GOD’S WORD
July 5, 2016 (Tuesday) 14th Week in Ordinary Time 1st Reading: Hos 8:4-7, 11-13
Without my approval they set up kings and without my blessing appointed leaders. With their silver and gold they fashioned idols to their own ruin.
To me, Samaria, your calf is loathsome; and my anger blazes against you. How long will you remain defiled? The calf is yours, Israel, a craftsman has made it; it is not God and will be broken into pieces. As they sow the wind, they will reap the whirlwind. Stalk without flower, it will never yield flower, or if they do, foreigners will devour it.
Ephraim built many altars; but his altars made him more guilty. I wrote out for him the numerous precepts of my law; but they look on them as coming from foreigners.
They offer sacrifices to me because they are those who eat the meat; but Yahweh does not accept their sacrifices, for he is mindful of their sin and remembers their wickedness. They will return to Egypt. Gospel: Mt 9:32-38
As they were going away, some people brought to Jesus a man who was dumb, because he was possessed by a demon. When the demon was driven out, the dumb man began to speak. The crowds were astonished and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” But the Pharisees said, “He drives away demons with the help of the prince of demons.”
Jesus went around all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom; and he cured every sickness and disease. When he saw the crowds, he was moved with pity; for they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant, but the workers are only few. Ask the master of the harvest to send workers to gather his harvest.”
Reflection:
One striking feature of Jesus’ healing activity was that he healed everyone who came to him. This characteristic emerges especially in Matthew’s gospel, with 5 explicit mentions of universal healings (4:23-24; 8:16; 9:35; 12:15; 14:36) and 3 implicit mentions (15:31; 19:2; 21:14). Luke also has one mention of universal healing (6:19). And so, at least on 9 different occasions evangelists tell us that Jesus was a universal healer.
This is important because it tells us something about the relationship God-sickness. For not once does Jesus say to someone: “I am really sorry, but I cannot heal your (blindness, leprosy, paralysis, etc.), because it has been sent to you by my Father as a punishment for your sins” or “as a test to make you grow in trust and patience.”
This being the case, why on earth do so many Christians entertain similar superstitious thoughts and insist on connecting a typhoon, an earthquake, a volcanic eruption or any other natural disaster with someone’s sinful conduct? God is not like that. What loving father would inflict such terrible hardships on his children? On the contrary, Jesus tells us that God sends rain and sunshine on good and bad alike (Mt 5:45).