Friday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time

Daily Mass Readings for Friday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time

Cycle 1 is used in odd numbered years and Cycle 2 is used in even numbered years. The gospel is the same for both years.

• First Reading (Cycle 1) - Genesis 17:1, 9-10, 15-22: Abraham to be blameless and to keep His covenant. He changes Sarai's name to Sarah, promising her a son, Isaac. Abraham laughs, but God confirms His promise.
• First Reading (Cycle 2) - 2 Kings 25:1-12: Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem leading to famine. Zedekiah tried to escape but was captured and punished. Jerusalem was burned, its walls torn down, and its people exiled, except for the poorest farmers.
• Responsorial Psalm (Cycle 1) - Psalm 128: Those who respect the Lord and follow his ways are blessed with abundance, a fruitful family, and the prosperity for their entire life.
• Responsorial Psalm (Cycle 2) - Psalm 137: In a foreign land, we wept, remembering Zion. Our captors wanted songs of joy, but how could we sing in this foreign land? If we forget Jerusalem, let us lose our speech.
• Gospel - Matthew 8:1-4: A leper approaches Jesus, expressing his faith and asking to be healed. Jesus extends his hand, touches the leper, and declares him clean. He instructs the man to follow the proper procedures for testimony, urging him not to share the encounter but to present himself to the priest and offer the prescribed gift.

Themes for the Daily Mass Readings for Friday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time

• Jesus' Compassion and Healing: The gospel demonstrates Jesus' compassion for those who are suffering, as He willingly heals a man with leprosy, showing His power to bring restoration and wholeness.
• Physical and Spiritual Cleansing: The healing of the man with leprosy not only addresses his physical ailment but also symbolizes the spiritual cleansing and restoration that Jesus offers to all who come to Him.
• Faith and Trust: The man with leprosy displays faith and trust in Jesus' ability to heal him, approaching Him with humility and acknowledging Jesus' authority to make him clean.
• Obedience to the Law: Jesus instructs the man to follow the proper protocol by showing himself to the priest and offering the gift Moses commanded, highlighting the importance of obedience to the law.
• Testimony and Witness: Jesus commands the man not to tell anyone about the healing but to present himself to the priest as a testimony to them, demonstrating the divine authority and power at work in Jesus' ministry.
• God's Ability to Bring Restoration: The healing of the man with leprosy reveals God's power to bring about transformation and restoration, offering hope for those who are afflicted and marginalized.

Thoughts for Friday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time

In the gospel for Friday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time, we encounter an encounter between Jesus and a man suffering from leprosy. Leprosy was a highly stigmatized and debilitating disease in that time. The man approaches Jesus with humility and a heartfelt plea, acknowledging Jesus' authority and power to heal. He recognizes that if Jesus is willing, he can be cleansed.

Moved by compassion, Jesus responds with both words and action. He reaches out and touches the man, an act that goes beyond social norms as lepers were considered unclean and avoided. Jesus affirms his willingness to heal, declaring, "Be clean!" Immediately, the man is miraculously cleansed of his leprosy, experiencing the transformative power of Jesus' touch and word.

After healing the man, Jesus instructs him to show himself to the priest and fulfill the necessary rituals and offerings required by the law. It serves as a testimony to the priest and the community, confirming the miraculous healing and providing evidence of the power of God at work through Jesus.

This passage reveals Jesus' compassion, authority, and willingness to heal those who come to him in faith. It also highlights the importance of obedience to the religious customs and laws of the time. While Jesus emphasizes the need for the man to remain silent about his healing, he directs him to follow the prescribed protocols to bear witness to the community.

As we reflect on this passage, we are reminded of the compassionate nature of Jesus and his willingness to meet us in our brokenness. Like the man with leprosy, may we approach Jesus with humility, recognizing his authority and power to heal and transform our lives. Let us trust in his willingness to extend his hand of compassion and grace to us.

Additionally, this passage invites us to embrace obedience and bear witness to God's work in our lives. Just as the man was instructed to show himself to the priest, we are called to live out our faith and share the testimony of God's transformative power with others.

Prayer for Friday of the 12th Week in Ordinary Time

Lord Jesus, we come before you with humility and gratitude. We ask for your healing touch in our lives. Grant us the courage to approach you with faith, seeking your mercy and restoration. Help us to trust in your power to cleanse us from all that separates us from you, and to go forth, proclaiming the good news of your grace. Amen.