Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection July 11, 2024
Fourteenth Week of Ordinary Time
11th July 2024 (Thursday)
Psalter: Week 2
Reading of the Day
First Reading: Hosea 11:1-4, 8c-9
Thus says the Lord: When Israel was a child I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. The more they were called, the more they went away; they kept sacrificing to the Baals and burning offerings to idols. Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk; I took them up by their arms, but they did not know that I healed them. I led them with cords of kindness, with the bands of love, and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws, and I bent down to them and fed them. My heart recoils within me; my compassion grows warm and tender. I will not execute my burning anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim; for I am God and not a man, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come in wrath.
Psalm 80:2ac and 3b, 15-16 (R. 4b)
R/. Let your face shine on us, Lord, and we shall be saved.
Gospel Acclamation
V/. Alleluia
R/. Alleluia
V/. The kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.
R/. Alleluia.
Gospel : Matthew 10:7-15
At that time: Jesus said to his apostles, “Proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts, no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for the labourer deserves his food. And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. As you enter the house, greet it. And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. Truly, I say to you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that town.
Daily Gospel Reflection
Thursday – Fourteenth Week of Ordinary Time
Guidelines: God is on an unceasing mission of loving us. His love may be wounded and betrayed but He never gets disgusted and never abandons us to our fate
1. Again and again the history of salvation shows us the condescending love of God for humanity. The people He had chosen and blessed in numberless ways go away and against Him. They become ungrateful and unfaithful. Yet, He is not driven by hasty wrath. He does not destroy them in a split second.
2. So patiently He goes on reminding them of His love for them. He appeals to those sweet memories of how He “taught them to walk, took them up by their arms, healed them, led them with cords of kindness, with the bands of love, eased the yoke on their jaws, and bent down to them and fed them”. He further assures them that He will not destroy them despite their infidelity. His compassion grows warm and tender.
3. His agony does not stop there. Neither His love ceases. The more they were loved and called, the more they went away. But the more they went away, the more He loves them. That is why He sends His only Son to bring them back. Jesus thus is the continuation of this unending love of God.
4. Jesus is the living sign and witness of this ever-flowing mission of love. Jesus is into this mission in full swing. He also makes his apostles active sharers of the same mission. They are called to accomplish this mission through word and deed, that is, preaching the word and healing in action. It is to proclaim the kingdom of God, and to “heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons”. In simple, it is a mission of renewal and new life.
5. However, in fulfilling this task, they should not be too much worried about human and material resources. They should not depend on them, nor should they acquire them for safety and security. Jesus says categorically, “Acquire no gold or silver or copper, no bag, or two tunics or sandals or a staff”.
6. They need not worry about procuring something, for the “labourer deserves his food”, meaning the Lord will provide. Neither they should be led by expectations of returns and results, for “you received without paying; so give without pay”.
Practice: Material abundance is not a guarantee nor a must for the success of the mission. Rather, their source of confidence and sustenance shall be the Lord’s own power.
