JULY 04, 2016 : MONDAY OF THE FOURTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Monday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 383

Reading 1HOS 2:16, 17C-18, 21-22

Thus says the LORD:
I will allure her;
I will lead her into the desert
and speak to her heart.
She shall respond there as in the days of her youth,
when she came up from the land of Egypt.

On that day, says the LORD,
She shall call me “My husband,”
and never again “My baal.”

I will espouse you to me forever:
I will espouse you in right and in justice,
in love and in mercy;
I will espouse you in fidelity,
and you shall know the LORD.

Responsorial PsalmPS 145:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

R. (8a) The Lord is gracious and merciful.
Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.
Great is the LORD and highly to be praised;
his greatness is unsearchable.
R. The Lord is gracious and merciful.
Generation after generation praises your works
and proclaims your might.
They speak of the splendor of your glorious majesty
and tell of your wondrous works.
R. The Lord is gracious and merciful.
They discourse of the power of your terrible deeds
and declare your greatness.
They publish the fame of your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your justice.
R. The Lord is gracious and merciful.
The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
R. The Lord is gracious and merciful.

AlleluiaSEE 2 TM 1:10

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death
and brought life to light through the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GospelMT 9:18-26

While Jesus was speaking, an official came forward,
knelt down before him, and said,
“My daughter has just died.
But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live.”
Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples.
A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him
and touched the tassel on his cloak.
She said to herself, “If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured.”
Jesus turned around and saw her, and said,
“Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.”
And from that hour the woman was cured.

When Jesus arrived at the official’s house
and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion,
he said, “Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping.”
And they ridiculed him.
When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand,
and the little girl arose.
And news of this spread throughout all that land.

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Meditation: "Take heart, your faith has made you well"

Do you take your troubles to the Lord with expectant faith and confidence in his help? People in desperate or helpless circumstances were not disappointed when they sought Jesus out. What drew them to Jesus? Was it hope for a miracle or a word of comfort in their affliction? What did the elderly woman who had suffered greatly for twelve years expect Jesus to do for her? And what did a grieving father expect Jesus to do about his lost beloved daughter?

Words of hope directed to God
Jesus gave hope where there seemed to be no human cause for it because his hope was directed to God. He spoke words of hope to the woman (Take heart, daughter!) to ignite the spark of faith in her (your faith has made you well!). And he also gave divine hope to a father who had just lost a beloved child.

It took considerable courage and risk for the ruler of a synagogue to openly go to Jesus and to invite the scorn of his neighbors and kin. Even the hired mourners laughed at him in scorn. Their grief was devoid of any hope. Nonetheless, Jesus took the girl by the hand and delivered her from the grasp of death. In both instances we see Jesus' personal concern for the needs of others and his readiness to heal and restore life.

The infinite love of God
 In Jesus we see the infinite love of God extending to each and every individual as he gives freely and wholly of himself to each  person he meets. Do you approach the Lord with confident expectation that he will hear your request and act?

"Lord Jesus, you love each of us individually with a unique and personal love. Touch my life with your saving power, heal and restore me to fullness of life. Help me to give wholly of myself in loving service to others."

Daily Quote from the early church fathers: Daughter, your faith has made you well, by John Chrysostom (347-407 AD)

"So what did Messiah do? He did not let her go unnoticed but led her into the center of attention and made her visible. He had many reasons for doing this. Some might imagine that 'he did this merely for love of glory - otherwise why would he not allow her to remain concealed?' But what are they proposing who might say this? That he should keep her silent, that he should ignore her need, and thereby pass up miracles too numerous to mention, all because he is in love with glory? What an unholy thought, inspired by the most unholy one of all."

"What then is his intention in bringing her forward? First, Jesus puts an end to her fear. He does not want her to remain trapped in dread. He gives no cause for her conscience to be harmed, as if she had stolen the gift. Second, he corrects her assumption that she has no right to be seen. Third, he makes her faith an exhibit to all. He encourages the others to emulate her faith. Fourth, his subduing the fountains of her hemorrhage was another sign of his knowledge of all things. And finally, do you remember the ruler of the synagogue? He was at the point of despair, of utter ruin. Jesus is indirectly admonishing him by what he says to the woman." (excerpt from the  THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 31.2)

www.dailyscripture.net

MONDAY, JULY 4, MATTHEW 9:18-26
Weekday
(Genesis 28:10-22a; Psalm 91)

KEY VERSE: "Courage daughter! Your faith has saved you" (v 22).
TO KNOW: Matthew narrates the story of Jesus healing of a woman with a hemorrhage alongside the episode of raising a young girl to life. In the first story, a bereaved synagogue official ("Jairus" in Mk 5:22, Lk 8:41) pleaded with Jesus to bring his dead daughter back to life. On the way to the official's house, Jesus was met by a woman who had suffered hemorrhages for "twelve years," as many years as Jairus' daughter had lived. The woman believed that she would be healed if she could touch the fringe sewn on Jesus’ outer garment. These tassels (Hebrew,tzi-tzit) were meant as a reminder to Jews to be faithful to God's law (Nm 15:37-41). Because of her physical condition, the woman should not have touched Jesus as she was considered "unclean" according to the law (Lev 15:19). Jesus was impressed by the woman's courage and faith, and he restored her to full health. Arriving at the official's house, Jesus took the dead child's hand (touching a dead person also make him unclean, Nm 19:11). Her resuscitation was a sign of the new life that Jesus would offer in his resurrection. The older woman was at the point of death after twelve years of suffering and received new life in Jesus' healing. The twelve year old girl was now capable of generating life.
TO LOVE: In what ways do I need Jesus' healing touch today?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, heal me of all that defiles me.

INDEPENDENCE DAY, TUESDAY, JULY 4

Independence Day is celebrated on July 4th as America's official split from Britain's rule and the beginning of the American Revolution. The original resolution was introduced by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia on June 7, 1776. Three days later a committee headed by Thomas Jefferson was appointed to prepare an appropriate writing for the occasion. The document that we know as the Declaration of Independence was adopted by Congress on July 4th although the resolution that led to the writing of the Declaration was actually approved two days earlier. President John F. Kennedy declared in his Inaugural address January 20, 1961: "Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty."  

www.togetherwithgodsword.com

Monday 4 July 2016

Mon 4th. St Elizabeth of Portugal 
Hosea 2:16-18, 21-22. The Lord is kind and merciful—Ps 144(145):2-9. Matthew 9:18-26.

Reading

Had Jairus experienced Jesus in the temple previously and recognised the latent power in Jesus?
There was no media coverage or internet for the chronically ill woman, telling her that Jesus was in her village. And yet they both knew as deeply as human instinct can know, that here, in the person of Jesus, was living hope. Jairus asked for the life of his child and the woman, a return to full health. They both reached out and Jesus listened and responded to their humble pleas.
Nightly news broadcasts show us dreadful suffering across the Middle East as children are starved, maimed or killed.
The parents are desperate and long for a saviour who will hear their cries. Let us pray that instruments of peace and healing will be granted to these troubled lands.

www.pray.com.au

MINUTE MEDITATIONS 

Healed By Faith

Sometimes the hardest person to forgive is ourselves. I think we somehow convince ourselves that Christ’s suffering on the cross is sufficient for everyone but us. But true faith can help us to heal. Some say faith is blind. But it seems to me that sometimes faith opens our eyes.

— from Faith Under Fire

July 4
St. Elizabeth of Portugal
(1271-1336)

Elizabeth is usually depicted in royal garb with a dove or an olive branch. At her birth in 1271, her father, Pedro III, future king of Aragon, was reconciled with his father, James, the reigning monarch. This proved to be a portent of things to come. Under the healthful influences surrounding her early years, she quickly learned self-discipline and acquired a taste for spirituality. Thus fortunately prepared, she was able to meet the challenge when, at the age of 12, she was given in marriage to Denis, king of Portugal. She was able to establish for herself a pattern of life conducive to growth in God’s love, not merely through her exercises of piety, including daily Mass, but also through her exercise of charity, by which she was able to befriend and help pilgrims, strangers, the sick, the poor—in a word, all those whose need came to her notice. At the same time she remained devoted to her husband, whose infidelity to her was a scandal to the kingdom.

He, too, was the object of many of her peace endeavors. She long sought peace for him with God, and was finally rewarded when he gave up his life of sin. She repeatedly sought and effected peace between the king and their rebellious son, Alfonso, who thought that he was passed over to favor the king’s illegitimate children. She acted as peacemaker in the struggle between Ferdinand, king of Aragon, and his cousin James, who claimed the crown. And finally from Coimbra, where she had retired as a Franciscan tertiary to the monastery of the Poor Clares after the death of her husband, she set out and was able to bring about a lasting peace between her son Alfonso, now king of Portugal, and his son-in-law, the king of Castile.

Story:

Elizabeth was not well enough to undertake her final peacemaking journey, made all the more difficult by the oppressive heat of the season. She would not, however, permit herself to be dissuaded from it. She answered that there was no better way to give of her life and her health than by averting the miseries and destruction of war. By the time she had successfully brought about peace, she was so sick that death was imminent. After her death in 1336, her body was returned to the monastery at Coimbra for burial.

Comment:

The work of promoting peace is anything but a calm and quiet endeavor. It takes a clear mind, a steady spirit and a brave soul to intervene between people whose emotions are so aroused that they are ready to destroy one another. This is all the more true of a woman in the early 14th century. But Elizabeth had a deep and sincere love and sympathy for humankind, almost a total lack of concern for herself and an abiding confidence in God. These were the tools of her success.

www.americancatholic.org

LECTIO DIVINA: MATTHEW 9,18-26

Lectio Divina: 

 Monday, July 4, 2016

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.

2) Gospel Reading - Matthew 9,18-26

While Jesus was speaking to them, suddenly one of the officials came up, who bowed low in front of him and said, 'My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her and her life will be saved.' Jesus rose and, with his disciples, followed him.
Then suddenly from behind him came a woman, who had been suffering from a haemorrhage for twelve years, and she touched the fringe of his cloak, for she was thinking, 'If only I can touch his cloak I shall be saved.' Jesus turned round and saw her; and he said to her, 'Courage, my daughter, your faith has saved you.' And from that moment the woman was saved.
When Jesus reached the official's house and saw the flute-players, with the crowd making a commotion, he said, 'Get out of here; the little girl is not dead; she is asleep.' And they ridiculed him. But when the people had been turned out he went inside and took her by the hand; and she stood up. And the news of this spread all round the countryside.

3) Reflection

• Today’s Gospel takes us to meditate on two miracles of Jesus.  The first one was in favour of a woman considered unclean because of an irregular haemorrhage which had been lasting for more than twelve years.  The second one in favour of a girl who had just died.  According to the mentality of that time, the person who touched blood or a corpse or dead body was considered unclean and whoever touched that person became unclean.  Blood and death were factors of exclusion!  This is why those two women were marginalized persons, excluded from the participation in the community.  Whoever touched them became unclean, and therefore, would not be able to participate in the community, and therefore, could not relate with God.  In order to be admitted to participate fully in the community, it was necessary to go through the rite of purification, prescribed by the norms of the law. Now, when curing the impurity of the woman, through faith, Jesus opens a new path toward God which does not depend anymore on the rites of purification, controlled by the priests. In resurrecting the girl, Jesus conquers the power of death and opens a new horizon to life. 
• Matthew 9, 18-19: The death of the little girl. When Jesus was still speaking, behold an official of the place came to intercede for his daughter who has just died.  He asks Jesus to go to impose his hands on her and, “she will live”. The official thinks that Jesus has the power to make his daughter rise from the dead.  This is a sign of much faith in Jesus on the part of the father of the little girl.  Jesus rises and goes with him, taking only his disciples.  This is the starting point of both episodes which follow: the cure of the woman who had been suffering for the past twelve years from a haemorrhage, and the resurrection of the little girl. The Gospel of Mark presents both of these episodes, but with many details: the official was called Jarius and he was the president of the Synagogue.  The little girl was not dead as yet, and she was twelve years old, etc. (Mk 5, 21-43). Matthew gives a briefer narration of the very lively one of Mark.
• Matthew 9, 20-21: The situation of the woman. While they were on the way to the official’s house, a woman who had been suffering for twelve years because of a irregular haemorrhage got close to Jesus seeking to be cured. Twelve years with a haemorrhage! This is why she was marginalized, excluded, because as we have said, at that time blood rendered the person impure. Mark says that the woman had spent all she had with doctors, but instead of improving her situation had become worse (Mk 5, 25-26) But she had heard some speak about Jesus (Mk 5, 27).  This is why a new hope sprang in her.  She told herself: “If I can just touch his clothes, I shall be saved”. The catechism of that time said: “If I touch his clothes I will remain impure”.  The woman thinks exatly the contrary! This was a sign of great courage! A sign also that women were not in agreement with everything that the religious authority taught. The teaching of the Pharisees and of the Scribes did not succeed to control the thinking of the people.  Thank God! The woman got close to Jesus from behind, she touched the end of his cloak and she was cured.
• Matthew 9, 22. The word of Jesus which enlightens. Jesus turns and seeing the woman declares: “Courage, my daughter your faith has saved you”.  A brief phrase, but which makes us see three very important points: (1) In saying “my daughter”, Jesus accepts the woman in the new community which has formed around him.  She was no longer excluded. (2) What she expected and believed takes place in fact. She was cured. This proofs that the catechism of the religious authority was not correct and that in Jesus was opened a new path which gave people the possibility of obtaining the purity which the law demanded and also to enter into contact with God. (3) Jesus recognizes that without the faith of this woman, He would not have been able to work the miracle. The cure was not a magic rite, but an act of faith.
• Matthew 9, 23-24: In the house of the official. After that Jesus goes to the house of the official. Seeing the agitation of those who were mourning because of the death of the little girl, he asks everybody to get out from the room.  And he says: “The little girl is not dead, she is sleeping!”  People laugh, because they know how to distinguish when a person sleeps or when she is dead.  Death was for them a barrier that nobody could go beyond.  It is the laughter of Abraham and of Sarah, that is, of those who do not succeed to believe that nothing is impossible for God (Gn 17, 17; 18, 12-14; Lk 1, 27).  The words of Jesus still have a very deep significance.  The situation of the communities at the time of Matthew seemed to be in a situation of death.  Even though they heard said, “It is not death, you are asleep! Wake up!”    
• Matthew 9, 25-26: The resurrection of the little girl. Jesus does not give any importance to the laughter of the people. He waits for everyone to get out of the house.  Then he enters, takes the little girl by the hand and she gets up. Mark keeps the words of Jesus: “Talita kúmi!” which mean: “Little girl, I tell you to get up!” (Mk 5,41). The news spread throughout that region. The people believed that Jesus is the Lord of life who overcomes death.

4) Personal questions

• Today, which are the categories of persons who feel excluded from participating in the Christian community? Which are the factors which cause the exclusion of so many persons and render life difficult for them in the family and in society?
• “The little girl is not dead. She sleeps!” “She is not dead! You are sleeping!  Wake up! This is the message of today’s Gospel.  What does it tell me? Am I one of those who laugh?

5) Concluding Prayer

I shall praise you to the heights, God my King,
I shall bless your name for ever and ever.
Day after day I shall bless you,
I shall praise your name for ever and ever. (Ps 145,1-2)

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