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Friday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 : Isaiah 38:1-6, 21-22, 7-8

When Hezekiah was mortally ill,
the prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz, came and said to him:
“Thus says the LORD: Put your house in order,
for you are about to die; you shall not recover.”
Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD:

“O LORD, remember how faithfully and wholeheartedly
I conducted myself in your presence,
doing what was pleasing to you!”
And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah: “Go, tell Hezekiah:
Thus says the LORD, the God of your father David:
I have heard your prayer and seen your tears.
I will heal you: in three days you shall go up to the LORD’s temple;
I will add fifteen years to your life.
I will rescue you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria;
I will be a shield to this city.”

Isaiah then ordered a poultice of figs to be taken
and applied to the boil, that he might recover.
Then Hezekiah asked,
“What is the sign that I shall go up to the temple of the LORD?”

Isaiah answered:
“This will be the sign for you from the LORD
that he will do what he has promised:
See, I will make the shadow cast by the sun
on the stairway to the terrace of Ahaz
go back the ten steps it has advanced.”
So the sun came back the ten steps it had advanced.

Responsorial Psalm : Isaiah 38:10, 11, 12abcd, 16

R. (see 17b) You saved my life, O Lord; I shall not die.
Once I said,
“In the noontime of life I must depart!
To the gates of the nether world I shall be consigned
for the rest of my years.”
R. You saved my life, O Lord; I shall not die.
I said, “I shall see the LORD no more
in the land of the living.
No longer shall I behold my fellow men
among those who dwell in the world.”
R. You saved my life, O Lord; I shall not die.
My dwelling, like a shepherd’s tent,
is struck down and borne away from me;
You have folded up my life, like a weaver
who severs the last thread.
R. You saved my life, O Lord; I shall not die.
Those live whom the LORD protects;
yours is the life of my spirit.
You have given me health and life.
R. You saved my life, O Lord; I shall not die.

Alleluia : John 10:27

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel : Matthew 12:1-8

Jesus was going through a field of grain on the sabbath.
His disciples were hungry
and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them.
When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him,
“See, your disciples are doing what is unlawful to do on the sabbath.”
He said to them, “Have you not read what David did
when he and his companions were hungry,
how he went into the house of God and ate the bread of offering,
which neither he nor his companions
but only the priests could lawfully eat?
Or have you not read in the law that on the sabbath
the priests serving in the temple violate the sabbath
and are innocent?
I say to you, something greater than the temple is here.
If you knew what this meant, I desire mercy, not sacrifice,
you would not have condemned these innocent men.
For the Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath.”

Message from the Readings

Today’s readings proclaim a deeply comforting and challenging truth:
God hears sincere prayer, restores life, and calls us to choose mercy over rigid legalism.
• Hezekiah’s healing shows that God responds to honest, humble prayer.
• The canticle reminds us that life itself is God’s gift and protection.
• Jesus teaches that true holiness is rooted in compassion, not rule‑keeping.
The message is clear: God saves, God sees, and God desires mercy.

Reflection for the Day

Hezekiah’s story is one of the most tender moments in Scripture. He receives devastating news: “Put your house in order, for you are about to die.” There is no escape, no strategy, no remedy — only God.
And so Hezekiah turns his face to the wall. He prays. He weeps. He reminds God of his faithfulness — not out of pride, but out of desperation.
And God responds.
“I have heard your prayer and seen your tears. I will heal you.”
This is the heart of God: A Father who sees tears. A Healer who restores life. A Protector who shields His people.
The canticle echoes this gratitude: “You saved my life, O Lord; I shall not die.” It is a reminder that every breath, every sunrise, every moment is grace.
Then the Gospel shifts the focus to mercy. The Pharisees accuse Jesus’ disciples of breaking Sabbath rules. But Jesus reveals a deeper truth:
Mercy is greater than sacrifice. Compassion is greater than ritual. Love is greater than legalism.
He reminds them of David, of the priests, and finally declares:
“The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
Meaning: The Sabbath is not about restriction — it is about restoration. It is not about rules — it is about relationship.
Today’s readings invite you to three movements:

1. Pray with honesty.
   Like Hezekiah, bring your fears, tears, and hopes before God.
2. Recognize God’s saving presence.
   Your life is held, protected, and sustained by Him.
3. Choose mercy over judgment.
   Let compassion guide your actions more than rules or expectations.
   Let today be a day of heartfelt prayer, grateful living, and merciful love.

Prayer for Today

Lord God, You see my tears and hear my prayers.
Heal my heart, strengthen my spirit, and restore what feels broken.
Teach me to choose mercy over judgment, compassion over rigidity, and love over legalism.
May my life today reflect Your kindness, Your healing, and Your grace.

Amen.