Reading 1 Hos 2:16, 17c-18, 21-22
Thus says the LORD:
I will allure her;
I will lead her into the desert
and speak to her heart.
She shall respond there as in the days of her youth,
when she came up from the land of Egypt.
On that day, says the LORD,
She shall call me “My husband,”
and never again “My baal.”
I will espouse you to me forever:
I will espouse you in right and in justice,
in love and in mercy;
I will espouse you in fidelity,
and you shall know the LORD.
I will allure her;
I will lead her into the desert
and speak to her heart.
She shall respond there as in the days of her youth,
when she came up from the land of Egypt.
On that day, says the LORD,
She shall call me “My husband,”
and never again “My baal.”
I will espouse you to me forever:
I will espouse you in right and in justice,
in love and in mercy;
I will espouse you in fidelity,
and you shall know the LORD.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 145:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
R. (8a) The Lord is gracious and merciful.
Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.
Great is the LORD and highly to be praised;
his greatness is unsearchable.
R. The Lord is gracious and merciful.
Generation after generation praises your works
and proclaims your might.
They speak of the splendor of your glorious majesty
and tell of your wondrous works.
R. The Lord is gracious and merciful.
They discourse of the power of your terrible deeds
and declare your greatness.
They publish the fame of your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your justice.
R. The Lord is gracious and merciful.
The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
R. The Lord is gracious and merciful.
Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.
Great is the LORD and highly to be praised;
his greatness is unsearchable.
R. The Lord is gracious and merciful.
Generation after generation praises your works
and proclaims your might.
They speak of the splendor of your glorious majesty
and tell of your wondrous works.
R. The Lord is gracious and merciful.
They discourse of the power of your terrible deeds
and declare your greatness.
They publish the fame of your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your justice.
R. The Lord is gracious and merciful.
The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
R. The Lord is gracious and merciful.
Alleluia See 2 Tm 1:10
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death
and brought life to light through the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Our Savior Jesus Christ has destroyed death
and brought life to light through the Gospel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Mt 9:18-26
While Jesus was speaking, an official came forward,
knelt down before him, and said,
“My daughter has just died.
But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live.”
Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples.
A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him
and touched the tassel on his cloak.
She said to herself, “If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured.”
Jesus turned around and saw her, and said,
“Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.”
And from that hour the woman was cured.
When Jesus arrived at the official’s house
and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion,
he said, “Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping.”
And they ridiculed him.
When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand,
and the little girl arose.
And news of this spread throughout all that land.
REFLECTION
knelt down before him, and said,
“My daughter has just died.
But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live.”
Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples.
A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him
and touched the tassel on his cloak.
She said to herself, “If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured.”
Jesus turned around and saw her, and said,
“Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.”
And from that hour the woman was cured.
When Jesus arrived at the official’s house
and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion,
he said, “Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping.”
And they ridiculed him.
When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand,
and the little girl arose.
And news of this spread throughout all that land.
AMERICA, AMERICA
"I will lead her into the desert and speak to her heart." –Hosea 2:16
On this Independence Day, the Lord is telling us to pray for the Christians of the United States to come back to God. Many Christians in the USA have lost their first love (Rv 2:4). They no longer respond to the Lord as they did in the days of their youth (Hos 2:17). They must repent of compromising with the world and be espoused to the Lord in fidelity (see Hos 2:22).
Some Christians are like the woman who hemorrhaged for twelve years. Their commitment to the Lord has gradually weakened over the years. They have stifled the Spirit gradually and imperceptibly (see 1 Thes 5:19). These Christians must break this terrible cycle by touching the tassel of Jesus' cloak (see Mt 9:20), that is, by committing themselves to obey the Lord. The Bible teaches: "When you use these tassels, let the sight of them remind you to keep all the commandments of the Lord, without going wantonly astray after the desires of your hearts and eyes. Thus you will remember to keep all My commandments and be holy to your God" (Nm 15:39-40).
Other Christians may be like the daughter of the synagogue leader (see Mt 9:18). They are not physically dead, but spiritually dead. By repentance, these Christians can rise from the death of sin into the life of love, of relationship with the Lord.
"America, America, God shed His grace on thee." Will you accept His grace or will you lose your soul and die in your sins? (Jn 8:21, 24) Repent!
PRAYER: Father, may our country be "one nation, under God." PROMISE: "Jesus turned around and saw her and said, 'Courage, daughter! Your faith has restored you to health.' " –Mt 9:22 PRAISE: Five-year-old Veronica was plagued with epileptic seizures that did not respond to any medical treatment. Jesus healed her as she was prayed over in a Life in the Spirit seminar.
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On this Independence Day, the Lord is telling us to pray for the Christians of the United States to come back to God. Many Christians in the USA have lost their first love (Rv 2:4). They no longer respond to the Lord as they did in the days of their youth (Hos 2:17). They must repent of compromising with the world and be espoused to the Lord in fidelity (see Hos 2:22).
Some Christians are like the woman who hemorrhaged for twelve years. Their commitment to the Lord has gradually weakened over the years. They have stifled the Spirit gradually and imperceptibly (see 1 Thes 5:19). These Christians must break this terrible cycle by touching the tassel of Jesus' cloak (see Mt 9:20), that is, by committing themselves to obey the Lord. The Bible teaches: "When you use these tassels, let the sight of them remind you to keep all the commandments of the Lord, without going wantonly astray after the desires of your hearts and eyes. Thus you will remember to keep all My commandments and be holy to your God" (Nm 15:39-40).
Other Christians may be like the daughter of the synagogue leader (see Mt 9:18). They are not physically dead, but spiritually dead. By repentance, these Christians can rise from the death of sin into the life of love, of relationship with the Lord.
"America, America, God shed His grace on thee." Will you accept His grace or will you lose your soul and die in your sins? (Jn 8:21, 24) Repent!
| PRAYER: | Father, may our country be "one nation, under God." |
| PROMISE: | "Jesus turned around and saw her and said, 'Courage, daughter! Your faith has restored you to health.' " –Mt 9:22 |
| PRAISE: | Five-year-old Veronica was plagued with epileptic seizures that did not respond to any medical treatment. Jesus healed her as she was prayed over in a Life in the Spirit seminar. |
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