First reading
Leviticus 25:1,8-17
The Lord spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai. He said:‘You are to count seven weeks of years – seven times seven years, that is to say a period of seven weeks of years, forty-nine years. And on the tenth day of the seventh month you shall sound the trumpet; on the Day of Atonement you shall sound the trumpet throughout the land. You will declare this fiftieth year sacred and proclaim the liberation of all the inhabitants of the land. This is to be a jubilee for you; each of you will return to his ancestral home, each to his own clan. This fiftieth year is to be a jubilee year for you: you will not sow, you will not harvest the ungathered corn, you will not gather from the untrimmed vine. The jubilee is to be a holy thing to you, you will eat what comes from the fields.
‘In this year of jubilee each of you is to return to his ancestral home. If you buy or sell with your neighbour, let no one wrong his brother. If you buy from your neighbour, this must take into account the number of years since the jubilee: according to the number of productive years he will fix the price. The greater the number of years, the higher shall be the price demanded; the less the number of years, the greater the reduction; for what he is selling you is a certain number of harvests. Let none of you wrong his neighbour, but fear your God; I am the Lord your God.’ This is the word of the Lord!
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 66(67):2-3,5,7-8
Let the peoples praise you, O God, let all the peoples praise you.
Psalm 66(67):2-3,5,7-8
Let the peoples praise you, O God, let all the peoples praise you.
Gospel
Matthew 14:1-12
Matthew 14:1-12
Herod the tetrarch heard about the reputation of Jesus, and said to his court, ‘This is John the Baptist himself; he has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.’
Now it was Herod who had arrested John, chained him up and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. For John had told him, ‘It is against the Law for you to have her.’ He had wanted to kill him but was afraid of the people, who regarded John as a prophet. Then, during the celebrations for Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company, and so delighted Herod that he promised on oath to give her anything she asked. Prompted by her mother she said, ‘Give me John the Baptist’s head, here, on a dish.’ The king was distressed but, thinking of the oaths he had sworn and of his guests, he ordered it to be given her, and sent and had John beheaded in the prison. The head was brought in on a dish and given to the girl, who took it to her mother. John’s disciples came and took the body and buried it; then they went off to tell Jesus. The gospel of the Lord!
Reflection
The last words of the first reading gives us clear insight of what God wants from us, his children. “Let none of you wrong his neighbour, but fear your God; I am the Lord your God.” Moses, a servant of God, reveals some of the interesting instructions that God spelt out for the Israelites.
Asides the 10 commandments, there were some rules and regulations that were made to help the Israelites live in fruitful communion with one another. Ultimately, God’s laws are fashioned first to help us truly love God and then our neighbour. The commandments seeks to ensure faithfulness and loyalty to God as well as create an enabling environment to engender peace and progress among men. No law of God is a burden to man. Hence, the psalmist say “The laws of the Lord are right, and those who obey them are happy. The commands of the Lord are just and give understanding to the mind. (Psalm 19:8) Indeed, God is just!
The gospel gives a moment of deep reflection; how just are we? Especially when we are confronted with the evil we do. Do we try to repent of our sin or by the virtue of our position, power, or privileges dominate those around us who tell us the truth or make us feel guilty. How just are you? Husbands, wives, bosses, everyone in a place of position or of authority no matter how high or low, check yourself. How just am I? You may silence John the Baptist today, but there is a greater spirit in the worlds, the spirit of truth, which would never rest till justice is done.
Prayer
Dear Father, you are the God of justice, love and peace, may you reign in our Land today. May your Kingdom of peace reign in our lives always. I thank you for hearing our prayer through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen!
Speechless…