2026-01-16 5:15 pm Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament followed by the Holy Mass

Welcome to our time of adoration followed by the celebration of the Holy Mass for Friday of the 1st Week in Ordinary Time. Our readings invite us to trust and walk in the ways of the Lord. In our reading from Samuel, times are changing and the elders of Israel see that Samuel is getting old and they do not trust that his sons will follow in his footsteps. They asked Samuel to appoint a king just like the secular world around them. Samuel knows that this is not a good idea and goes to the Lord who tells him to do as the people are asking for they are actually rejecting Him. They will follow a secular way of life and forget about walking in the ways of the Lord. In our Gospel, we see that the people still do not realize who Jesus is. They do not see Him as the Son of God and berate Him for declaring that He can forgive sins. In our story of the paralysed man, we have the faith of the people who take every means that they can to bring the paralysed man to Jesus. That includes lowering him through the roof! How well do we respond to the promptings of the Lord in our lives? We live in the world but are not of it. We are the Lord's. Friday is always a special time to reflect upon the love of the Lord. Through His suffering, death and resurrection, our loving God took upon Himself all our sins and the sins of the world. Out of suffering and darkness can come new light. Let us keep our eyes focused on the Lord knowing that He is always walking beside us in goodness and in bad. We can proclaim with the Psalmist: "For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord." The Responsorial Psalm is Psalm 89: "For ever I will sing the goodness of the Lord".