＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Hosea 8:4-7, 11-13

Without my approval they set up kings

And without my blessing appointed leaders. With their silver and gold they fashioned idols to their own ruin. To me, Samaria, your calf is loathsome; and my anger blazes against you. How long will you remain defiled?

The calf is yours, Israel a craftsman has made it; it is not God and will be broken into pieces. As they sow the wind, they will reap the whirlwind. Stalk without flower, it will never yield flower, of if they do, foreigners will devour it. 

Ephraim built many alters; but his altars made him more guilty. I wrote out for him the numerous precepts of my law; but they look on them as coming from foreigners.

They offer sacrifices to me because they are those who eat the meat; but Yahweh does not accept their sacrifices, for he is mindful of their sin and remembers their wickedness. They will return to Egypt.

 

Ps 115 3-4, 5-6, 7ab-8, 9-10

The house of Israel trusts In the Lord.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

Matthew 9:32-38

When they had just left, some peo­ple brought to Jesus a man who was dumb because he was possessed by a demon. When the demon was driven out, the dumb man began to speak.

The crowds were astonished and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” (But the Pharisees said, “He drives away demons with the help of the prince of demons.”)  Jesus went around all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom, and he cured every sickness and disease.

 When he saw the crowds he was moved with pity, for they were ha­rassed and helpless like sheep without a she­pherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the workers are only few. Ask the master of the harvest to send workers to gather his harvest.”

  

Gospel Reflection：

The wise king Solomon quips that the most fragrant perfume can be ruined by just a single dead fly. Nowadays, this has become a trend and an obsession.

Many are searching for dead flies in people who honestly pursue goodness. A journalist tried to taint Mother Teresa’s resolute faith with the brief words of doubt she wrote in her diary.

A blogger worked to destroy a public servant’s formidable record of integrity with unverified accounts of his marital infidelity. Both Mother Teresa and the public servant chose to continue their good works despite attempts at discrediting them.

They chose to gather those in need than be scattered by malicious thoughts. In the Gospel, the Pharisees tries to blot Jesus’ reputation by associating his work with that of the devil. Jesus however, stays focused on what he can gather than minding the desperate attempts to ruin him.