0:07
reading of the book of the prophet
0:09
Isaiah May the land that was deserted
0:11
and impassible Rejoice rejoice in
0:14
solitude and Blossom like a lily
0:17
germinate and exalt with joy and praises
0:20
the glory of Lebanon was given to him
0:23
the Splendor of Carmel and Sharon its
0:25
inhabitants will see the glory of the
0:27
Lord the Majesty of our God
0:30
strengthen your weakened hands and
0:32
strengthen your weak knees say to
0:35
depressed people be encouraged do not be
0:38
afraid see it is your God it is
0:42
Vengeance that comes it is God's reward
0:45
it is he who comes to save you then the
0:48
eyes of the blind will be opened and the
0:50
ears of the deaf will be opened the lame
0:53
man will leap like a deer and the tongue
0:55
of the mute will be loosed just as
0:57
Waters will spring up in the desert and
0:59
torrents will gush out in the wilderness
1:02
the dry land will be turned into a lake
1:04
and the Thirsty region into Springs of
1:06
water in the caves where dragons lived
1:09
Reeds and Reeds will grow there will be
1:12
a path and a way the way will be called
1:14
The Holy Road the unclean will not pass
1:17
along it but it will be a straight road
1:19
on which even the weak will not be lost
1:22
there are no Lions there no predatory
1:25
animals roam there they don't even
1:27
appear there those who are freed will be
1:29
able to to travel it Those whom the Lord
1:31
saved will return home they will come to
1:34
Zion singing praises with infinite Joy
1:37
shining on their faces full of joy and
1:40
contentment they will no longer know
1:42
pain and mourning word of the Lord thank
1:53
God proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus
1:56
Christ according to St Luke glory to to
2:00
you Lord one day Jesus was teaching and
2:04
around him Sat Pharisees and teachers of
2:06
the law who had come from all the
2:08
Villages of Galilee Judea and Jerusalem
2:12
and the virtue of the Lord led him to
2:14
heal some men were bringing a paralyzed
2:17
man on a bed and trying to get him to
2:19
come in to introduce him but finding no
2:22
way to bring him in Du to the crowd they
2:24
went up to the roof and led him down
2:26
through the tiles with his bed into the
2:28
middle of the assembly before Jesus
2:29
Jesus seeing their faith he said man
2:33
your sins are forgiven the scribes and
2:36
Pharisees began to murmur saying who is
2:40
this that blasphemes thus who can
2:42
forgive sins but God knowing their
2:45
thoughts Jesus answered saying why do
2:49
you murmur in your hearts what is easier
2:51
to say your sins are forgiven or to say
2:55
get up and walk for so that you may know
2:59
that the son of man man has power on
3:00
Earth to forgive sins he said to the
3:03
paralytic I say to you get up take up
3:07
your bed and go home immediately before
3:10
them he stood up he took his bed and
3:12
went home praising God everyone was
3:16
beside themselves they glorified God and
3:19
filled with fear said today we saw
3:22
wonderful things word of
3:25
Salvation Glory To You Lord
3:35
my brothers and sisters imagine a desert
3:39
an arid place where life seems
3:41
impossible where the scorching Heat and
3:44
the absence of water turn everything
3:46
into desolation now think of that same
3:49
desert blooming covered in flowers with
3:52
streams of crystal clear water running
3:54
through it it seems like a miracle
3:57
doesn't it this is the scenario IO that
4:00
the prophet Isaiah presents to us in
4:02
today's first reading it is a powerful
4:05
image an invitation to believe that even
4:08
in the most difficult situations God can
4:11
bring life renewal and hope Isaiah tells
4:14
us of a glorious future where the
4:17
parched land will rejoice and the desert
4:19
regions will exalt he describes a holy
4:22
path where the lame will leap like deer
4:25
the mute will sing for joy and those in
4:27
Exile will return home with joy
4:30
this vision is much more than poetry it
4:33
is a Divine promise a guarantee that God
4:36
is capable of transforming even the
4:38
darkest scenarios into Landscapes of
4:40
life and joy now let's look at Luke's
4:43
gospel we see Jesus in the midst of a
4:46
crowd teaching healing bringing hope a
4:50
group of men determined to help a
4:52
paralyzed friend do something
4:55
extraordinary they go up to the roof
4:57
remove the tiles and lower the man in
4:59
front of Jesus imagine this scene for a
5:02
moment their boldness is almost
5:05
disconcerting but it is exactly this
5:07
bold faith that impresses the heart of
5:10
Christ Jesus does not begin by healing
5:12
the man's body but rather his soul man
5:16
your sins are forgiven for the Pharisees
5:19
and teachers of the law this was a
5:22
scandal who can forgive sins but God
5:25
they ask in their hearts but Jesus
5:28
knowing their thoughts resp responds
5:30
with an act of power and compassion get
5:32
up take up your bed and go home and the
5:35
man in front of everyone stands up
5:39
completely healed these two readings
5:42
have a lot to teach us first Isaiah
5:45
shows us that God is the Lord of
5:48
transformation no matter how desolate
5:50
the desert of our lives may be a family
5:53
crisis a health problem A desperate
5:56
financial situation or even spiritual
5:58
aridity God is able to bring new life he
6:02
is the creator who makes hope flourish
6:04
where before there was only despair the
6:07
gospel on the other hand challenges us
6:10
to act with the same bold Faith as those
6:12
friends they were not stopped by the
6:14
physical barriers nor by the crowd nor
6:18
by the roof they knew that Jesus was the
6:21
only hope for their friend and they did
6:23
everything they could to bring him to
6:25
him what an example of true friendship
6:30
now let's reflect on the paralytic he
6:33
could symbolize any of us we all have
6:36
areas in our lives where we feel stuck
6:40
maybe it's fear guilt doubt or even sin
6:45
sometimes we feel like we can't move
6:46
forward that we're stuck in a spiritual
6:49
bed but when we allow Jesus into our
6:52
lives he not only heals us but also
6:55
gives us new purpose lifts us to our
6:57
feet and sends us to be winess es of his
7:00
grace and here's another important
7:04
forgiveness Jesus begins by healing the
7:07
man's Soul before healing his body this
7:10
teaches us that the deepest and most
7:12
urgent healing is spiritual healing
7:15
often we are so concerned with our
7:17
material or physical needs that we
7:19
forget to take care of our soul but
7:22
Jesus reminds us that forgiveness of
7:24
sins is the first step to True healing
7:27
and renewal let us think for a moment
7:29
about the friends of the paralytic they
7:32
represent the community the role we all
7:34
have in leading others to Christ who in
7:37
our lives needs help who needs a word of
7:41
encouragement an act of kindness a
7:44
prayer just like those men we are called
7:47
to be Bridges to bring people to
7:49
encounter Jesus now let's return to the
7:52
image of the desert that
7:54
blooms sometimes our lives can feel just
7:57
like that empty aimless hopeless but God
8:02
promises us that he can transform even
8:04
the driest deserts into Lush Gardens and
8:08
This Promise is not just for the distant
8:10
future but also for the here and now
8:13
when we allow God to work in us he makes
8:16
flowers of Faith joy and love Sprout
8:19
even in the most difficult
8:20
circumstances but this transformation
8:23
demands something of us it requires
8:26
faith it demands that we trust God even
8:30
when all seems lost it requires that we
8:33
have the courage to approach Jesus as
8:35
the paralytic did and that we have the
8:38
determination to lead others to him as
8:40
his friends did what wonderful images
8:43
the gospel and Isaiah offer us a desert
8:46
blooming and a paralyzed man being
8:48
lifted up in both readings we see that
8:51
God is the god of the impossible he is
8:54
the one who transforms who heals who
8:58
restores and he continues to do this
9:01
today in our lives in conclusion I want
9:04
to leave a challenge for all of us what
9:07
are the desserts in your life that you
9:08
need to hand over to God what are the
9:11
barriers you need to overcome to get
9:13
closer to Jesus and who in your life is
9:16
waiting for you to be the friend who
9:18
will lead them to meet the Savior let us
9:21
now ask God to renew our faith to heal
9:24
our wounds and to use us as instruments
9:26
of his grace may he give us the courage
9:29
to face challenges with determination
9:31
and the confidence that with him even
9:45
amen St Michael the Archangel defend Us
9:48
in battle be our protection against the
9:51
wickedness and snares of the devil may
9:53
God rebuke him we humbly pray and do
9:57
thou o Prince of the Heavenly Host
9:59
by the power of God cast into hell Satan
10:03
and all the evil spirits who prow
10:05
throughout the world seeking the ruin of
