Daily Readings Reflection for 7/20/10

Reflection on Today’s Daily Readings by Fr. Bertrand Buby, SM

Today’s Readings


Scripture: July 19, Lectionary 396.  Micah 7:14-15.18-20. Psalm
85:2-4,5-6,7-8. Matthew 12:46-50:

"Lord, let us see your kindness." Here we have a prayer recognizing God's
merciful and loving kindess shown to those who observe the commandments and
the covenant.  The word "HESED" is associated with the covenant and gives
us the love and affection that a believer has.  This word can be translated
as love. It is at the heart of the Psalms and is found 127 times out of the
245 appearances it has in the Hebrew text of the Psalms.Hesed belongs to
the language of covenant and the relationship of the covenanted partners.
(Prevost, p.42). It is used in the famous and well known phrase, "for his
steadfast love endures forever" (Psalm 106:1 and Psalm 118:1-4).

We may wish to use the refrain for our prayer throughout the day since it
is easy to remember and enjoy.  This refrain complements the content of the
reading of the ending lines of Micah and provides us with an interpretation
gained from prayer rather than from simply studying the text.

Verses 18-20 end the book or scroll of Micah on a very uplifting and
positive note givning us hopefulness for the future.  In the synagogue it
is used on the New Year celebration Rosh-ha-Shanah and on Yom Kippur
showing the confidence the believing congregation has in the
loving-kindness of God once repentance and renewal are lived out. Our own
prayerful psalm for this day reminds us that God has restored the land to
Israel after the Exile. His covenant with Israel remains constant despite
the exile, and is involved here." (Jewish Study Bible, p.1378).

Three times in the Gospel we hear of Jesus' relatives coming to see him.
Mary his mother is among them and probably central to the event.  Though
Matthew relies on Mark for this narrative, he has his own particular
theology at work within it, namely, discipleship.  The disciples are the
ones whom Jesus is speaking to in Matthew. This differs from what Mark and
Luke tell us about the event.  With a few moments of reflection we can see
Mary as the first and most faithful of his disciples. Luke will make it
clear that she fulfills all the requirements for discipleship.  Afterall,
she is the mother of Jesus and has given him her own blood which becomes
for us his saving precious gift for our redemption. "Greater love than
this, no one has..." Amen.