Monday Readings Prodigal Son
2 Corinthians 9:1a,5-15
Now about the service to the holy ones, I thought it necessary to encourage the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for your promised gift, so that in this way it might be ready as a bountiful gift and not as an exaction. Consider this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work. As it is written: “He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures forever.” The one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You are being enriched in every way for all generosity, which through us produces thanksgiving to God, for the administration of this public service is not only supplying the needs of the holy ones but is also overflowing in many acts of thanksgiving to God. Through the evidence of this service, you are glorifying God for your obedient confession of the gospel of Christ and the generosity of your contribution to them and to all others, while in prayer on your behalf they long for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! Praise be to God always.
Luke 9:37-45
On the next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. There was a man in the crowd who cried out, “Teacher, I beg you, look at my son; he is my only child. For a spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams and it convulses him until he foams at the mouth; it releases him only with difficulty, wearing him out. I begged your disciples to cast it out but they could not.” Jesus said in reply, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long will I be with you and endure you? Bring your son here.” As he was coming forward, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion; but Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, healed the boy, and returned him to his father. And all were astonished by the majesty of God. While they were all amazed at his every deed, he said to his disciples, “Pay attention to what I am telling you. The Son of Man is to be handed over to men.” But they did not understand this saying; its meaning was hidden from them so that they should not understand it, and they were afraid to ask him about this saying. This is the Truth. Peace be with you.
The father sends brings his son to Jesus for healing. God the Father hands his Son over for the healing of the human race. We sometimes do not understand things that the Bible or the Church tell us, but that is ok because sometimes the disciples did not understand Jesus. Yet, what do we know? We know our loving Father gives Jesus to us. We know Jesus gives us to our loving Father. We know that the devil has no power over us, because God is with us and God can free us from the power of the evil one. When we have needs we should bring them to Jesus, so that he can heal them, because the Father sent the Son to provide our deepest needs.