Thursday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Optional Memorial for Saint Henry)
 
Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Henry
Biographical information about St. Henry

“The Recognition of Joseph by his Brothers”
by Peter Cornelius, 1816-17

Readings for Thursday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary:[3]
 
Reading 1: Genesis 44:18-21, 23b-29; 45:1-5
 
Judah approached Joseph and said: "I beg you, my lord,
let your servant speak earnestly to my lord,
and do not become angry with your servant,
for you are the equal of Pharaoh.
My lord asked your servants, 'Have you a father, or another brother?'
So we said to my lord, 'We have an aged father,
and a young brother, the child of his old age.
This one's full brother is dead,
and since he is the only one by that mother who is left,
his father dotes on him.'
Then you told your servants,
'Bring him down to me that my eyes may look on him.
Unless your youngest brother comes back with you,
you shall not come into my presence again.'
When we returned to your servant our father,
we reported to him the words of my lord.
 
"Later, our father told us to come back and buy some food for the family.
So we reminded him, 'We cannot go down there;
only if our youngest brother is with us can we go,
for we may not see the man if our youngest brother is not with us.'
Then your servant our father said to us,
'As you know, my wife bore me two sons.
One of them, however, disappeared, and I had to conclude
that he must have been torn to pieces by wild beasts;
I have not seen him since.
If you now take this one away from me, too,
and some disaster befalls him,
you will send my white head down to the nether world in grief.'"
 
Joseph could no longer control himself
in the presence of all his attendants,
so he cried out, "Have everyone withdraw from me!"
Thus no one else was about when he made himself known to his brothers.
But his sobs were so loud that the Egyptians heard him,
and so the news reached Pharaoh's palace.
"I am Joseph," he said to his brothers.
"Is my father still in good health?"
But his brothers could give him no answer,
so dumbfounded were they at him.
 
"Come closer to me," he told his brothers.
When they had done so, he said:
"I am your brother Joseph, whom you once sold into Egypt.
But now do not be distressed,
and do not reproach yourselves for having sold me here.
It was really for the sake of saving lives
that God sent me here ahead of you."
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Gn 44:18-21, 23b-29; 45:1-5
 
Joseph punishes his bothers for having sold him into slavery by tricking them into bringing Benjamin their youngest brother, who had taken Joseph’s place as the apple of his father’s eye. When he confronts them and sees their willingness to protect and save Benjamin, he reveals himself to them. Joseph tells his brothers that, in selling him to Egypt, they did God’s will since through him many lives were saved.
 
-------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 105:16-17, 18-19, 20-21
 
R. (5a) Remember the marvels the Lord has done.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
When the LORD called down a famine on the land
and ruined the crop that sustained them,
He sent a man before them,
Joseph, sold as a slave.
R. Remember the marvels the Lord has done.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
They had weighed him down with fetters,
and he was bound with chains,
Till his prediction came to pass
and the word of the LORD proved him true.
R. Remember the marvels the Lord has done.
or:
R. Alleluia.
 
The king sent and released him,
the ruler of the peoples set him free.
He made him lord of his house
and ruler of all his possessions.
R. Remember the marvels the Lord has done.
or:
R. Alleluia.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 105:16-17, 18-19, 20-21
 
Psalm 105 is a historical hymn that recalls, in this selection, the Genesis story (Genesis 37:3ff), speaking of the fate of Joseph in Egypt and how God rescued and supported him in his slavery. It also recounts the actions of Joseph’s brothers, selling him into slavery in Egypt and speaks of the rise of Joseph in the house of Pharaoh.
 
-------------------------------------------
Gospel: Matthew 10:7-15
 
Jesus said to his Apostles:
"As you go, make this proclamation:
'The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.'
Cure the sick, raise the dead,
cleanse the lepers, drive out demons.
Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.
Do not take gold or silver or copper for your belts;
no sack for the journey, or a second tunic,
or sandals, or walking stick.
The laborer deserves his keep.
Whatever town or village you enter, look for a worthy person in it,
and stay there until you leave.
As you enter a house, wish it peace.
If the house is worthy,
let your peace come upon it;
if not, let your peace return to you.
Whoever will not receive you or listen to your words
go outside that house or town and shake the dust from your feet.
Amen, I say to you, it will be more tolerable
for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment
than for that town."
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mt 10:7-15
 
Jesus instructs the apostles, as he sends them on their mission to proclaim the Kingdom of God. They are to go into the world without any provisions and will depend upon the generosity of others. The Lord gives them authority over all manner of diseases and afflictions but reminds them that they are not to request payment for these gifts of healing.
The Lord's instructions end with a warning to those who reject the proclamation of the Kingdom of God.  Jesus tells the apostles that those who reject the peace they offer will suffer, like those cut off from God's grace by the judgment upon those who perished in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah  (see Genesis 19:1-26).
 
CCC: Mt 10:5-7 543; Mt 10:8 1509, 2121, 2443; Mt 10:10 2122
-------------------------------------------
Reflection:
 
"What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and what has not entered the human heart, what God has prepared for those who love him" (1 Corinthians 2:9). St. Paul paraphrases the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 64:3, 65:16) with these words and summarizes the lesson we take from Sacred Scripture at numerous points.  We see evidence of how this comes to pass in the story that continues to unfold in Genesis.
 
We are all familiar with the story of the sons of Jacob, how they sold their brother Joseph into slavery, and then told their father he had been killed.  In the first reading, we hear how their actions, as ignoble as they were, were used by God for the salvation of many, including those envious and mean-spirited brothers. 
 
The scenario has a familiar ring to it, does it not?  Even in our own lives, don’t we have a saying that “God never closes a door but that he opens a window?”  In this case God has set Joseph in a place where he can dispense food to those who might otherwise starve due to famine.  (If we really want to get twisted around, we could ask: “Did God cause the famine so the brothers of Joseph would be forced to ask him for food, thereby exposing their evil deed and bringing salvation to Jacob at the same time?")  It is frequently the case that when we attempt to understand God’s plan, we find ourselves questioning his motives (look at the passion of Christ for example).  At some point, it is better to look at the end results and see how it all fits together.
 
The lesson of faith we learn is again summarized in St. Paul’s statement: we cannot conceive of what God has planned for us.  We are called to accept the following:  First, we accept that God loves us and has given us what we need to accomplish his will.  Second, he created us for a reason; he gives our lives purpose.
 
One of those “purposes” is implied in the Gospel from St. Matthew.  We are called by Christ and we are sent, armed with the Holy Spirit, into the world to proclaim the Good News.  It may be by word spoken or example lived, but it goes hand in hand with the call we received with our baptism, confirmed in the Holy Spirit, and reaffirmed in the Eucharist we share.
 
There may be those among us who say: “But I cannot do this.  I am shy or I am too old or too young or weak.”  We come back once more to St. Paul’s use of Isaiah’s prophecy. We cannot know God’s ultimate purpose, any more than Joseph did when he was sold into slavery, or the apostles did when they were called away from their fishing nets. We do not know what God has prepared for those who love him.  In that love, we can only accept his call and marvel at the wondrous deeds he brings to pass.
 
Pax

---

[1] The picture is “The Recognition of Joseph by his Brothers” by Peter Cornelius, 1816-17.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.

Wednesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

“Joseph in the Pharaoh's Palace”
by Jacopo Amigoni, c. 1730’s

 
Readings for Wednesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Genesis 41:55-57; 42:5-7a, 17-24a
 
When hunger came to be felt throughout the land of Egypt
and the people cried to Pharaoh for bread,
Pharaoh directed all the Egyptians to go to Joseph
and do whatever he told them.
When the famine had spread throughout the land,
Joseph opened all the cities that had grain
and rationed it to the Egyptians,
since the famine had gripped the land of Egypt.
In fact, all the world came to Joseph to obtain rations of grain,
for famine had gripped the whole world.
 
The sons of Israel were among those
who came to procure rations.
 
It was Joseph, as governor of the country,
who dispensed the rations to all the people.
When Joseph's brothers came and knelt down before him
with their faces to the ground,
he recognized them as soon as he saw them.
But Joseph concealed his own identity from them
and spoke sternly to them.
 
With that, he locked them up in the guardhouse for three days.
 
On the third day Joseph said to his brothers:
"Do this, and you shall live; for I am a God-fearing man.
If you have been honest,
only one of your brothers need be confined in this prison,
while the rest of you may go
and take home provisions for your starving families.
But you must come back to me with your youngest brother.
Your words will thus be verified, and you will not die."
To this they agreed.
To one another, however, they said:
"Alas, we are being punished because of our brother.
We saw the anguish of his heart when he pleaded with us,
yet we paid no heed;
that is why this anguish has now come upon us."
Reuben broke in,
"Did I not tell you not to do wrong to the boy?
But you would not listen!
Now comes the reckoning for his blood."
The brothers did not know, of course,
that Joseph understood what they said,
since he spoke with them through an interpreter.
But turning away from them, he wept.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Gn 41:55-57; 42:5-7a, 17-24a
 
We take up the story of Joseph, the youngest son of Jacob, in midstream. Joseph’s brothers are in Egypt asking Joseph for rations though they do not recognize him. At this point in the story, they had already sold Joseph into slavery out of jealousy and told his father he was dead. Now they are forced to deal with their guilt as they must decide their own fate, unknowingly at the feet of the brother they had wronged. For the first time, Joseph understands their motives and weeps. For their part, the brothers begin to sense divine retribution for the wrong they had done to Joseph.
 
-------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 33:2-3, 10-11, 18-19
 
R. (22) Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
 
Give thanks to the LORD on the harp;
with the ten-stringed lyre chant his praises.
Sing to him a new song;
pluck the strings skillfully, with shouts of gladness.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
 
The LORD brings to nought the plans of nations;
he foils the designs of peoples.
But the plan of the LORD stands forever;
the design of his heart, through all generations.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
 
But see, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. Lord, let your mercy be on us, as we place our trust in you.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 33:2-3, 10-11, 18-19
 
Psalm 33 is a song of thanksgiving and praise.  In this passage, we hear praise for God’s mercy to his people.  The psalmist reflects upon the futility of the plans of humanity and the wonder of God’s plan.  The concluding strophe recalls the salvation God has planned for his faithful.
 
-------------------------------------------
Gospel: Matthew 10:1-7
 
Jesus summoned his Twelve disciples
and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out
and to cure every disease and every illness.
The names of the Twelve Apostles are these:
first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew;
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John;
Philip and Bartholomew,
Thomas and Matthew the tax collector;
James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus;
Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot
who betrayed Jesus.
 
Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus,
"Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town.
Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
As you go, make this proclamation: 'The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.'"
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mt 10:1-7
 
Following the instructions to the Twelve on how they are to evangelize given in the preceding chapter, Jesus now sends them out. St. Matthew’s Gospel does not tell the stories of how they were called but provides the names and mission of the disciples. It is only in Matthew that the Twelve are designated as apostles reflecting the mission and role they fulfill. They are then sent, but only to the “chosen people.” This focus on the Jewish audience tells us that St. Matthew’s Gospel was originally directed principally at Hebrew Christians.
 
CCC: Mt 10:5-7 543
-------------------------------------------
Reflection:
 
What would we think if a person we did not know came up to us and said: “The Kingdom of heaven is at hand”?  Even if we look at the next verses of St. Matthew’s Gospel, that phrase is not explained.  He sends his disciples into the world to bring healing to the sick and hope to the poor but what does he mean: “The Kingdom of heaven is at hand”?
 
If this phrase were spoken to us in the context of someone attempting to evangelize us, would we not immediately think that person was telling us: “The world is coming to an end” or “It’s the end of the world”?  The disciples Jesus was sending must certainly have had a clear understanding of what the idea of the kingdom of heaven was about.  For our own purposes, since we are also to follow these apostles in their mission, we must also have a clear understanding of what is meant or implied by the “Kingdom of heaven.”
 
The whole concept of a “kingdom” is the first term we must define.  Kingdom is defined by an unabridged dictionary as:
 
5. the spiritual sovereignty of God or Christ.
6. the domain over which the spiritual sovereignty of God or Christ extends, whether in heaven or on earth. [4]
 
So, when the disciples proclaim the Kingdom of heaven, they are announcing that God’s power or authority will be extended over those to whom this event is announced.  In the terms and tradition in which this message was proclaimed, the idea of a temporal kingdom had a more profound understanding.  The people who were to receive this message, “the lost sheep of the house of Israel,” would have been under Roman authority, part of the Roman Empire, dominated by the emperor of Rome who ruled through Pontius Pilate with King Herod as regional monarch.
 
The whole notion that power and authority would be given over to God, the one true God known to the house of Israel as Yahweh, could mean only one thing: the promised Messiah was at hand.  It would mean that the secular rule and values would no longer be the measure by which their actions were governed, but the law of God would be the standard by which judgment would be passed.
 
In a very spiritual sense, they announced the end of the world as it was known (we are back to that idea).  God’s kingdom, his heavenly kingdom on earth, must be a different kind of world.  It is a place of love and understanding, a place where God’s will is recognized and the commandments are obeyed.
 
When we come to understand the vision of Jesus for the world both now and in God’s kingdom of heaven, our eternal home, it becomes easier to place into context the message we are to convey through our words and actions.  We must be cautious to use language that will be understood correctly.  We cannot, in the context of our society, use the exact words Jesus sent the Twelve to announce.  Most people would not understand the message.  Rather we are called to find ways to make that announcement in ways easily understood by the “lost sheep” we encounter.
 
Today we pray for the grace and strength to proclaim that message.  We also hope for the faith to understand that it is the message given to us as well.
 
Pax

---

[1] The picture is “Joseph in the Pharaoh's Palace” by Jacopo Amigoni, c. 1730’s.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] "kingdom." Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. 07 Jul. 2015. <Dictionary.com http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/kingdom>.

Memorial of Saint Benedict, Abbot

Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Benedict
 
Biographical information about St. Benedict

“Saint Benedict”
by Fra Angelico,1387

 
Readings for Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Genesis 32:23-33a
 
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.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Gn 32:23-33
 
In this passage we find Jacob in a wrestling match with an angel of God (while it is not stated in this passage that it is an angel, Hosea 12:5 makes that clear). The match ends in a draw but Jacob takes injury. This mythic battle gives rise to one of the dietary laws regarding eating the sciatic nerve of animals. In the end Jacob receives his blessing and is given the name Israel.
 
CCC: Gn 32:25-31 2573
-------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 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.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 17:1b, 2-3, 6-7ab, 8b and 15
 
Psalm 17 is an individual lament. The psalmist sings for God’s help in distress, having been firm in faithfulness. The Lord is called upon for justice. The psalmist asks for this help in spite of the tests undergone, proclaiming that God alone is the just judge. In the Lord and in his justice the psalmist is content.
 
-------------------------------------------
Gospel: 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."
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mt 9:32-38
 
In this selection Jesus continues his healing practice as he travels from town to town. We see growing opposition from the Pharisees as he does so. Almost ironically, Jesus looks with compassion upon the people ("his heart was moved with pity for them") as he sees that the religious leaders, the scribes and Pharisees, have not led them to God but abandoned them, seeking instead their own selfish ends.  The Lord recalls the prophecy of Ezekiel, predicting someone from the line of David as a new shepherd. This prophetic statement was fulfilled in himself (Ezekiel 34:23). And, using the same language we heard in Luke 10:1-9, Jesus prepares to send out the disciples to proclaim the Good News, the disciples are to become laborers.
 
CCC: Mt 9:38 2611
-------------------------------------------
Reflection:
 
There is a cliché that says: “If you can keep your head while all about you are losing theirs, you’ve probably misjudged the situation.”  Today Sacred Scripture teaches us the lesson of discernment.  In the reading from Genesis we are given the story of Jacob contending with what is defined in Hosea as an angel or messenger of God.  The purpose of the initial conflict is not mentioned nor is the identity of the antagonist explicitly stated.  It is presumed to be an angel of God because it blesses Jacob in the end and, in godlike fashion, changes Jacob’s name to Israel.
 
In the Gospel, we see similar confusion on the part of the Pharisees.  They are not able to accept that Jesus is of God and incorrectly assume, because of his authority over “unclean spirits” or “demons,” that he was an agent of the evil one: "He drives out demons by the prince of demons."
 
In this passage, St. Matthew does not describe Jesus correcting these misconceptions.  Rather he continues the story of Jesus’ ministry, describing how he spread the good news on his own.  At the very end of the passage the Lord states, almost it seems with a sigh of regret, that there is much work to do in spreading this good news and, in a very human expression, he states that he cannot do it alone.
 
Back to the lesson we take away from this pair of stories.  How did Jacob know that the one with whom he wrestled was an agent of God?  Could it not have been an agent of the devil?  The story never names the messenger.  Jacob’s opponent is called simply “the man.”  We assume that Jacob recognized him because, when “the man” asked to withdraw because it was nearly dawn, Jacob told him he would not release him until he received a blessing.
 
The story allows for ambiguity.  We presume that an agent of the devil could not have given a blessing.  In the same way, the Pharisees should have seen that Jesus could not have been what they presumed.  In their blindness, they could not see God’s love incarnate.
 
In both these situations we have our own challenges pointed out.  We are daily beset by situations in which we must determine if it is the will of God that something either happens or does not happen, or if it is an attempt to defeat God’s purpose placed there by the evil one.  Our choices in real life are often not black and white but many shades of gray.
 
How then do we discern if it is God or the devil that places these choices in front of us?  The true answer is in many cases we do not know.  Unlike the Lord we do not have the power to see into the hearts of people to know their intentions.  We do not have the ability to see past the illusions of good the evil one is so fond of creating.  All we can do is depend upon our developed image of God’s will for us and for the world. 
 
It is like a work of art we have created through our prayer and study of the Word.  We have developed a picture of God’s love of his creation and, through his Son’s revelation, his love of us.  When we are challenged by choices in the world, we must, like a puzzle we are putting together, see if either of our choices fit into that picture of God’s will we paint with our faith.
 
Today we are reminded that the difference between God’s will and the devil’s will are sometimes difficult to distinguish.  We are reminded that we need to have developed a clear picture of how the Lord operates in the world so that when we are confronted with difficult choices, we always make the right choice.  In this we offer our constant prayer for guidance.
 
Pax
 

---

[1] The picture is “Saint Benedict” by Fra Angelico,1387.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.

Monday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

“Raising of the Daughter of Jairus” (detail)
by Paolo Veronese, c. 1546

 
Readings for Monday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time [1]
 
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible [2]
 
Readings and Commentary: [3]
 
Reading 1: Genesis 28:10-22a
 
Jacob departed from Beer-sheba and proceeded toward Haran.
When he came upon a certain shrine, as the sun had already set,
he stopped there for the night.
Taking one of the stones at the shrine, he put it under his head
and lay down to sleep at that spot.
Then he had a dream: a stairway rested on the ground,
with its top reaching to the heavens;
and God's messengers were going up and down on it.
And there was the LORD standing beside him and saying:
"I, the LORD, am the God of your forefather Abraham
and the God of Isaac;
the land on which you are lying
I will give to you and your descendants.
These shall be as plentiful as the dust of the earth,
and through them you shall spread out east and west, north and south.
In you and your descendants
all the nations of the earth shall find blessing.
Know that I am with you;
I will protect you wherever you go,
and bring you back to this land.
I will never leave you until I have done what I promised you."
 
When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he exclaimed,
"Truly, the LORD is in this spot, although I did not know it!"
In solemn wonder he cried out: "How awesome is this shrine!
This is nothing else but an abode of God,
and that is the gateway to heaven!"
Early the next morning Jacob took the stone
that he had put under his head,
set it up as a memorial stone, and poured oil on top of it.
He called the site Bethel,
whereas the former name of the town had been Luz.
 
Jacob then made this vow: "If God remains with me,
to protect me on this journey I am making
and to give me enough bread to eat and clothing to wear,
and I come back safe to my father's house, the LORD shall be my God.
This stone that I have set up as a memorial stone shall be God's abode."
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Gn 28:10-22a
 
The story of the first patriarchs of the Jewish people continues with the story of “Jacob’s Dream.” Jacob takes a stone from a shrine at the holy place he later calls Bethel and uses it for a pillow. He has a dream in which God gives him and his descendants the land.
 
The notion of God being especially present in a specific physical location represents an ancient Jewish belief (shared by many other ancient Near Eastern religions) that God came to earth at “high places,” or special places requiring sacrifice to be offered and altars to be set up. God’s revelation in Christ informs us that God is omnipresent, that is, in all places equally present.
 
CCC: Gn 28:10-22 2573
-------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 91:1-2, 3-4, 14-15ab
 
R. (see 2b) In you, my God, I place my trust.
 
You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High,
who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
Say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."
R. In you, my God, I place my trust.
 
For he will rescue you from the snare of the fowler,
from the destroying pestilence.
With his pinions he will cover you,
and under his wings you shall take refuge.
R. In you, my God, I place my trust.
 
Because he clings to me, I will deliver him;
I will set him on high because he acknowledges my name.
He shall call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in distress.
R. In you, my God, I place my trust.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 91:1-2, 3-4, 14-15ab
 
The hymn of thanksgiving, that is Psalm 91, gives praise to God for the salvation of his people.  He saves those who believe in him from distress and fear through his consolation and mercy.
 
-------------------------------------------
Gospel: Matthew 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.
-------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mt 9:18-26
 
Jesus continues his journey in this passage from Matthew’s Gospel. Again, he engages in healing those who have faith in him. First, in a situation similar to the incident with the centurion's servant (Matthew 8:5-11; Luke 7:1-10), he is asked to help an official. As he is responding to that request, a woman with a hemorrhage approaches Jesus and reaches out to him. As she touches the tassel of his cloak, she experiences healing in that touch. In Mark and Luke the story is much more detailed. The Lord feels this touch and seeks out the woman (see Mark 5:25-34; Luke 8:43-48).
 
It is important to note that the woman, because of her hemorrhage, would have been considered "ritually impure" and excluded from all communal worship (Leviticus 15:19-23).  Through Christ's touch, she would have been allowed to return to God in worship.
 
Jesus arrives at the official's home and heals his daughter. In Mark’s Gospel (Mark 5:23) she was at the point of death, here she had already “fallen asleep,” meaning she had died. Again, Jesus, seeing the faith of the requester, raises her from her deathbed to new life.
 
-------------------------------------------
Reflection:
 
If we truly believe in the authority of Christ over death, death itself ceases to be a cause for fear.  If we truly believe Christ can heal us, a touch of his cloak will accomplish that healing.  How difficult it is to take that leap of faith.  The Lord was wise indeed when he said: “whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it." (Mark 10:15)
 
How can we come to such faith?  We know and understand that faith is a gift from God. We also know that through faith flows all the grace and strength we need.  We know that faith, like physical strength, can be grown through proper exercise and diet (exercise for faith is practice, and diet is the Word of God and sacraments).  And herein lays the paradox.  As we mature in our faith, we see all the depth and complexity of the truth Christ was pleased to reveal to us.  We hear his command to love God and others.  We can comprehend that this is done most completely by an innocent child (before they are taught by us not to trust or even speak to strangers; how insidious is the evil one who forces us to take away that innocence for their protection).
 
Yet our own experiences of life force us to take a more mature view of the world and people around us.  Our experiences of being hurt, trust being violated, and hatred by others, causes us to reject the innocent faith we need to embrace Christ’s teachings.  Always it seems that even as we reach out to touch that tassel of Jesus’ cloak, we pull back, afraid of what will happen (or what will not).
 
Today we pray for faith, the innocent faith of a child, that through it we might experience the healing miracle of the woman with a hemorrhage who through her faith was cured.  May God grant us trust in his infinite love and compassion this day.
 
Pax

---

[1] The picture is “Raising of the Daughter of Jairus” (detail) Paolo Veronese, c. 1546.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible, with the exception of the psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.