After these things was a festival day of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is at Jerusalem a pond, called Probatica, which in Hebrew is named Bethsaida, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of sick, of blind, of lame, of withered; waiting for the moving of the water. And an angel of the Lord descended at certain times into the pond; and the water was moved. And he that went down first into the pond after the motion of the water, was made whole, of whatsoever infirmity he lay under. And there was a certain man there, that had been eight and thirty years under his infirmity. Him when Jesus had seen lying, and knew that he had been now a long time, he saith to him: Wilt thou be made whole? The infirm man answered him: Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pond. For whilst I am coming, another goeth down before me Jesus saith to him: Arise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole: and he took up his bed, and walked. And it was the sabbath that day. The Jews therefore said to him that was healed: It is the sabbath; it is not lawful for thee to take up thy bed. He answered them: He that made me whole, he said to me, Take up thy bed, and walk.They asked him therefore: Who is that man who said to thee, Take up thy bed, and walk? But he who was healed, knew not who it was; for Jesus went aside from the multitude standing in the place. Afterwards, Jesus findeth him in the temple, and saith to him: Behold thou art made whole: sin no more, lest some worse thing happen to thee. The man went his way, and told the Jews, that it was Jesus who had made him whole. Therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, because he did these things on the sabbath.
John 5:1-16 (Douay-Rheims Bible)

Prayer Reflection

Dear Father when your son Jesus did many healings on the sabbath, wouldn't that in all likelihood tell us that he is a holy man. He was doing your Will, not doing his own thing. If that were the case, he would have been doing what many of us do, working on the sabbath, not going to Mass. For some it would be taking the family to sport games. Jesus would be doing pretty much what we do when we see another person in distress, look but don't help, because it's beneath us to do it. He may just sit by a window and watch rather than bring healing to another human being in His Father's image. And he most certainly wouldn't be hoarding his money, he became poor, because we are poor in so many ways. If Jesus did what we did he wouldn't have been ministering to the sick, the sinful, the broken ones. But think about this, aren't we who follow him persecuted for our faith. It's not the in thing to be a follower of Jesus, but you know something, it is the in thing to do more than we know, our salvation depends on it.

Now after two days, he departed thence, and went into Galilee. For Jesus himself gave testimony that a prophet hath no honour in his own country. And when he was come into Galilee, the Galileans received him, having seen all the things he had done at Jerusalem on the festival day; for they also went to the festival day. He came again therefore into Cana of Galilee, where he made the water wine. And there was a certain ruler, whose son was sick at Capharnaum. He having heard that Jesus was come from Judea into Galilee, went to him, and prayed him to come down, and heal his son; for he was at the point of death. Jesus therefore said to him: Unless you see signs and wonders, you believe not. The ruler saith to him: Lord, come down before that my son die. Jesus saith to him: Go thy way; thy son liveth. The man believed the word which Jesus said to him, and went his way. And as he was going down, his servants met him; and they brought word, saying, that his son lived. He asked therefore of them the hour wherein he grew better. And they said to him: Yesterday, at the seventh hour, the fever left him. The father therefore knew, that it was at the same hour that Jesus said to him, Thy son liveth; and himself believed, and his whole house. This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when he was come out of Judea into Galilee.
John 4:43-54 (Douay-Rheims Bible)

Prayer Reflection

Dear Father our world is not perfect and many thrive on getting a glimpse of you to heal their wounded souls. We live in a world that tries to cover up rather than heal. A pill for this will take away one thing and a pill for that will take care of something else. We are so very full of chemical concoctions ranging from prescribed medicine to over the counter stuff. We push drugs more than any society has ever seen. Does that mean we contribute to the illness of the world. It's often amazing but many do seek your son. They want to be healed, they want to be whole. Many accept the healing from a distance like this reading. With faith in Jesus we can be healed, because he loves us and wants us to be whole and united to you dear Father. Our sins often clog the way to healing, the same when we cover up pain with a pain pill. Let the light of faith shine and we will find the healing grace of Jesus.

And to some who trusted in themselves as just, and despised others, he spoke also this parable:two men went up into the temple to pray: the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee standing, prayed thus with himself: O God, I give thee thanks that I am not as the rest of men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, as also is this publican. I fast twice in a week: I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not so much as lift up his eyes towards heaven; but struck his breast, saying: O god, be merciful to me a sinner. I say to you, this man went down into his house justified rather that the other: because every one that exalteth himself, shall be humbled: and he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted.
Luke 18:9-14 (Douay-Rheims Bible)

Prayer Reflection

Dear Father at some point in our lives we all must have prayed in this way to some extent. We are not perfect in our prayers, nor are we good at praying at times. Thinking about these words dear Father, don't we at times do exactly what Jesus had said in our prayers. Such as thank you God for not making me like them or not making me poor or cripple, or a sinner and so forth. We have a habit to thank you for what we are happy we are not. Rather instead of thanking you for the life we have no matter how difficult or trying it can be. If we truly really think about this long and hard, when we look at the television, or movies from theatres and how people dress in this day and age, we all commit adultery against you. Because our thoughts are not with you, they are focused instead on watching acts played out often in scenes that take our mind away from you and our loved ones. Let us be mindful that we are sinners and in constant need of your mercy. I pray that we do not elevate ourselves but humble our hearts to you dear Father, knowing that you forgive when we are honest with ourselves about our sinfulness. More than anything let us seek reconciliation with you dear Father, for your mercy is great and so is your love.

And there came one of the scribes that had heard them reasoning together, and seeing that he had answered them well, asked him which was the first commandment of all. And Jesus answered him: the first commandment of all is, Hear, O Israel: the Lord thy God is one God.
And thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind, and with thy whole strength. This is the first commandment.

And the second is like to it: thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is no other commandment greater than these. And the scribe said to him: well, Master, thou hast said in truth, that there is one God, and there is no other besides him. And that he should be loved with the whole heart, and with the whole understanding, and with the whole soul, and with the whole strength; and to love one's neighbour as one's self, is a greater thing than all holocausts and sacrifices. And Jesus seeing that he had answered wisely, said to him: thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.
Mark 12:28-34 (Douay-Rheims Bible)

Prayer Reflection

Dear Father I think I have always loved this particular reading from the Gospel. To love you with all of our being, it's so powerful to realize the truth of this. How can we not love you, you do so very much for us in our day. It is us who refuses to see your love and most especially your guiding hand in our lives. By the people who often cross our paths day to day. Through the circumstances that may be good or not so good, your love and hand are there. Why is it so very hard to love you first then. People fall in love everyday with other people, that's not so hard to do. So again the question is: why is it so hard for us to love God first in our lives? Some might give the excuse that we cannot see you or touch you. Some may go so far as to say that why should they, what have you done for them. Their belief is often in other people but not in you. Sometimes they seek adulation and recognition from others, but it is what you think about us that is important, since when our life is over and we go on to our eternity, it is your judgement of how well we loved you and ourselves and others that will count.

And he was casting out a devil, and the same was dumb: and when he had cast out the devil, the dumb spoke: and the multitudes were in admiration at it: but some of them said: he casteth out devils by Beelzebub, the prince of devils. And others tempting, asked of him a sign from heaven. But he seeing their thoughts, said to them: every kingdom divided against itself, shall be brought to desolation, and house upon house shall fall. And if Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because you say, that through Beelzebub I cast out devils. Now if I cast out devils by Beelzebub; by whom do your children cast them out? Therefore they shall be your judges. But if I by the finger of God cast out devils; doubtless the kingdom of God is come upon you. When a strong man armed keepeth his court, those things are in peace which he possesseth. But if a stronger than he come upon him, and overcome him; he will take away all his armour wherein he trusted, and will distribute his spoils. He that is not with me, is against me; and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth.
Luke 11:14-23 (Douay-Rheims Bible)

Prayer Reflection

Dear Father in this day and age we can say we are truly divided between your kingdom and that of the world. Where we encounter daily temptations, ranging from sexuality or better known as pornography, junk food that is in abundance, to having the latest gadget in electronics. These are a few that can cause us to be on the other side of your kingdom. But some would scoff at it and say it's our life to do as we please. But each time we choose the world over your kingdom dear Father, we remove more and more of the armor that protects us. We become vulnerable then and when something happens and we fall from our own kingdom of making, we turn to you, it is then many wonder if their prayers are answered. They have been away for so long from you and Jesus' side that their blindness doesn't let them see your saving grace. So very many rely on their own merit that they forget to love and rely on Jesus for his loving presence in our lives.