Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Gospel: Mt 12: 14-21
The Pharisees went out and took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. When Jesus realized this, he withdrew from that place. Many people followed him, and he cured them all, but he warned them not to make him known. This was to fulfill what had been spoken through Isaiah the prophet: Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom I delight; I shall place my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. He will not contend or cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory. And in his name the Gentiles will hope.
THE PROMISES OF GOD ARE TRUE: Finally, the people of God leave Egypt. It took different signs to convince pharaoh to let the people of God leave. Their departure is a fulfilment of God’s promise through Moses. Because of Moses’ faith even when pharaoh resisted the voice of God he did not give up. God on his part knew what he was doing, where he was aiming, and the time that his people would leave. However, Moses was in the dark. In the Gospel we see Jesus as the fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophecy at the time that God had ordained. Both Moses and Jesus were empowered by God. In life, we may have reasons to feel that God’s promise is not being fulfilled and his words are not coming to fruition. Today we are reminded to trust and obey Him patiently.
PRAYER: Let us pray for the grace to walk patiently and trustfully with God who leads us in every event of life.
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A MESSIAH FOR ALL: In the gospel, faced with opposition from the Pharisees who conspire to destroy him, Jesus does not take a confrontational posture but withdraws to a less public place, and continues his ministry serving the sick and the poor. His Messianic role, that he has to fulfil entails bringing justice to the poor. All his actions have the approval of his Father. His ‘withdrawal’ is from the non-receptive Jews to the Gentiles who receive the benefit of his ministry. In God’s plan of salvation, Jesus is not a Messiah for Israel alone, but for all people. He surrenders his life finally at Calvary so that we all may receive salvation.
DAILY GOSPEL 