First reading Hosea 2:16,17-18,21-22
I will betroth you to myself and you will come to know the name of the Lord
It is the Lord who speaks:
I am going to lure her
and lead her out into the wilderness
and speak to her heart.
There she will respond to me as she did when she was young,
as she did when she came out of the land of Egypt.
When that day comes – it is the Lord who speaks –
she will call me, ‘My husband’,
no longer will she call me, ‘My Baal.’
I will betroth you to myself for ever,
betroth you with integrity and justice,
with tenderness and love;
I will betroth you to myself with faithfulness,
and you will come to know the Lord.
Responsorial Psalm 144(145):2-9
The Lord is Kind and full of compassion.
I will bless you day after day,
and praise your name forever and ever.
The Lord is great and highly to be praised;
his greatness cannot be measured.
Age to age shall proclaim your works,
shall declare your mighty deeds.
They will tell of your great glory and splendour,
and recount your wonderful works.
They will speak of your awesome deeds,
recount your greatness and might.
They will recall your abundant goodness,
and sing of your just deeds with joy.
The Lord is kind and full of compassion,
slow to anger, abounding in mercy,
How good is the Lord to all,
compassionate to all his creatures.
Gospel Matthew 9:18-26
‘Your faith has restored you to health’
While Jesus was speaking, up came one of the officials, who bowed low in front of him and said, ‘My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her and her life will be saved.’ Jesus rose and, with his disciples, followed him. Then from behind him came a woman, who had suffered from a haemorrhage for twelve years, and she touched the fringe of his cloak, for she said to herself, ‘If I can only touch his cloak I shall be well again.’ Jesus turned round and saw her; and he said to her, ‘Courage, my daughter, your faith has restored you to health.’ And from that moment the woman was well again.
When Jesus reached the official’s house and saw the flute-players, with the crowd making a commotion he said, ‘Get out of here; the little girl is not dead, she is asleep.’ And they laughed at him. But when the people had been turned out he went inside and took the little girl by the hand; and she stood up. And the news spread all round the countryside.
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God’s faithful love
The first reading from Hosea reveals a God who stands by His unfaithful people and never gives up on them. God says, “I am going to lure her and lead her out into the wilderness and speak to her heart……I will betroth you to myself forever, betroth you with integrity and justice, with tenderness and love.” We can be unfaithful to Him in simple and ordinary ways. For instance, we often forget about Him in our daily lives and make decisions as if He is not involved. We tend to rely on worldly things and seek others’ approval instead of trusting in His care and guidance. We also sometimes withhold love and harbour resentments in our hearts. Yet God remains faithful to us, calls us into “wilderness” moments of prayer to speak to our hearts, renewing our relationship with Him.
In the Gospel, an official and a woman seek Jesus’ help, one for his deceased daughter and the other for her illness. To both, Jesus does not turn them away but brings life and restoration. Through these encounters, we see the heart of God, whose faithful love brings new life even in times of hopelessness.
Reflective question:
How has God been quietly faithful to me despite my unfaithfulness?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD
