Ebanghelyo subong nga Adlaw (Lucas 5:12-16)

Sang didto si Jesus sa isa ka banwa, may tawo didto nga puno sang aro. Pagkakita niya kay Jesus nagpalapit siya kag nagluhod nga nagapakitluoy, "Ginoo, kon gusto mo, mapaayo mo ako sa akon aro nga mahigko."

Dayon gintandog siya ni Jesus nga nagasiling, "Gusto ko. Magmatinlo ka!" Sa gilayon nadula ang iya aro.

Pagkatapos ginmanduan siya ni Jesus, "Indi ka gid magpanugid bisan kay sin-o parte sini, kundi magderetso ka sa pari kag magpatan-aw sa iya. Dayon maghalad ka sang halad nga ginsugo ni Moises sa pagpamatuod sa mga tawo nga matinlo ka na."

Bisan amo ato ang ginmando sa tawo naglapnag gihapon ang balita parte kay Jesus, kag madamo gid ang mga tawo nga nagtilipon sa pagpamati sa iya kag sa pagpabulong sang ila mga balatian.

Pero nagkadto si Jesus sa kamingawan kag nagpangamuyo.

***

Meditation:

Why do people shun others? Jesus did the unthinkable. He touched the untouchable and he loved the unlovable. In the ancient world leprosy was one of the most dreaded diseases because it caused not only physical affliction and isolation, but psychological and mental affliction as well. Leprosy in Palestine could refer to a very bad skin disease or to the more serious disease that ate away the flesh until the sufferer was left with a stump of a hand or leg. Lepers in Jesus' time where shamed and despised and treated as the untouchable. They were driven from their homes and communities and left to fend for themselves. Their physical condition was terrible as they slowly lost the use of their limbs and withered away. They were not only shunned but regarded as "already dead" even by their relatives. The Jewish law forbade anyone from touching or approaching a leper, lest ritual defilement occur. 

The leper who met Jesus did something quite remarkable. He approached Jesus confidently and humbly, expecting that Jesus could and would heal him. Normally a leper would be stoned or at least warded off if he tried to come near a rabbi. Jesus not only grants the man his request, but he demonstrates the personal love, compassion, and tenderness of God in his physical touch. The medical knowledge of his day would have regarded such contact as grave risk for incurring infection.  Jesus met the man's misery with compassion and tender kindness. He communicated the love and mercy of God in a sign that spoke more eloquently than words.  He touched the man and made him clean – not only physically but spiritually as well. 

Some eleven centuries later, another man, named Francis, met a leper on the road as he journeyed towards Assisi. "Though the leper caused him no small disgust and horror, he nonetheless, got off the horse and prepared to kiss the leper. But when the leper put out his hand as though to receive something, he received money along with a kiss" (from the Life of St. Francis by Thomas of Celano). Francis did what seemed humanly impossible because he was filled with the love and compassion of Christ. The Holy Spirit inflames our hearts with the love of Christ that we may reach out to others with compassionate care, especially to those who have been rejected and mistreated. The love of God impels us to do as Jesus did – to love the unlovable, to touch the untouchable, and to forgive the unforgiveable. Do you allow the Holy Spirit to fill your heart with the love and compassion of Christ for others? 

"May the power of your love, Lord Christ, fiery and sweet as honey, so absorb our hearts as to withdraw them from all that is under heaven. Grant that we may be ready to die for love of your love, as you died for love of our love."  (Prayer of Francis of Assisi, 13th century)

Ebanghelyo subong nga Adlaw (Lucas 4:14-22)

Dayon nagbalik si Jesus sa Galilea nga ang gahom sang Espiritu Santo yara sa iya. Naglapnag sa sadto nga lugar ang balita parte sa iya.

Nagpanudlo siya sa mga simbahan sang mga Judio kag gindayaw siya sang tanan.

Dayon nagkadto si Jesus sa Nazaret. Amo ini ang lugar sa diin siya nagdako. Nagkadto siya sa simbahan sang mga Judio sang Adlaw nga Inugpahuway suno sa iya kinabatasan. Nagtindog siya agod magbasa sang Kasulatan.

Ginhatag sa iya ang sinulatan ni propeta Isaias. Ginhumlad niya ini kag pagkakita niya sang bahin sang kasulatan nga iya ginapangita, ginbasa niya dayon nga nagasiling: "Ang Espiritu sang Ginoo yari sa akon. Kay ginpili niya ako nga magwali sang maayong balita sa mga imol. Ginpadala niya ako sa pagbantala sa mga bihag nga hilway na sila, kag sa mga bulag nga makakita na sila. Ginpadala niya ako sa paghilway sa mga ginadaugdaog, kag sa pagbantala sa mga tawo nga amo na ini ang tion nga luwason sila sang Ginoo."

Dayon ginlukot ni Jesus ang iya ginbasa kag ginbalik sa manugbulig sang simbahan. Nagpungko siya dayon agod magsugod sa pagtudlo. Ang tanan nga tawo nagtulok gid sa iya.

Siling ni Jesus sa ila, "Ini nga bahin sang Kasulatan natuman na karon nga adlaw samtang ginapamatian ninyo ang pagbasa sini."

Gindayaw siya sang tanan kag dako gid ang ila katingala sa iya matahom nga mga pulong. Siling nila, "Indi bala anak lang siya ni Jose?"

***

Meditation: 

How can we know and experience God's favor and goodness towards us? In Jesus we see the grace of God in action. His gracious words brought hope, joy, and favor to those who were ready to receive him. Where did Jesus began his public ministry? In his own land of Galilee where he was reared from his youth in Nazareth. His proclamation of the fulfillment of the Messianic prophecy of Isaiah brought wonder to his kin and townsfolk. Isaiah had prophesied that the Messiah would come in the power of the Holy Spirit to bring freedom to those oppressed by sin and evil (see Isaiah 61:1-2). Jesus awakened their hope in the promises of God. They, in turn, received his words favorably and wondered what would become of "Joseph's son". Their hearts were hungry for the word of life and they looked to Jesus with anticipation and wonder. Do you look to Jesus with confidence and hope in the fulfillment of all God's promises? 

What did Jesus come to do for us? He came to set us free from the worst tyranny possible – slavery to sin and the fear of death, and the eternal destruction of both body and soul. God's power alone can save us from emptiness and poverty of spirit, from confusion and error, and from  hopelessness and the fear of annihilation. The gospel of salvation is "good news" for us today. Do you know the joy and freedom of the gospel? 

"Lord Jesus, you are the fulfillment of all our hopes and dreams. Through the gift of your Holy Spirit you bring us grace, life, truth, and freedom. Fill me with the joy of the gospel and inflame my heart with love and zeal for your kingdom and your will for my life."