psalm, again:
They shall certainly not enter into my rest!
Let us then make haste to enter into that rest,
so that no one may fall
by following the example of those who refused to believe.

– The word of the Lord.

We have heard and we know
what our fathers have told us;
the glorious deeds of the Lord,
his power and the wonders he has done.

So that the next generation might know them,
and their children to be born,
so that they do not forget the exploits of the Lord
but keep his commandments.

May they not be like their fathers,
a rebellious and disobedient generation,
a generation of unsteady hearts
and spirits unfaithful to God.

A few days after the healing of a leper,
Jesus returned to Capernaum,
and it was reported that he was at home.
So many people gathered there
that there was no longer any room, not even in front of the door,
and he was announcing the Word to them.
Some people arrived bringing to him a paralyzed man,
carried by four men.
As they could not approach him because of the crowd,
they uncovered the roof above him,
they made an opening,
and lowered the mat on which the paralyzed man was lying.
Seeing their faith,
Jesus said to the paralyzed man:
"Child, your sins are forgiven."
Now, there were some scribes sitting there,
who reasoned among themselves:
"Why does this man speak like that?
He is blaspheming.
Who can forgive sins
but God alone?"
Immediately perceiving in his spirit
the thoughts they were harboring,
Jesus said to them:
"Why do you have such thoughts?
Which is easier?
To say to this paralyzed man,
'Your sins are forgiven,'
or to say to him,
'Get up, pick up your mat and walk'?
Well then! So that you may know that the Son of Man
has authority to forgive sins on earth...
– Jesus addressed the paralyzed man –
I say to you, get up,
pick up your mat, and go home."
He got up, immediately picked up his mat,
and went out before everyone.
They were all seized with astonishment
and gave glory to God, saying:
"We have never seen anything like this."

– Let us acclaim the Word of God.