Today's Gospel December 7, 2020 with the words of Pope Francis

READING OF THE DAY
From the book of the prophet Isaìa
Is 35,1-10

Let the desert and the parched land rejoice,
let the steppe rejoice and blossom.
As a narcissus flower bloom;
yes, you sing with joy and with jubilation.
The glory of Lebanon is given to her,
the splendor of Carmel and Saron.
They will see the glory of the Lord,
the magnificence of our God.

Strengthen your weak hands,
make your tottering knees steady.
Tell the lost at heart:
«Courage, do not be afraid!
Here is your God,
vengeance comes,
the divine reward.
He comes to save you ».

Then the eyes of the blind will open
and the ears of the deaf will open.
Then the lame will jump like a deer,
the tongue of the mute will shout for joy,
for waters will flow in the wilderness,
streams will flow in the steppe.
The scorched earth will become a swamp,
the parched soil springs of water.
The places where the jackals lay
they will become reeds and rushes.

There will be a path and a road
and they will call it holy street;
no unclean will walk it.
It will be a path that his people can take
and the ignorant will not go astray.
There will be no more lion,
no ferocious beast will walk or stop you.
The redeemed will walk there.
The redeemed of the Lord will return to it
and they will come to Zion with joy;
perennial happiness will shine on their heads;
joy and happiness will follow them
and sadness and tears will flee.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY
From the Gospel according to Luke
Lc 5,17-26

One day Jesus was teaching. There also sat Pharisees and teachers of the Law, who had come from every village in Galilee and Judea, and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord caused him to heal.

And behold, some men, carrying a man who was paralyzed to a bed, were trying to bring him in and put him in front of him. Not finding which way to let him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and, through the tiles, lowered him with the bed in front of Jesus in the middle of the room.

Seeing their faith, he said, "Man, your sins are forgiven you." The scribes and Pharisees began to argue, saying: "Who is this that speaks blasphemies?" Who can forgive sins, if not God alone? ».

But Jesus, knowing their reasonings, answered: «Why do you think so in your heart? What is easier: to say "Your sins are forgiven", or to say "Get up and walk"? Now, so that you may know that the Son of man has the power on earth to forgive sins, I say to you - he said to the paralytic -: get up, take your bed and go back to your home ». Immediately he stood up before them, took the mat on which he was lying and went to his house, glorifying God.

Everyone was amazed and gave glory to God; full of fear they said: "Today we have seen prodigious things."

WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER
It is a simple thing that Jesus teaches us when it goes to the essential. The essential is health, all: of the body and soul. We keep well that of the body, but also that of the soul. And let's go to that Doctor who can heal us, who can forgive sins. Jesus came for this, he gave his life for this. (Homily of Santa Marta, January 17, 2020)