Daily Gospel
READING OF THE DAY
A reading from the Book of the Prophet Amos
Am 7:10-17
Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent word to Jeroboam,
king of Israel:
“Amos has conspired against you here within Israel;
the country cannot endure all his words.
For this is what Amos says:
Jeroboam shall die by the sword,
and Israel shall surely be exiled from its land.”
To Amos, Amaziah said:
“Off with you, visionary, flee to the land of Judah!
There earn your bread by prophesying,
but never again prophesy in Bethel;
for it is the king’s sanctuary and a royal temple.”
Amos answered Amaziah, “I was no prophet,
nor have I belonged to a company of prophets;
I was a shepherd and a dresser of sycamores.
The LORD took me from following the flock, and said to me,
‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’
Now hear the word of the LORD!”
You say: prophesy not against Israel,
preach not against the house of Isaac.
Now thus says the LORD:
Your wife shall be made a harlot in the city,
and your sons and daughters shall fall by the sword;
Your land shall be divided by measuring line,
and you yourself shall die in an unclean land;
Israel shall be exiled far from its land.
GOSPEL OF THE DAY
From the Gospel according to Matthew
Mt 9:1-8
After entering a boat, Jesus made the crossing, and came into his own town.
And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher.
When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic,
“Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.”
At that, some of the scribes said to themselves,
“This man is blaspheming.”
Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said,
“Why do you harbor evil thoughts?
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, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”
He rose and went home.
When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe
and glorified God who had given such authority to men.
30/06/2022
Thursday 13th of Week in Ordinary Time
(Mt 9:1-8)
God’s Word for Everyone
Dear People of God,
The Word of God in today’s Gospel reports that Jesus Christ healed the paralytic among the sick and sinners who came to Him. Out of love, Jesus Christ came to earth as a man and gave his life to save mankind. He is God himself, the light that must come into the world to dispel sin, banish Satan, who is holding human souls and bodies. During the life of Jesus openly preaching the Gospel, He did nothing but offer salvation, heal and cast out demons, say forgiveness of sins so that Satan must come out of the sick. That image is clearly seen in the Gospel when Jesus heals the paralytic and the people around put their faith in God. And it was that belief that saved the paralytic from sin, from the captivity of Satan. Therefore, when people come to God, people need to put their absolute trust in Him so that all diseases and sins will be cured and erased by God.
But besides the believers, there is no exception of those who opposed Him, which is the image of Satan seeking to destroy the works of Jesus Christ. Therefore, there are those who opposed Him, saying: He blasphemed, just a human being but dares to say forgiveness of sins. Because they have not yet believed in Jesus Christ, their hearts are hardened, their hearts are closed, so they do not recognize the loving deeds of Jesus Christ, so they find ways to oppose Him.
Today too, in the work of the House of God the Father, there are also many people who do not believe, their hearts are closed, they are imprisoned and controlled by Satan, so they do not realize the good works that come from God and His choice of Chu Thien Thuong and His prophets. Satan takes advantage of those weaknesses to seek to destroy the work of the Father’s House. This opposition also recalls the image of Jesus Christ, when He performed miracles, healed, cast out demons, and granted forgiveness of sins. In this day and age, Chu Thien Thuong and God’s prophets are just weak and sinful people, but loved and chosen by God and placed in His work to continue the salvation work of Jesus Christ and the Church, and to collaborate with Him to save sinners souls, helping them to return to God.
It is God who has the power to forgive sins, to heal all diseases, to cast out demons, and to free people from Satan’s captivity. Chu Thien Thuong and his prophets are just tools to do God’s work. Therefore, all who want to enjoy God’s salvation should open their hearts to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit from God and trust in His work placed in the House of God the Father in Bao Loc, Viet Nam. Those who believe will be saved by God, and those who do not believe, God always gives freedom; and whoever opposes the Spirit of God will be punished in the afterlife.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
