Promises Fulfilled
Jul 8: Monday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Today, we’re reading Matthew’s version of a story we read in Mark a week ago. Although shorter, Matthew retains the intercalation structure, where the bleeding woman delays the trip to rescue Jairus’ daughter.
Jesus promised to save the little girl. Even though He’s interrupted, He still fulfills the promise. That’s the hope we all have to hold onto when facing life’s challenges.
Reading 1
Hos 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.
The original Hebrew word translated as “allure” is pathah, which might be closer to “entice” or even “trick someone who is easily duped.” Essentially, what Satan did to Adam and Eve.
But here, it’s a good thing. God is using the Devil’s own techniques against him, in order to draw humanity back to God. This is the power of beauty as a type of evangelization—
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 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.
Most of this prayer is devoted to praising God. Only in the end does the psalmist ask for forgiveness. We have to reach out to God first, before making any sort of request. That’s what we’ll see in today’s Gospel, too.
Alleluia
See 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.
Jesus has command over death. The official’s daughter’s. His own. Ours, too.
Gospel
Mt 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.
Matthew likely took inspiration from Mark.1 This version is shorter, but Matthew still takes the time to include the crowd ridiculing Jesus for saying He could help the girl. They didn’t recognize they were in the presence of holiness.
How often are we like that crowd? How often do we realize we’re in the presence of God? Do we trust that God will protect us? It’s not always easy.
Instead, we should be like the suffering woman, simply reaching for Jesus. He will be with us in our time of distress.