THURSDAY OF THE FOURTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME -YEAR A

1st reading Hosea 11:1-4.8c-9

Psalm Ps. 80:2ac and 3b.15-16 (R. 4b)

Gospel Matthew 10:7-15

Hosea continues his exposure of the transgressions of Israel. Today, he tells us about the relation between Israel and God while he stresses Israel's worship of another god. Hosea speaks of God's redeeming act when he redeemed Israel from Egypt.

In all these, Hosea tells of God's decision not to give way to his wrath to come to play. The wrath of God will mean doom for Israel. Like former times and how he treated them with love, God deems it to redeem them and bring them back to himself.

We, today, want to still trust in the unfailing love of God for his people, for us.

The Gospel speaks of the mission of the twelve. Matthew notes that they were to go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel (v. 6), not the pagan territories or enter a Samaritan town (v. 5). They are to proclaim the nearness of the kingdom of heaven (v. 7).

The proclamation of God's kingdom is a permanent feature of Jesus' public ministry. The nearness of the kingdom of heaven means a Good News for the sick, the dead, lepers, and the possessed. It is particularly significant that proclaiming or bringing good news has been understood as a form of liberation. Jesus' command to the apostles to proclaim the nearness of the kingdom of heaven should be understood in the light of liberation and a consolation for the marginalized.

Things do tend to multiply when we share them. The apostles received the Good News of the liberating mission of Christ without fee. They should teach about the Kingdom without pay. This mission, ultimately characterizing Christ's ministry, becomes the 'programmatic discourse' expounded by Christ in a synagogue:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour” (Luke 4: 18-19).

We pray today that we may also be beneficiaries of the redeeming plan of God in so far as we remain faithful to him and trust in his unfailing love.

Pax et Bonum

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"STAY WITH US, LORD" (Luke 24:29)

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