13th Week in Ordinary Time
08th July 2023 (Saturday) Readings and Reflection
Psalter: Week 1
Reading of the Day
First Reading: Genesis 27:1-5, 15-29
When Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called Esau his older son and said to him, "My son". And he answered, "Here I am." He said, "Behold, I am old; I do not know the day of my death. Now then, take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field and hunt game for me, and prepare for me delicious food, such as I love, and bring it to me so that I may eat, that my soul may bless you before I die," Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to his son Esau. So when Esau went to the field to hunt for game and bring it, then Rebekah took the best garments of Esau her older son, which were with her in the house, and put them on Jacob her younger son. And the skins of the young goats she put on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. And she put the delicious food and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob. So he went in to his father and said, "My father." And he said, "Here I am. Who are you, my son?" Jacob said to his father, "I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me; now sit up and eat of my game, that your soul may bless me." But Isaac said to his son, "How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?" He answered, "Because the Lord I your God granted me success." Then Isaac said to Jacob, "Please come near, that I may feel you, my son, to know whether you are really my son Esau or not." So Jacob went near to Isaac his father, who felt him and said, "The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau." And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau's hands. So he blessed him. He said, "Are you really my son Esau?" He answered, "I am." Then he said, "Bring it near to me, that I may eat of my son's game and bless you." So he brought it near to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank. Then his father Isaac said to him, "Come near and kiss me, my son." So he came near and kissed him. And Isaac smelled the smell of his garments and blessed him and said, "See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field that the Lord has blessed! May God give you of the dew of heaven and of the fatness of the earth and plenty of grain and wine. Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you Be lord over your brothers, and may your mother's sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!"
Psalm 135:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6 (R. 3a)
R/. Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good.
Alleluia
V/. Alleluia R/. Alleluia
V/. My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord; and I know them, and they follow me.
R/. Alleluia
Gospel : Matthew 9:14-17
At that time: The disciples of John came to Jesus, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?" And Jesus said to them, "Can the wedong guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made. Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved."
Daily Gospel Reflection
The Reflection by Fr. Thumma Mariadas Reddy MSFS{alertWarning}
Highlight: Be authentic and renewed!
Guidlines: The practice of all religion and religious observances is only to experience and commune with God and renew one's life{alertSuccess}
1. Certainly, adherence to religion involves certain religious practices and activities like fasting, et cetera. Today once again Jesus draws our attention to the very purpose of all our spiritual practices like fasting. No religious activity is for its sake. They are not for showing or proving ourselves better and holier than others. Further, they are also no guarantees of one’s holiness or perfection.
2. But all these are meant to draw us closer to the Lord. They should keep us alert not to move away from him but to be in his company and rejoice in his presence. They should also help us to check our old cloth of sin and old wineskin of sinful approaches.
3. They should impel us to throw them away and get new garb of virtue and new wineskin of a new mindset. The new cloth of God's grace and the new wine of God's Spirit should not be put to the old sets.
4. A life of faith cannot be a patchwork of some occasional spiritual or good acts done. Rather, a truly faithful life should renew and make one anew. God is waiting just for such renewal. When there is such renewed spirit, then God's abundant mercy and benevolence will flow into exuberant blessings.
5. Ultimately what is important is that all our religious practices should help us to receive and enjoy the blessings of God and live a blessed life. Religiosity that springs from an authentic heart rooted in intimacy with the Lord, the real bridegroom, becomes the spring of blessings.
6. But in the first reading Jacob through his mother’s deception, steals away Isaac’s blessing due to Esau. This is clearly dishonesty. A question arises, how could God allow and tolerate such deception and yet blesses Jacob?
7. Here, let us not be bothered about this human defectivity. What we can focus on is, there are no guarantees for obtaining God’s blessing. It is not something that one can expect or demand by right or as something deserving. Receiving his father’s blessing as the elder son was the birthright of Esau. But Jacob receives it and he proves himself deserving by his life of fidelity.
Practice: An authentic heart, Intimacy with the Lord and a changed life are more important than the mere shallow performance of religious activities{alertSuccess}