Daily Readings - Mon Jul 09 2018
Hosea
14"Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her.15And there I will give her her vineyards and make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. And there she shall answer as in the days of her youth, as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt.16"And in that day, declares the LORD, you will call me 'My Husband,' and no longer will you call me 'My Baal.'19And I will betroth you to me forever. I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy.20I will betroth you to me in faithfulness. And you shall know the LORD.
Matthew
18While he was saying these things to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, "My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live."19And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples.20And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment,21for she said to herself, "If I only touch his garment, I will be made well."22Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, "Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well." And instantly the woman was made well.23And when Jesus came to the ruler's house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion,24he said, "Go away, for the girl is not dead but sleeping." And they laughed at him.25But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose.26And the report of this went through all that district.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful narratives of redemption and faith. The first reading from Hosea portrays God's promise to restore His people, using the metaphor of a spouse returning to her husband. This metaphor underscores God's enduring love and His plan to renew His covenant with His people through justice, mercy, and faith. The Gospel from Matthew presents two miracles: the healing of a woman who had bled for twelve years and the resurrection of a ruler's daughter. Both miracles highlight Jesus' compassion and the transformative power of faith.
The context of Hosea's prophecy is set against a backdrop of Israel's infidelity, where the prophet uses the metaphor of a broken marriage to illustrate the people's spiritual adultery. In contrast, Matthew's account showcases Jesus' authority and mercy, demonstrating how His divine power heals both physical and spiritual ailments. These readings connect through their emphasis on redemption and faith—Hosea's promise of restoration is fulfilled in Jesus' miracles, which embody God's loving intervention.
In our daily lives, these readings invite us to trust in God's plan and approach Him with unwavering faith, even in adversity. Just as the woman and the ruler trusted Jesus for healing, we too can place our confidence in His power. The moral lesson here is the enduring nature of God's love and the call to live with faith and trust. Let us embrace this love and faith, knowing that God is always working for our good, just as He did for the woman and the ruler's daughter.