Saturday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 382
Reading 1
Amos 9:11-15
Thus says the LORD:
On that day I will raise up
the fallen hut of David;
I will wall up its breaches,
raise up its ruins,
and rebuild it as in the days of old,
That they may conquer what is left of Edom
and all the nations that shall bear my name,
say I, the LORD, who will do this.
Yes, days are coming,
says the LORD,
When the plowman shall overtake the reaper,
and the vintager, him who sows the seed;
The juice of grapes shall drip down the mountains,
and all the hills shall run with it.
I will bring about the restoration of my people Israel;
they shall rebuild and inhabit their ruined cities,
Plant vineyards and drink the wine,
set out gardens and eat the fruits.
I will plant them upon their own ground;
never again shall they be plucked
From the land I have given them,
say I, the LORD, your God.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 85:9AB AND 10, 11-12, 13-14
R. (see 9b) The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
I will hear what God proclaims;
the LORD–for he proclaims peace to his people.
Near indeed is his salvation to those who fear him,
glory dwelling in our land.
R. The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
Kindness and truth shall meet;
justice and peace shall kiss.
Truth shall spring out of the earth,
and justice shall look down from heaven.
R. The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
The LORD himself will give his benefits;
our land shall yield its increase.
Justice shall walk before him,
and salvation, along the way of his steps.
R. The Lord speaks of peace to his people.
Alleluia
John 10:27
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Matthew 9:14-17
The disciples of John approached Jesus and said,
“Why do we and the Pharisees fast much,
but your disciples do not fast?”
Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn
as long as the bridegroom is with them?
The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them,
and then they will fast.
No one patches an old cloak with a piece of unshrunken cloth,
for its fullness pulls away from the cloak and the tear gets worse.
People do not put new wine into old wineskins.
Otherwise the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined.
Rather, they pour new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”
Reflection 1
Catholic Daily Reflections
The Newness of Grace
“No one patches an old cloak with a piece of unshrunken cloth, for its fullness pulls away from the cloak and the tear gets worse. People do not put new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. Rather, they pour new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.” Matthew 9:16–17
The parable above teaches us that even if someone were to faithfully understand and live the authentic Law that was given through Moses and the prophets, Jesus’ new teaching of grace, the New Law, was so different that it was not simply an improvement of the old, it completely replaced it. Furthermore, many of the customs taught by the Pharisees were unfaithful representations of the Law of Moses. They had deviated from the Law’s meaning and replaced it with their own scrupulous and erroneous multiplication of external practices. Thus, Jesus’ New Law needed to break away from these deviations completely.
To use a modern example, if you were to have an old phone that had become obsolete or stopped working, you wouldn’t buy a new phone so as to remove various parts from it to try to add those parts to the old phone to fix it. Instead, you use the new phone as a complete replacement for the old one.
A central quality of the New Law of grace is that it is entirely new and transforming. Therefore, by embracing this New Law, we become entirely new creations in Christ. Grace doesn’t simply patch that which is weak and sinful in us. It transforms us, elevating our human nature to an entirely new existence. This teaching is not only directed at the misguided teachings that the Pharisees had developed over the years, it was directed at human life itself. Not only were the Jewish customs to go through a transformation, humanity itself was to go through a transformation. Everything is made new in Christ.
This teaching applies just as much to us today as it did to the Jewish people of old. Today, we not only receive the new life of grace in Baptism, but we also receive it anew and share in this ongoing transforming renewal every time we allow grace to touch us more deeply and transform us more fully into the people God wants us to be. The “new patch” and the “new wine” are always transforming, and we must look forward to this newness throughout our lives.
Reflect, today, upon the joyful discovery that awaits you every day. Discovering the New Law of grace, accepting it into your life, and allowing it to transform you will set you on a path of discovery that will never get old. It is an ongoing discovery that is far greater than anything this world has to offer. Nothing can ever compare to the gift of God alive in our lives. It will never get old. It will always be transforming. And it will always be new. Ponder this gift God offers you today and say “Yes” to it with all your heart.
Reflection 2
One Bread, One Body
I HOPE SO…
“I will bring about the restoration of My people.” —Amos 9:14
As we have read the prophet Amos in the last few days, the Lord has been very blunt with us and made it clear that the wages of sin is death (Rm 6:23), even a “culture of death.” However, the final word in the book of Amos is not death but hope. The Lord promises to raise up our ruins and rebuild us “as in the days of old” (Am 9:11).
“Yes, days are coming, says the Lord, when the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the vintager, him who sows the seed; the juice of grapes shall drip down the mountains, and all the hills shall run with it. I will bring about the restoration of My people” (Am 9:13-14). “I know well the plans I have in mind for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare, not for woe! plans to give you a future full of hope” (Jer 29:11). “In hope we were saved” (Rm 8:24). “And this hope will not leave us disappointed, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us” (Rm 5:5).
In hope, worship “Christ in you, your hope of glory” (Col 1:27). “Venerate the Lord, that is, Christ, in your hearts. Should anyone ask you the reason for this hope of yours, be ever ready to reply” (1 Pt 3:15). In Christ and with Christ in us, we are people and prophets of hope.
Prayer: Father, make my hope so deep that it can be raised so high.
Promise: “When the day comes that the Groom is taken away, then they will fast.” —Mt 9:15
Praise: Alexander Serenelli, St. Maria Goretti’s murderer, attended her canonization and there gave his life completely to Jesus.
Reflection 3
Shared from God's Word
The disciples of John the Baptist found a difference between the ministry of John and the ministry of Jesus. Fasting and asceticism were hallmarks of John's ministry and that of his disciples, but Jesus' ministry was marked by celebration. Jesus uses wedding imagery to illustrate how intimate his relationship with his people is. He refers to himself as the bridegroom and to his disciples as the guests at the wedding party. It is a time of rejoicing during which fasting is inappropriate. The Father's merciful love is revealed to all through Jesus, which is a matter of rejoicing and celebration. He says that no one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment neither is new wine put into old wineskins. We need to abandon our old ways if we are to live a new life in accordance with the Good News. Jesus, the new wine, is always present with us.
Prayers
My transforming Lord, You continuously offer to renew me, transform me and elevate me to the life of grace. I thank You for this Gift and desire to accept it with all my heart. May I always be ready and willing to say “Yes” to You and the transformation that awaits me as I discover this ever new treasure of Your Grace. Jesus, I trust in You.
Lord Jesus, fill me with your Holy Spirit, that I may grow in the knowledge of your great love and truth. Help me to seek you earnestly in prayer and fasting that I may turn away from sin and willfulness and conform my life more fully to your will. May I always find joy in knowing, loving, and serving you.
Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy
Reflection 187: A Rainbow after the Storm
It’s fascinating how Creation itself proclaims the glory of God and teaches us about matters of faith. Take a rainbow. It is bright and beautiful, colorful and awe-inspiring. Everyone rejoices on seeing a rainbow. But there would be no such thing as a rainbow without rain, or storms. Such is life. We will have good days followed by bad and bad days followed by good. We should not be surprised by one or the other. On a good day filled with joy we should thank God and be aware that the “rainbow” is a gift. We should savor it so that we will remember it on the bad days. When a bad day comes we should thank God. We should thank Him for the knowledge that this too shall pass if we wait patiently upon Him. Life is full of ups and downs but the Mercy of God is eternal and it will bring us through all things, enabling us to rejoice after the storm has passed (See Diary #992).
Reflect, today, upon the difference between a rainbow and a storm. Imagine a rainbow full of radiant color stretching across the sky from one end to the other. It is beautiful and inspiring, the cause for a smile and delight. Now compare that to the storm that preceded it. In the midst of the storm, the coming rainbow would not have been thought about. Instead, the primary focus is to seek shelter. Reflect upon how this may be similar to your personal life. When you feel pain or are bombarded with challenges do you run and hide? You should also remind yourself that every struggle is the precursor to a rainbow. Keep the blessings of God’s Mercy alive in your mind so that they will daily carry you through the challenges of life.
Lord, keep my eyes on You at all times. May I retain hope and joy in the midst of every storm of life. Please remind me when I feel oppressed and bombarded that this too shall pass and that You will bring my struggles and my life to a full and joyous conclusion. Jesus, I trust in You.
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