＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊  

Hosea 2:16, 17c-18, 21-22

  So I am going to allure her,

Lead her once more into the desert, where I can speak to her tenderly.   Then I will give back her vineyards, make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she will answer me as in her youth,

as when she came out of the land of Egypt.

 On that day, Yahweh says, you will call me my husband, and never again: my Baal.   You will be my spouse forever, betrothed in justice and integrity; we will be united in love and tenderness.  I will espouse you in faithfulness

and you will come to know Yahweh.

 

Ps 145:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9

The Lord is gracious and merciful.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊  

Matthew 9:18-26

 While Jesus was speaking to them, an official of the synagogue came up to him, bowed before him and said, “My daughter has just died, but come and place your hands on her, and she will live.” Jesus stood up and followed him with his disciples.

Then a woman who had suffered from a severe bleeding for twelve years came up from behind and touched the edge of his cloak.   For she thought, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.”  Jesus turned, saw her and said, “Cour­age, my daughter, your faith has saved you.” And from that moment the woman was cured.

 When Jesus arrived at the offi­cial’s house and saw the flute players and the excited crowd, he said,   “Get out of here! The girl is not dead. She is only sleeping!” And they laughed at him.  But once the crowd had been turned out, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she stood up. The news of this spread through the whole area.

"God made me queen, so that I may serve others."           

Gospel Reflection：

Edge of His cloak

Form the moment Jesus left with the synagogue official and until he arrived at his home, didn’t he pass through many crowds, rubbing shoulders with them? Weren’t there people who saw him pass by, but didn’t think much of him? Perhaps there were many who smirked at the purpose of his travel, like those at the house of the official.

 

But Matthew speaks to us of this lady who, with deep faith, dared to reach out and touch him with faith and expectation. Her faith was so great that she didn’t even want to stop him to spare time for her; it was enough that she got to touch the edge of his cloak, as he passed by. Such faith could not go unrewarded.

How frequently does the edge of his cloak pass us by and how we miss it, over and over again! Or worse, we stand by and laugh at those who try to reach out and touch it!

 

 

 

                                                 

 

 

                                   "God made me queen, so that I may serve others."                  

                                                                                                                                  

                                                                               〜〜〜    ST. ELIZABETH OF PORTUGAL   〜〜〜