Reflection for Monday 14th Week in Ordinary

Today's Word

By


Fr. Aloysius Santiago sdb
Rector and Parish Priest
Don Bosco Shrine
Lingarajapuram, Bangalore

Matthew 9:22

“Jesus turned around and saw her and said, ‘Courage, daughter! Your faith has restored you to health.’ That very moment the woman got well.”

Reflection

Today's readings bring out Family & Personal Problems. In the first reading we see the envy of His Twin Brother Forced Jacob to Flee for His Life; & JESUS Responds to a Family Tragedy, the Death of the Synagogue Leader’s Daughter.

Sibling Rivalry can Cause Serious Problems in Any Family and is part and parcel of our system. Jacob had Stolen the Blessing of the 1st-Born from His Blind Father, Isaac. Worse still, He was Helped in This by His Mother, Rebekah, who Favoured Jacob over Her more Uncouth Son Esau. When Esau wanted for Revenge, Jacob had to Flee to the Place where Abraham had not wanted His Offspring to Settle.

The Setting for Jacob’s Dream of Angels & for GOD'S Renewal of Covenantal Promises was hardly the tranquil sanctuary it later became.

JESUS  was Stepping Outside Conventional Norms. The women were considered to be second class citizens and were a despised lot and touching the dead was considered to be an act of uncleanliness. But Jesus with great freedom  and compassion. There must have been a Great Freedom in JESUS, an Overwhelming Compassion, a  helps the needy. His  decision was to help those needy people who approached Him. These attitudes of Jesus help us  to think outside the box, as We Seek an authentic way to live our religion in Today’s World.

How do we  approach HIM in our moments of trouble. We see

2 People approaching JESUS in with 2  different Needs pertaining to their health. One was a Synagogue Official who came on behalf of his daughter & the other a woman with a Haemorrhage who came on Her own behalf because she must have heard from other sources. Their Ways of approaching HIM were quite different. The Synagogue Official came quite publicly, & spoke aloud His Need & His Request. The woman came secretly and touched  the fringe of His cloak & Speaking only to Herself.

Both the Synagogue Official & the Bleeding Woman were People of Faith but the way they made known  their Faith was quite  different. The response if JESUS to this faith expression was warm  to both the Synagogue Official & the Woman. HE responded equally to their Need & their outcry for help.

Resolution

Let's resolve to approach the Lord in our difficulties knowing that the  LORD'S response to us is always measured to the Way we approach HIM.

Good Morning

Have a beautiful day and an amazing week ahead.

Pray for the successful surgery of Pope Francis.

Pray for the good health of Fr. Stan Swamy.