READING OF THE DAY
A reading from the Book of the prophet Hosea
HOS 14:2-10
Thus says the LORD:
Return, O Israel, to the LORD, your God;
you have collapsed through your guilt.
Take with you words,
and return to the LORD;
Say to him, “Forgive all iniquity,
and receive what is good, that we may render
as offerings the bullocks from our stalls.
Assyria will not save us,
nor shall we have horses to mount;
We shall say no more, ‘Our god,’
to the work of our hands;
for in you the orphan finds compassion.”
I will heal their defection, says the LORD,
I will love them freely;
for my wrath is turned away from them.
I will be like the dew for Israel:
he shall blossom like the lily;
He shall strike root like the Lebanon cedar,
and put forth his shoots.
His splendor shall be like the olive tree
and his fragrance like the Lebanon cedar.
Again they shall dwell in his shade
and raise grain;
They shall blossom like the vine,
and his fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon.Ephraim! What more has he to do with idols?
I have humbled him, but I will prosper him.
“I am like a verdant cypress tree”—
because of me you bear fruit!Let him who is wise understand these things;
let him who is prudent know them.
Straight are the paths of the LORD,
in them the just walk,
but sinners stumble in them.
GOSPEL OF THE DAY
From the Gospel according to Matthew
MT 10:16-23
Jesus said to his Apostles:
“Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves;
so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.
But beware of men,
for they will hand you over to courts
and scourge you in their synagogues,
and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake
as a witness before them and the pagans.
When they hand you over,
do not worry about how you are to speak
or what you are to say.
You will be given at that moment what you are to say.
For it will not be you who speak
but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
Brother will hand over brother to death,
and the father his child;
children will rise up against parents and have them put to death.
You will be hated by all because of my name,
but whoever endures to the end will be saved.
When they persecute you in one town, flee to another.
Amen, I say to you, you will not finish the towns of Israel
before the Son of Man comes.”
Friday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
(Mathew 10:16-23)
God’s Word for Us
Dear People of God,
The Word of God in the Gospel of today says: God told the apostles how to live as they went out to preach the Good News of the Kingdom. God said, “Behold, I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves, so be shrewd as serpents and simple as doves.” Why does God teach this way? Answer: Because God knows that living on this earth is a long spiritual battle with Satan. When Jesus Christ lived on earth, He also fought with Satan to win souls back to God the Father through His obedience. To conquer death and defeat Satan, Jesus Christ Himself had to face many difficulties, obstacles, persecutions, beatings, insults, and misunderstandings. In addition, He was dragged before the synagogue, sentenced to trial, condemned, and crucified.
Now, His disciples who continue the mission of Jesus Christ are subjected to persecution, humiliation, beatings, and death. Jesus Christ knew in advance that this would happen to the disciples. He instructed them to be more vigilant, to listen to God the Father’s instructions, and to obey Him in all things so they would be able to overcome difficulties, hardships, and trials. He further reminded them to look to the example of Jesus Christ dying on the cross as they go forward on the path of a long spiritual battle with Satan.
The life of the disciples is no different from the life of Jesus Christ when He came to earth as a man. The disciples will be brought before the synod where they will be judged and condemned by kings and rulers. He admonished His disciples: Don’t worry! Do not be afraid! Don’t worry about what to say or how to say it for the Spirit of God will speak in you. In addition, He instructs His disciples to be wise and watchful. Every working day takes time to meditate and pray and reflect upon what you have done. What did you do wrong? What else could have been done? Offer it all to God, who may sanctify it, and give strength, guidance, and instruction to keep going.
Furthermore, God also asks His disciples to have a simple heart, to trust in God for everything so that they can have confidence as they continue on the path of salvation to fulfill the mission that Jesus Christ gave them. The only way to defeat the devils of Satan is to obey God the Father at all times and in all places. By doing so, they will be able to save many souls from the hands of Satan.
God also instructed His disciples: “When people persecute you in one city, flee to another city.” Stay in the city that welcomes you and continues to help souls. Leave any city that does not accept you and persecutes you. Go somewhere else. That is the wisdom that God taught to His apostles. With that wisdom, they will be able to do all that God gives them.
Thanks be to God. Amen
