Tuesday of the Fifteenth Week of Ordinary Time, Year A. July 18, 2017.
1st Reading: Book of Exodus 2:1-15a.
A certain man of the house of Levi married a Levite woman, who conceived and bore a son. Seeing that he was a goodly child, she hid him for three months. When she could hide him no longer, she took a papyrus basket, daubed it with bitumen and pitch, and putting the child in it, placed it among the reeds on the river bank. His sister stationed herself at a distance to find out what would happen to him. Pharaoh’s daughter came down to the river to bathe, while her maids walked along the river bank. Noticing the basket among the reeds, she sent her handmaid to fetch it. On opening it, she looked, and lo, there was a baby boy, crying! She was moved with pity for him and said, “It is one of the Hebrews’ children.” Then his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and call one of the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?” “Yes, do so,” she answered. So the maiden went and called the child’s own mother. Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will repay you.” The woman therefore took the child and nursed it. When the child grew, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, who adopted him as her son and called him Moses; for she said, “I drew him out of the water.”
On one occasion, after Moses had grown up, when he visited his kinsmen and witnessed their forced labor, he saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his own kinsmen. Looking about and seeing no one, he slew the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. The next day he went out again, and now two Hebrews were fighting! So he asked the culprit, “Why are you striking your fellow Hebrew?” But he replied, “Who has appointed you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?” Then Moses became afraid and thought, “The affair must certainly be known.” Pharaoh, too, heard of the affair and sought to put him to death. But Moses fled from him and stayed in the land of Midian. The word of the Lord.
Respons Psalm: 69(68):3.14.30-31.33-34
R/. Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.
Holy Gospel: Matthew 11:20-24.
Jesus began to reproach the towns where most of his mighty deeds had been done, since they had not repented. “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. And as for you, Capernaum: ‘Will you be exalted to heaven? You will go down to the netherworld.’ For if the mighty deeds done in your midst had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.” The gospel of the Lord.
TUESDAY REFLECTIONS:
There is a wonderful distinction here that should help us hear what God may be saying to us at times, as well as help us know how to deal with those around us who habitually sin and cause hurt in our lives or the lives of others. The distinction has to do with Jesus’ motivation for chastising the people of Chorazin and Bethsaida. Why did He do that? And what was the motivation behind His actions? Jesus chastises them out of love and out of a desire that they change. They did not immediately repent of their sin when He offered an invitation and powerful witness of His miracles, so He needed to take things to a new level. And this new level was a strong and clear rebuke out of love.
This action of Jesus could at first be perceived as an emotional outburst of anger. But that’s the key distinction. Jesus did not rebuke them strongly because He was mad and lost control. Rather, He rebuked them because they needed that rebuke to change.
The same truth can be applied to our lives. At times we change our lives and overcome sin as a result of the gentle invitation of Jesus to grace. But, at other times, when sin is deep, we need a holy rebuke. In this case we should hear these words of Jesus as if they were directed at us. This may be the specific act of mercy we need in our lives. It also gives us great insight as to how we deal with others. Parents, for example, can learn much from this. Children will regularly go astray in various ways and will need correction. It certainly is proper to start with gentle invitations and conversations aimed at helping them make the right choices. However, at times this will not work and more drastic measures need to take place. What are those “more drastic measures?” Out-of-control anger and vengeful yelling is not the answer. Rather, a holy wrath that comes from mercy and love may be the key. This may come in the form of a strong chastisement or punishment. Or, it may come in the form of laying down the truth and clearly presenting the consequences of certain actions. Just remember that even this is love and is an imitation of Jesus’ actions. This is what we commonly refer to as “tough love.”
Together we pray: Lord, help me to repent daily of my sin. Help me to be an instrument of the repentance of others. May I always receive Your words in love and offer them in the form of love that is most
effective. Jesus, I trust in You that You alone will heal our sick brethren and set them free. May the souls of our faithful departed brethren rest in perfect peace, amen.