Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in
Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 384
Lectionary: 384
In the course of the night, Jacob arose, took his two wives,
with the two maidservants and his eleven children,
and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.
After he had taken them across the stream
and had brought over all his possessions,
Jacob was left there alone.
Then some man wrestled with him until the break of dawn.
When the man saw that he could not prevail over him,
he struck Jacob's hip at its socket,
so that the hip socket was wrenched as they wrestled.
The man then said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak."
But Jacob said, "I will not let you go until you bless me."
The man asked, "What is your name?"
He answered, "Jacob."
Then the man said,
"You shall no longer be spoken of as Jacob, but as Israel,
because you have contended with divine and human beings
and have prevailed."
Jacob then asked him, "Do tell me your name, please."
He answered, "Why should you want to know my name?"
With that, he bade him farewell.
Jacob named the place Peniel,
"Because I have seen God face to face," he said,
"yet my life has been spared."
At sunrise, as he left Penuel,
Jacob limped along because of his hip.
That is why, to this day, the children of Israel do not eat
the sciatic muscle that is on the hip socket,
inasmuch as Jacob's hip socket was struck at the sciatic muscle.
with the two maidservants and his eleven children,
and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.
After he had taken them across the stream
and had brought over all his possessions,
Jacob was left there alone.
Then some man wrestled with him until the break of dawn.
When the man saw that he could not prevail over him,
he struck Jacob's hip at its socket,
so that the hip socket was wrenched as they wrestled.
The man then said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak."
But Jacob said, "I will not let you go until you bless me."
The man asked, "What is your name?"
He answered, "Jacob."
Then the man said,
"You shall no longer be spoken of as Jacob, but as Israel,
because you have contended with divine and human beings
and have prevailed."
Jacob then asked him, "Do tell me your name, please."
He answered, "Why should you want to know my name?"
With that, he bade him farewell.
Jacob named the place Peniel,
"Because I have seen God face to face," he said,
"yet my life has been spared."
At sunrise, as he left Penuel,
Jacob limped along because of his hip.
That is why, to this day, the children of Israel do not eat
the sciatic muscle that is on the hip socket,
inasmuch as Jacob's hip socket was struck at the sciatic muscle.
Responsorial
PsalmPS 17:1B, 2-3, 6-7AB, 8B
AND 15
R.(15a) In
justice, I shall behold your face, O Lord.
Hear, O LORD, a just suit;
attend to my outcry;
hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.
R. In justice, I shall behold your face, O Lord.
From you let my judgment come;
your eyes behold what is right.
Though you test my heart, searching it in the night,
though you try me with fire, you shall find no malice in me.
R. In justice, I shall behold your face, O Lord.
I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me; hear my word.
Show your wondrous mercies,
O savior of those who flee from their foes.
R. In justice, I shall behold your face, O Lord.
Hide me in the shadow of your wings.
I in justice shall behold your face;
on waking, I shall be content in your presence.
R. In justice, I shall behold your face, O Lord.
Hear, O LORD, a just suit;
attend to my outcry;
hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.
R. In justice, I shall behold your face, O Lord.
From you let my judgment come;
your eyes behold what is right.
Though you test my heart, searching it in the night,
though you try me with fire, you shall find no malice in me.
R. In justice, I shall behold your face, O Lord.
I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me; hear my word.
Show your wondrous mercies,
O savior of those who flee from their foes.
R. In justice, I shall behold your face, O Lord.
Hide me in the shadow of your wings.
I in justice shall behold your face;
on waking, I shall be content in your presence.
R. In justice, I shall behold your face, O Lord.
AlleluiaJN 10:14
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
I am the good shepherd, says the Lord;
I know my sheep, and mine know me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the good shepherd, says the Lord;
I know my sheep, and mine know me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelMT 9:32-38
A demoniac who could not speak was brought to Jesus,
and when the demon was driven out the mute man spoke.
The crowds were amazed and said,
"Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel."
But the Pharisees said,
"He drives out demons by the prince of demons."
Jesus went around to all the towns and villages,
teaching in their synagogues,
proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness.
At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them
because they were troubled and abandoned,
like sheep without a shepherd.
Then he said to his disciples,
"The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest."
and when the demon was driven out the mute man spoke.
The crowds were amazed and said,
"Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel."
But the Pharisees said,
"He drives out demons by the prince of demons."
Jesus went around to all the towns and villages,
teaching in their synagogues,
proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness.
At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them
because they were troubled and abandoned,
like sheep without a shepherd.
Then he said to his disciples,
"The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest."
For the readings of the Optional Memorial of Saint Augustine Zhao Rong and
Companions, please go here.
Meditation: "Never
seen anything like this"
What
help and hope can we give to someone who experiences chronic distress or some
incurable disease of mind and body? Spiritual, emotional, and physical
suffering often go hand in hand. Jesus was well acquainted with individuals who
suffered intolerable affliction - whether physical, emotional, mental, or
spiritual. A "dumb demoniac" was brought to Jesus by his friends with
the hope that Jesus would set the troubled man free. These neighbors, no doubt,
took pity on this man who had a double impediment. He had not only lost his
ability to speak, but was also greatly disturbed in mind and spirit. This was
no doubt due to the influence of evil spirits who tormented him day and night
with thoughts of despair and hopeless abandonment by God.
Jesus
brings freedom and healing
Jesus immediately set him free from the demon who tormented him and restored his ability to speak at the same time. This double miracle brought wonder to the crowds who watched in amazement. "Nothing like this had ever been done before in the land of Israel!" Whenever people approached Jesus with expectant faith, he set them free from whatever afflicted them - whether it be a disease of mind and body, a crippling burden of guilt and sin, a tormenting spirit or uncontrollable fear of harm.
Jesus immediately set him free from the demon who tormented him and restored his ability to speak at the same time. This double miracle brought wonder to the crowds who watched in amazement. "Nothing like this had ever been done before in the land of Israel!" Whenever people approached Jesus with expectant faith, he set them free from whatever afflicted them - whether it be a disease of mind and body, a crippling burden of guilt and sin, a tormenting spirit or uncontrollable fear of harm.
How
could Jesus' miracles cause both scorn and wonder at the same time from those
who professed faith in God? Don't we often encounter the same reaction today,
even in ourselves! The crowds looked with awe at the wonderful works which
Jesus did, but the religious leaders attributed this same work to the power of
the devil. They disbelieved because they refused to recognize Jesus as
the Messiah. Their idea of religion was too narrow and closed to
accept Jesus as the Anointed One sent by the Father "to
set the captives free" (Isaiah 61:1; Matthew 11:5). They were too set in
their own ways to change and they were too proud to submit to Jesus. They held
too rigidly to the observances of their ritual laws while neglecting the more
important duties of love of God and love of neighbor. The people, as a result,
were spiritually adrift and hungry for God. Jesus met their need and gave them
new faith and hope in God’s saving help.
The
Gospel brings new life and freedom
Whenever the Gospel is proclaimed God’s kingdom is made manifest and new life and freedom is given to those who respond with faith. The Lord grants freedom to all who turn to him with trust. Do you bring your troubles to the Lord with expectant faith that he can set you free? The Lord invites us to pray that the work of the Gospel may spread throughout the world, so that all may find true joy and freedom in Jesus Christ.
Whenever the Gospel is proclaimed God’s kingdom is made manifest and new life and freedom is given to those who respond with faith. The Lord grants freedom to all who turn to him with trust. Do you bring your troubles to the Lord with expectant faith that he can set you free? The Lord invites us to pray that the work of the Gospel may spread throughout the world, so that all may find true joy and freedom in Jesus Christ.
"Lord
Jesus, may your kingdom come to all who are oppressed and in darkness. Fill my
heart with compassion for all who suffer mentally and physically. Use me to
bring the good news of your saving grace and mercy to those around me who need
your healing love and forgiveness.”
Daily
Quote from the early church fathers: Freedom and healing in Christ, by
Hilary of Poitiers (315-367 AD)
"In
the deaf and dumb and demoniac appear the need of the Gentiles for a complete
healing. Beleaguered on all sides by misfortune, they were associated with all
types of the body's infirmities. And in this regard a proper order of things is
observed. For the devil is first cast out; then the other bodily benefits
follow suit. With the folly of all superstitions put to flight by the knowledge
of God, sight and hearing and words of healing are introduced. The declaration
of the onlookers followed their admiration over what took place: 'Never has the
like been seen in Israel.' Indeed, he whom the law could not help was made well
by the power of the Word, and the deaf and dumb man spoke the praises of God.
Deliverance has been given to the Gentiles. All the towns and all the villages
are enlightened by the power and presence of Christ, and the people are freed
from every impairment of the timeless malady. (excerpt from ON
MATTHEW 9.10)
TUESDAY, JULY 9, MATTHEW 9:32-38
Weekday
(Genesis 32:23-33; Psalm 17)
Weekday
(Genesis 32:23-33; Psalm 17)
KEY VERSE: "Ask for the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest" (v. 37).
TO KNOW: The healing of a possessed mute was the last in a series of ten miracles in chapters 8-9 of Matthew's gospel. The people were in awe when they witnessed this unprecedented event. Wherever Jesus went—in towns, villages and synagogues—the kingdom of God was ushered in through his words and works. While the crowds looked on in wonder, the religious leaders, who should have welcomed the appearance of God's reign, rejected Jesus' works. They believed that he was in league with the “prince of demons” (v. 34, Satan). Their eyes were so blinded by their own ideas of God's power that they could not see the truth present in Jesus. The people were without spiritual leadership, and Jesus' heart was moved with compassion. He urged his disciples to pray that others would participate in gathering souls for the kingdom of heaven.
TO LOVE: Do I pray for a generous response to God's call for vocations?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to be faithful to your call in my life.
Optional Memorial of Saint Augustine Zhao Rong, priest, and his
companions, martyrs
Augustine Zhao Rong was a soldier. He escorted Blessed John Gabriel Dufresse to Beijing, China during his missionary work. Once baptized, he was sent to the seminary and then ordained a priest Augustine worked in the Su-Tchuen province. He was arrested for his faith and work, and died in 1815 due to poor conditions in prison. Augustine was one of 120 Martyrs of China that were canonized by Pope John Paul II on October 1, 2000 on the Feast of Saint Thèrése of Lisieux, patron of missions. The Pope said that "the Church wanted to recognize these martyrs as examples of courage … and thus to honor the noble Chinese people for their fidelity to the Catholic faith." These martyrs died between 1648 and 1930. Of the 120 Chinese martyrs, 87 were natives, and the remaining 33 were foreign missionaries who served in China.
Tuesday 9 July 2019
Genesis 32:23-33. Psalm 16(17):1-3, 6-8, 15. Matthew 9:32-38.
In my justice, I shall see your face. O Lord – Psalm 16(17):1-3, 6-8, 15
‘The one who had been mute spoke; and the crowds were amazed.’
In my justice, I shall see your face. O Lord – Psalm 16(17):1-3, 6-8, 15
‘The one who had been mute spoke; and the crowds were amazed.’
Stories of blindness, deafness and dumbness in the gospels
always have deeper meaning. Far more serious than those with physical
disability are the spiritually blind, deaf or dumb. The Pharisees in today’s
gospel represent such people. The same can happen to each of us.
Jesus has deep compassion for the needs of people and heals
them, feeds them, teaches them. But he cannot do it on his own, for ‘the
harvest is plentiful but the labourers are few’. Every baptised person is
called to be a harvester to help people find and experience the truth and love
that God gives in Jesus. It is a call to serve and build the kingdom.
Lord Jesus, I ask for the grace that I may experience your
presence at work in my life. Give me eyes to see and ears to hear. Encourage me
in my service of you.
Saint Augustine Zhao Rong and Companions
Saint of the Day for July 9
(d. 1648 – 1930)
 |
| Stained glass window of Saint Augustine Zhao Rong and companions | The Hong Kong Catholic Cathedral of The Immaculate Conception | photo by hugo poon |
Saint Augustine Zhao Rong and Companions’ Story
Christianity arrived in China by way of Syria in the 600s.
Depending on China’s relations with the outside world, Christianity over the
centuries was free to grow or was forced to operate secretly.
The 120 martyrs in this group died between 1648 and 1930. Eighty-seven
of them were born in China, and were children, parents, catechists, or
laborers, ranging in age from nine years to 72. This group includes four
Chinese diocesan priests. The 33 foreign-born martyrs were mostly priests or
women religious, especially from the Order of Preachers, the Paris Foreign
Mission Society, the Friars Minor, Society of Jesus, Society of St. Francis de
Sales (Salesians), and Franciscan Missionaries of Mary.
Augustine Zhao Rong was a Chinese soldier who accompanied Bishop
John Gabriel Taurin Dufresse of the Paris Foreign Mission Society to his
martyrdom in Beijing. Not long after his baptism, Augustine was ordained as a
diocesan priest. He was martyred in 1815.
Beatified in groups at various times, these 120 martyrs were
canonized together in Rome on October 1, 2000.
Reflection
The People’s Republic of China and the Roman Catholic Church
each have well over a billion members, but there are only about 12 million
Catholics in China. The reasons for that are better explained by historical
conflicts than by a wholesale rejection of the Good News of Jesus Christ. The
Chinese-born martyrs honored by today’s feast were regarded by their
persecutors as dangerous because they were considered allies of enemy, Catholic
countries. The martyrs born outside China often tried to distance themselves
from European political struggles relating to China, but their persecutors saw
them as Westerners and therefore, by definition, anti-Chinese.
The Good News of Jesus Christ is intended to benefit all
peoples; today’s martyrs knew that. May 21st-century Christians live in such a
way that Chinese women and men will be attracted to hear that Good News and
embrace it.
Lectio Divina: Matthew 9:32-38
Lectio Divina
Tuesday, July 9, 2019
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
Father,
through the obedience of Jesus,
Your servant and Your Son,
You raised a fallen world.
Free us from sin
and bring us the joy that lasts for ever.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
through the obedience of Jesus,
Your servant and Your Son,
You raised a fallen world.
Free us from sin
and bring us the joy that lasts for ever.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son,
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel Reading - Matthew 9:32-38
A demoniac who could not speak was brought to Jesus, and when
the demon was driven out the mute man spoke. The crowds were amazed and said,
“Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” But the Pharisees said, “He
drives out demons by the prince of demons.” Jesus went around to all the towns
and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the
Kingdom, and curing every disease and illness. At the sight of the crowds, his
heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned,
like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is
abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out
laborers for his harvest.”
3) Reflection
• Today’s Gospel presents two facts: (1) the cure of a possessed
mute person (Mt 9:32-34) and (2) a summary of the activity of Jesus (Mt
9:35-38). These two episodes end the narrative part of chapters 8 and 9
of the Gospel of Matthew, in which the Evangelist seeks to indicate how Jesus
put into practice the teachings given in the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5
and 7). In chapter 10, the meditation which begins in the Gospel of
tomorrow, we see the second great discourse of Jesus: The Discourse of the
Mission (Mt 10:1-42).
• Matthew 9:32-33a: The cure of a mute person. In
just one verse Matthew describes the arrival of the possessed person before
Jesus, the expulsion of the demon and the attitude of Jesus. The
illnesses were many and social security non-existent. The illnesses were not
only deficiencies of the body: deafness, blindness, paralysis, leprosy and so
many other sicknesses. In fact, these illnesses were nothing else than a
manifestation of a much deeper and vast evil which undermined the health of
people, and that is the total abandonment and the depressing and inhumane state
in which they were obliged to live. The activity and the cures of Jesus were
directed not only against physical sickness, but also and above all against
this greater evil of material and spiritual abandonment, in which people were
obliged to live the few years of life. Then, in addition to the economic
exploitation which stole half of the family stipend, the official religion of
that time, instead of helping people to find strength in God, to resist and
have hope, taught that sickness was a punishment from God for sin. This
increased in them the sentiment of exclusion and condemnation. Jesus did
quite the contrary. The acceptance of Jesus, full of tenderness, and the cure
of the sick, form part of the effort to knit together human relationships among
people and to re-establish community and fraternal living in the villages of
Galilee, His land.
Matthew 9:33b-34: The twofold interpretation of the cure of the
mute man. Before the cure of the possessed mute man, the reaction of the people
is one of admiration and of gratitude: “Nothing like this has ever been seen in
Israel!” The reaction of the Pharisee is one of mistrust and malice: “It
is through the prince of devils that He drives out devils!” They were not
able to deny the facts which cause admiration in the people, the only way which
the Pharisees find to neutralize the influence of Jesus before the people is to
attribute the expulsion to the power of the evil one. Mark presents an
extensive argument of Jesus to demonstrate the lack of coherence and the malice
of the interpretation given by the Pharisees (Mk 3:22-27). Matthew does
not present any response by Jesus to the interpretation of the Pharisees,
because when malice is evident, truth shines by itself.
• Matthew 9:35: Tireless, Jesus goes through the villages. The
description of the tireless activity of Jesus is beautiful in which emerges the
double concern to which we referred: the acceptance full of tenderness and the
cure of the sick: “Jesus went through all the towns, teaching in their
synagogues, preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom and curing all kinds of
diseases and all kinds of illness.” In the previous chapters, Matthew had
already referred several times to this itinerant activity of Jesus in the
villages and towns of Galilee (Mt 4:23-24; 8:16).
• Matthew 9:36: The compassion of Jesus. “Seeing the crowds He
felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without
a shepherd.” Those who should be shepherds were not shepherds; they did not
take care of the flock. Jesus tries to be the shepherd (Jn 10:11-14). In this,
Matthew sees the realization of the prophecy of the Servant of Yahweh, who took
upon Himself our sickness, and bore our infirmities” (Mt 8:17 and Isa 53:4). As
it was for Jesus, the great concern of the Servant was “to find a word of
comfort for those who were discouraged.” (Isa 50:4). Jesus shows the same
compassion toward the abandoned crowd on the occasion of the multiplication of
the loaves: they are like sheep without a shepherd (Mt 15:32). The Gospel of
Matthew has a constant concern in revealing to the converted Jews of the
communities of Galilee and of Syria that Jesus is the Messiah announced by the
prophets. For this reason, frequently, he shows that in Jesus’ activity
the prophecies are fulfilled (cf. Mt 1:23; 2:5,15,17, 23; 3:3; 4:14-16, etc.).
• Matthew 9:37-38: The harvest is rich, but the laborers are
few. Jesus transmits to the disciples the concern and the compassion which are
within Him, and in paraphrase: “The harvest is rich, but the laborers are few!
Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers for His
harvest!”
4) Personal questions
• Compassion for the tired and hungry crowds. In the history of
humanity, there have never been so many tired and hungry people as today.
Television transmits the facts, but does not offer any response. Do we,
Christians, have the same compassion of Jesus and communicate it to others?
• The goodness of Jesus toward the poor disturbed the Pharisees. They have recourse to malice to neutralize the discomfort caused by Jesus. Are there many good attitudes in the people who disturb me? How do I interpret them: with pleasant admiration as the crowds or with malice as the Pharisees?
• The goodness of Jesus toward the poor disturbed the Pharisees. They have recourse to malice to neutralize the discomfort caused by Jesus. Are there many good attitudes in the people who disturb me? How do I interpret them: with pleasant admiration as the crowds or with malice as the Pharisees?
5) Concluding Prayer
Sing to Him, make music for Him,
recount all His wonders!
Glory in His holy name,
let the hearts that seek Yahweh rejoice! (Ps 105:2-3)
recount all His wonders!
Glory in His holy name,
let the hearts that seek Yahweh rejoice! (Ps 105:2-3)
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