God is Faithful, Keep Coming to Him (readings for August 8, 2018)

Key:

What these passages tell us about God

What these passages tell us to do

What these passages tell us not to do

Commentary

 

Reading 1 JER 31:1-7

At that time, says the LORD, I will be the God of all the tribes of Israel, and they shall be my people. Thus says the LORD: The people that escaped the sword have found favor in the desert. As Israel comes forward to be given his rest, the LORD appears to him from afar: With age-old love I have loved you; so I have kept my mercy toward you. Again I will restore you, and you shall be rebuilt, O virgin Israel; carrying your festive tambourines, you shall go forth dancing with the merrymakers. Again you shall plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria; those who plant them shall enjoy the fruits. Yes, a day will come when the watchmen will call out on Mount Ephraim: "Rise up, let us go to Zion, to the LORD, our God."

For thus says the LORD: Shout with joy for Jacob, exult at the head of the nations; proclaim your praise and say: The LORD has delivered his people, the remnant of Israel.

Responsorial Psalm JEREMIAH 31:10, 11-12AB, 13

R. (see 10d) The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock. Hear the word of the LORD, O nations, proclaim it on distant isles, and say: He who scattered Israel, now gathers them together, he guards them as a shepherd his flock.
R. The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.
The LORD shall ransom Jacob, he shall redeem him from the hand of his conqueror. Shouting, they shall mount the heights of Zion, they shall come streaming to the LORD's blessings.
R. The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.
Then the virgins shall make merry and dance, and young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into joy. I will console and gladden them after their sorrows.
R. The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock

Alleluia LK 7:16

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

A great prophet has arisen in our midst and God has visited his people.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

 

Gospel MT 15: 21-28

At that time Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out, "Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David! My daughter is tormented by a demon."

But he did not say a word in answer to her. His disciples came and asked him, "Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us." He said in reply, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel."

But the woman came and did him homage, saying, "Lord, help me." 

 

He said in reply, "It is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs."

She said, "Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps that fall from the table of their masters."

Then Jesus said to her in reply, "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish." And her daughter was healed from that hour.

 

1.    God is faithful. Although His people experience hardship, He does not abandon them, but instead delivers and restores them. (first reading, psalm)

2.    How do we respond to that?

A.   We cling to Him, we keep coming to Him, in the midst of that hardship. (first reading, gospel).  Today’s gospel models the type of persistence Jesus described in Luke 8:5-12 and Luke 11:1-8. We also see that persistence modeled by the father of the epileptic boy in Mark 9:14-29 and the friends of the paralytic in Mark 2:1-12 and parallel. 

B.    We give God praise and recognition when he delivers/restores us. (first reading, gospel)     

***

In accord with that last point, I want to praise God for His faithfulness to my family.  My daughter has been ill since January, but God is definitely healing her and has sustained us through the very difficult process. I don’t know how we could have gotten through this without God’s great mercy.  My daughter is still in the process of healing, so please keep her, and us, in your prayers.

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