Monday, July 8, 2024

 Monday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Hosea 2:16.17c-18.21-22; Matthew 9:18-26)

Reminiscing about the Great Depression, a wealthy woman mentioned how life was better then.  She said that her family had to share its possessions with unemployed families. The sharing resulted in greater unity and virtue.  Today’s reading from the prophet Hosea promises a similarly beneficial development for Israel.

Hosea sees Israel as God’s unfaithful wife. Although paganism does not exhaust the nation’s sins, it occupies most of the prophet’s attention in this passage.  Hosea has commented in other places that the prosperity which the nation enjoys has been turned into silver and gold idols. The only remedy for such evil is for God to strip the nation of its riches, indeed of its very land.  In exile she will come to recognize her sins and return to the Lord.

Economic depression and exile are hard ways to learn even important lessons.  They often create desperation and moral dissolution. We are wise to ask God to reform us in gentler ways.  May He open our eyes daily to His goodness and our hearts to share with those in need.

Tuesday, July 2, 2024

Tuesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

(Amos 3:1-8.4:11-12; Matthew 8:23-27)

Church Fathers from the third to the seventh century read today’s gospel as a parable.  They saw the boat representing the Church manned by disciples.  When trouble afflicts the Church and there are no immediate solutions, it seems like Jesus is sleeping.  But, of course, he is aware of the difficulties and acts to save them from shipwreck.

Matthew might have had persecution in mind when he wrote of the storm.  It also could have been new, unorthodox doctrine that caused the disciples’ worry.  These problems still plague the Church.  We can also understand the storms as personal setbacks.  Perhaps we or a loved has been diagnosed as having a life-threatening disease.  Or perhaps we have lost our job and feel helpless.  Under conditions such as these, we can count on Christ’s help when we pray to him. 

The passage ends with the enigmatic questions, “What sort of man is this, whom even the winds and sea obey?” The disciples will realize at Jesus’ appearance after the resurrection that he is a God-man.  Putting our faith in him will not leave us disappointed.