Daily Catholic Mass Readings for July 6, 2020
First Reading: Hosea 2.14, 15b-16, 19-20
14"Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her.15There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she will sing as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt.16"In that day," declares the LORD, "you will call me 'my husband'; you will no longer call me 'my master. '19I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion.20I will betroth you in faithfulness, and you will acknowledge the LORD.
Psalm 145
1I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever.2Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever.3Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.4One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts.5They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works.6They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds.7They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.8The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.9The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.10All you have made will praise you, O LORD; your saints will extol you.11They will tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might,12so that all men may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.13Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.14The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.15The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time.16You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.17The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made.18The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.19He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.20The LORD watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.21My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.
Gospel: Matthew 9.18-26
18While he was saying this, a ruler came and knelt before him and said, "My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live."19Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples.20Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak.21She said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed."22Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment.23When Jesus entered the ruler's house and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd,24he said, "Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep." But they laughed at him.25After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up.26News of this spread through all that region.
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.