14TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
St. Augustine Zhao Rong, priest
& Companions, martyrs
Psalter: Week 2 / (Green/Red)
Ps 145:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
The Lord is gracious and merciful.
1st Reading: Hos 2:16, 17c-18, 21-22
So I am going to allure her, lead her once more into the desert, where I can speak to her tenderly.
Then I will give back her vineyards, make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There, she will answer me, as in her youth, as when she came out of the land of Egypt. On that day, Yahweh says, you will call me my husband, and never again: my Baal.
You will be my spouse forever, betrothed in justice and integrity; we will be united in love and tenderness. I will espouse you in faithfulness; and you will come to know Yahweh.
Gospel: Mt 9:18-26
While Jesus was speaking to them, an official of the synagogue came up to him, bowed before him and said, “My daughter has just died, but come and place your hands on her, and she will live.” Jesus stood up and followed him with his disciples.
Then a woman, who had suffered from a severe bleeding for twelve years, came up from behind and touched the edge of his cloak; for she thought, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.” Jesus turned, saw her and said, “Courage, my daughter, your faith has saved you.” And from that moment, the woman was cured.
When Jesus arrived at the official’s house and saw the flute players and the excited crowd, he said, “Get out of here! The girl is not dead. She is only sleeping!” And they laughed at him. But once the crowd had been turned out, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she stood up. The news of this spread through the whole area.
Reflections
Your faith has saved you
For the Jews, blood is sacred, because it symbolizes life which comes from God alone. To shed one’s own or another’s blood was a serious offense against God. The woman hemorrhaged for twelve years, and so was deemed a grievous sinner. And because her defilement contaminated those around her, she was cast out of the village.
Her healing was a multi-dimensional experience of the coming of God’s kingdom into her life: physically, she was cured; socially, she was reconciled with her family and villagers; spiritually, she was forgiven by God; religiously, she could worship once more in the Temple.
Daily Reflection 2018
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Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57th Edition) The New English Translation for the ROMAN MISSAL
With permission from the EPISCOPAL COMMISION ON LITURGY of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines
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