July 10, 2018

July 10

July 10, 2018:  Tuesday, 14th week, Ordinary Time

  • Hos 8:4-7, 11-13  They made kings and princes, but not by my authority.  They made idols, to their own destruction.  Cast away your calf!  When Ephraim made altars to expiate sin, they became occasions of sin.  The Lord is not pleased; he'll punish their sins.
  • Ps 115:3-10  "The house of Israel trusts in the Lord."  Our God does what he wills.  Their idols have mouths but don't speak, eyes but don't see, ears but don't hear, noses but don't smell, hands but don't feel, feet but don't walk.  Their makers, and all who trust in them, shall be like them.
  • Mt 9:32-38  Jesus drove the demon out of the mute demoniac brought to him.  Crowd:  “We've never seen anything like this.”  Pharisees:  “He drives out demons by their prince.”  Jesus went everywhere, teaching, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing diseases.  He was moved with pity for the crowds because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.  To his disciples:  “The harvest is abundant but laborers few; ask the harvest master to send laborers.”
Reflect
  • Creighton:  In today's readings, we learn of individuals and communities losing sight of God and misusing the stuff of life.  Jesus models and calls for a proper use of what we've been given.  In the 1st reading the community tries to put people and things in God's place.  The Lord responds through Hosea, “They made idols for themselves, to their destruction.”  Their possessions possessed them.
Today's psalm is a litany of body parts improperly used.  Our body should be used to praise, reverence and serve God.  Jesus calls us to help him build up God's Kingdom on earth.
“Lay people are found in each of the world’s occupations and callings and in ordinary family life....  God calls them to contribute to the sanctification of the world... by fulfilling their particular duties” (Lumen Gentium 31).  How do I live out those duties and labor with Christ?
“Christ has no body now but yours.  No hands, no feet on earth but yours.  Yours are the eyes through which he looks with compassion, the feet he walks with to do good, the hands he blesses the world with...” (Teresa of Avila).  How might I use my body and gifts to praise, reverence and serve God?
  • One Bread, One Body:  "Spiritual laryngitis":  We've been reading of Jesus' healings and deliverances.  "The harvest is good but laborers scarce."  There are few to proclaim the good news; the sheep lie prostrate from exhaustion.  We must yield our tongues to the Spirit and speak up for Jesus.  We have selective muteness:  we can talk about other things but become mute about Jesus. We rationalize, saying we don't want to impose our beliefs on others, but we're talking about Jesus, not belief.  We should be free to tell others of our love, especially for Jesus.  "Don't be intimidated.  All will be revealed.  What I tell you in darkness, speak in the light...."
  • Passionist:  We can embrace our humanness, our broken natures, and the compassion that's our best hope.  Or we can deny it, becoming afraid, angry, and vengeful.  But there's no wholeness outside of our reciprocal humanity.  Our country is so polarized:  People participating in peaceful rallies are spat upon.  Law-abiding citizens are taunted, called names, and derided for their clothing.  People presenting themselves at our border are shown no compassion.  How would Jesus treat them?  He looked at the crowds, and “his heart was moved with pity...”; then he told his disciples, “The harvest is abundant;... ask the harvest master to send out laborers.”  We need to look, listen, and speak out.  What specifically can I do this week to fight injustice, shine light on unethical practices, work for justice and peace?
  • DailyScripture.net:  "Never seen anything like this":  Jesus set the demoniac free and restored his speech, to the crowd's amazement, but the closed-minded, proud, rigid Pharisees attributed his work to the devil.  When people approached Jesus with faith, he set them free.  As his miracles caused both scorn and wonder from those who professed faith, we can encounter the same reaction, even in ourselves.  We can be too narrow, set in our ways, unwilling to change, submit to Jesus, love God and others, and be set free....
Dress legend
  • Silver- and gold-colored accessories:  They made idols with silver and gold (1st reading, psalm)
  • 'Golden calf' tie pin:  Cast away your calf! (1st reading)
  • 'Grain' pin:  Their grain can yield no flour (1st reading)
  • 'Crown' tie bar:  They made kings in Israel... (1st reading)
  • 'Fire' pin:  Samaria's calf is destined for the flames; though they offer sacrifice... (1st reading)
  • Flesh-colored suspenders:  ...and immolate and eat flesh, the Lord isn't pleased with them (1st reading)
  • 'Eyeball' pin:  Their idols have eyes but don't see,... (psalm)
  • 'Hands' pin:  ...hands but don't feel,... (psalm)
  • 'Feet' pin:  ...feet but don't walk,... (psalm)
  • 'Car with mouth' pin:  ...mouths but don't speak,... (psalm); Jesus went around to the towns and villages, 'drove' the demon out (gospel)
  • 'Celebrate teaching' pin:  Jesus taught in their synagogues... (gospel)
  • 'Doctor's office' tie:  ...and cured every disease (gospel)
    • 'Heart' clip:  Jesus' heart was moved with pity... (gospel)
    • 'Sheep' tie bar:  ...because they were like sheep without a shepherd (gospel)
    • Green shirt:  Ordinary Time season
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