12th Week in Ordinary Time
30th June 2023 (Friday) Readings and Reflection
Psalter: Week 4
Reading of the Day
First Reading: Genesis 17:1, 9-10, 15-22
When Abram was ninety-nine years old the Lord appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless.” And God said to Abraham, “As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. And God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.” Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” And Abraham said to God, “Oh that Ishmael might live before you!” God said, “No, but Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him. As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation. But I will establish my covenant with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this time next year.” When he had finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham.
Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5 (R. 4)
R/. Indeed thus shall be blessed the man who fears the Lord.
Alleluia
V/. Alleluia R/. Alleluia
V/. Christ took our illnesses and bore our diseases.
R/. Alleluia
Gospel : Matthew 8:1-4
When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean.” And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them.”
Daily Gospel Reflection
The Reflection by Fr. Thumma Mariadas Reddy MSFS{alertWarning}
Highlight:Covenant with a radical change!
Indicative: Everyone stands in need of healing and for this, one should be aware of his unhealthy condition, deeply feel the desire for health and the need for healing, and in faith approach the Lord{alertSuccess}
1. God enters into a covenant with Abram. But this is not like any other covenants or contracts that are usually for mutual benefit. This is a covenant that is totally for the benefit of Abram and his descendants. His life changes completely.
2. This is symbolised explicitly by the change of his name from Abram to Abraham. He would become exceedingly fruitful and the father of many nations. They would inherit Canaan as an everlasting possession.
3. Even at their ripe age of hundred and ninety respectively, Abraham and Sarah would get a son, Isaac. This is a covenant that is not time-bound but everlasting that extends to Isaac and the descendants thereafter.
4. In return, what is expected from Abraham and his descendants is fidelity and consecration, symbolised by circumcision. They shall consecrate themselves to God as His people and possession.
5. They shall walk before him and be blameless. One need not object that this is a disguised condition. It is not a condition but a natural outflow and expression of their fidelity to the covenant.
6. If one really loves God, he would respect his sacred covenant with God. He would keep away all that infects this relationship, and foster all that helps him to live it. Every covenanted person would seek to be clean, healthy and whole.
7. In the light of the gospel, it is to be healed of leprosy that corrodes a person and alienates him from society. One should get rid of the interior and spiritual leprosy that eats away the sanity and wholeness of the person.
8. All of us need healing and restoration of our lost health. For this, like the leper, we need an earnest desire to approach the Lord, and to get cleaned and healed by God. We must humbly plead to the Lord, “Lord, if you will, you can make me clean”.
9. And the Lord is always ready to heal us, saying, “I will; be clean”. Many a time, many continue unhealed and unclean because they lack this deep desire and fail to turn to God.
Practice: In a world that becomes more and more health-conscious and beauty-conscious, one should aim at and strive for interior and holistic health and beautification{alertSuccess}