8 July 2019

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Monday, 8 July 2019 : 14th Week of Ordinary Time (Homily and Scripture Reflections)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we listened to the words of the Scripture in which God’s love and providence is reminded to us, in how each and everyone one of us are beloved by God, and God has taken care of us all His people with such generosity and blessings, that we should truly put our trust and faith in Him, and devote ourselves wholeheartedly from now on.

In the first reading today, we heard of the vision which Jacob saw in his dream, of a great staircase leading to Heaven, and God Who appeared to him in person and saying that He would bless him just as He has blessed Abraham and Isaac, his grandfather and father respectively. God also renewed the same promise that He has given to Abraham, that his descendants will be glorified and blessed by God.

And we have to understand that at that time, Jacob was in fact a fugitive in running, escaping from the wrath of his elder brother, Esau, who was very angry with Jacob for having stolen not just his birthright but also the inheritance and the blessing which was meant for him as the eldest son of Isaac, their father. Jacob was on the run from the land of Canaan on the way to the land of his ancestors, to the relatives of his father for refuge.

God reassured His servant, Jacob, with what He has shown to Jacob at that night, reassuring him that He would be with him even during his darkest moments, during the times when he was most vulnerable and at the weakest. He would not abandon him to destruction, and He would continue to guide him as He has promised His forefathers. That was just how much God loved His people and how committed and faithful He was to the Covenant which He had made with each and every one of us.

Then in the Gospel passage today, we heard of the Lord reaching out to many of the people who had been suffering, those who suffered from illness and even from death. And God, in His Son, Jesus Christ, touched all of them, and made them whole once again. He touched the woman who suffered from a terrible haemorrhage and stopped her bleeding, because of the faith that she had in looking out for Him and having faith that even by just touching His cloak, she would be healed.

And He also raised the dead daughter of the synagogue official, and returned her back to life, to show not only that because He is God, and therefore, is capable of ruling over life and death, but more importantly, to show that God is ever loving and merciful, and He will always care for His people with tender care and love, regardless of the circumstances. He is always ever faithful, and it is us mankind who have always fallen away because of our sins and disobedience.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, on this day we ought to reflect on our lives and how we have lived it thus far. Have we been faithful to God in the way that He has been committed and faithful to the Covenant which He had made with us? Have we loved Him in the way that He has loved us all these while, in the assurance which He has always given us, or have we loved the world much more than we loved Him?

Let us all think about this, and see how each and every one of us can grow stronger in our love and dedication for God. Remember how loving and generous God has been towards us all these while, and especially the gift of life He has given us. Let us grow ever stronger in our faith and become better Christians from now on. May God bless us always, now and forevermore. Amen.

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Monday, 8 July 2019 : 14th Week of Ordinary Time (Gospel Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Matthew 9 : 18-26

At that time, while Jesus was speaking to the disciples of John and the Pharisees, an official of the synagogue came up to Him, bowed before Him and said, “My daughter has just died, but come and place Your hands on her, and she will live.”

Jesus stood up and followed him with His disciples. Then a woman, who had suffered from a severe bleeding for twelve years, came up from behind and touched the edge of His cloak; for she thought, “If I only touch His cloak, I will be healed.”

Jesus turned, saw her and said, “Courage, my daughter, your faith has saved you.” And from that moment, the woman was cured. When Jesus arrived at the official’s house and saw the flute players and the excited crowd, He said, “Get out of here! The girl is not dead. She is only sleeping!” And they laughed at Him.

But once the crowd had been turned out, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she stood up. The news of this spread through the whole area.

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Monday, 8 July 2019 : 14th Week of Ordinary Time (Psalm)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Psalm 90 : 1-2, 3-4, 14-15ab

You, who dwell in the shelter of the Most High, who rest in the shadow of the Almighty, say to YHVH, “My Stronghold, my Refuge, my God in Whom I trust!”

He will rescue you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His pinions and give you refuge under His wings.

“Because they cling to Me, I will rescue them,” says YHVH. “I will protect those who know My Name. When they call to Me, I will answer; in time of trouble, I will be with them.”

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Monday, 8 July 2019 : 14th Week of Ordinary Time (First Reading)

Liturgical Colour : Green

Genesis 28 : 10-22a

Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran. When he reached a certain place the sun had set and he spent the night there. He took one of the stones that were there and using it as a pillow, he lay down to sleep.

While Jacob was sleeping, he had a dream in which a ladder stood on the earth with its top reaching to heaven and on it were Angels of God going up and coming down. And YHVH was standing there near him and said, “I am YHVH, the God of your father, Abraham, and the God of Isaac. The land on which you sleep, I give to you and your descendants.”

“Your descendants will be numerous like the specks of dust of the earth and you will spread out to the west and the east, to the north and the south. Through you and your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed. See, I am with you and I will keep you safe wherever you go. I will bring you back to this land and not leave you until I have done what I promised.”

Jacob woke from his dream and said, “Truly YHVH was in this place and I was not aware of it.” He was afraid and said, “How full of awe is this place! It is nothing less than a house of God; it is the Gate to Heaven!” Then Jacob rose early and took the stone he had put under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. He named that place Bethel although before that it was called Luz.

Then Jacob made a vow, “If YHVH will be with me and keep me safe during this journey I am making, if He gives me bread to eat and clothes to wear, and if I return in peace to my father’s house, then YHVH will be my God. This stone which I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house.”