Daily Readings - Mon Jul 06 2020
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 that illuminate God's enduring love and the transformative power of faith. The first reading from Hosea presents a poignant metaphor of God's relationship with His people, likening it to a lover pursuing His beloved. Despite Israel's unfaithfulness, God's love remains unwavering, promising redemption and restoration. This passage, written in a time of national crisis, serves as a reminder of God's mercy and His desire to renew His covenant with His people.
The Gospel from Matthew offers two miracles that underscore the centrality of faith in God's plan of salvation. The ruler, desperate for his daughter's life, approaches Jesus with trust, and the woman, suffering for twelve years, reaches out in hope. Both stories highlight Jesus' power to heal and restore, but more importantly, they reveal the necessity of faith. Jesus' words to the woman, "Your faith has made you well," and His assurance to the ruler, "Do not be afraid; just have faith," invite us to reflect on the role of trust in our own lives.
These readings remind us that faith is not merely intellectual assent but a lived response to God's initiative. Like the woman who touched Jesus' garment, we are called to approach Him with confidence, knowing that His love is always available to us. In our daily struggles, may we, like the ruler and the woman, turn to God with faith, trusting in His plan and allowing His love to transform us. Let us remember that God's love is relentless, and His mercy endures forever.