--- title: Daily Gospel Reflection for July 4, 2014 description: Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel. --- [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2014/07/04/daily-gospel-reflection-for-july-4-2014#) # Daily Gospel Reflection for July 4, 2014 Jul 4, 2014 6:00:30 AM  |  by [Melanie Jean Juneau](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/melanie-jean-juneau) [![DGRCmom(popUnder)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/DGRCmompopUnder-550x229-412.png?width=550&height=229&name=DGRCmompopUnder-550x229-412.png)](http://catholicmom.com/2014/01/02/daily-gospel-reflection-for-january-2-2013/dgrcmompopunder/) ***Today's Gospel: [Matthew 9:9-13](http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/070414.cfm)*** The first people called to follow Jesus are four Jewish fishermen. (Mt 4, 18-22). Now Jesus calls a tax collector, a sinner, a man who is unclean in the eyes of the observant Pharisees. Yet this man's name is Matthew, which means gift of God or given by God. And just like the first four men who followed Jesus, Matthew, the tax collector, stands up, leaves the tax office, his source of revenue and without vacillating, against all common sense and worldly wisdom, follows Jesus. What would have been like to look into the deep, piercing eyes of Jesus which looked right into my soul with insight but also with profound love? No need to pretend. Jesus would have loved me just as I am because he embraced the broken, marginalized, sick ones who realized that they were hungry and empty and needed the love and healing power of God. The Pharisees were too busy remaining perfect and pure, living separated from this sort of folk; they definitely did not eat with them. However, they definitely did not need healing or even saved either because they were too busy saving themselves. Thank goodness, Christian Jews broke away from this isolation and sat at table with the unclean because they realized that they were just as in need of God's healing love as the men who were labelled sinners. The Pharisees seeing this attitude of Jesus, ask the disciples: “Why does your master eat with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus answers them,“Mercy is what pleases me, not sacrifice." Jesus hears the question of the Pharisees to the disciples and he answers with two clarifications: the first one is taken from common sense: “It is not the healthy who need the doctor, but the sick.” The second one is taken from the Bible: “Go and learn the meaning of the words: Mercy is what pleases me, not sacrifice.” Jesus clarifies his mission among the people: “I have not come to call the upright but sinners.” For Jesus, mercy is more important than legal purity. He refers to the prophetic tradition to say that mercy has greater value for God than all sacrifices . ### Ponder: As a practising Catholic, do I sometimes slip into the false idea the I am one of the good, pure ones rather than identifying with the marginalized, those outside of the Church? ### Pray: Lord, Show me my woundedness, my sin because I want to experience your healing, saving power and only the sick are hungry enough to receive anything from you. When I am full of myself, there is no room for God. *Copyright 2014 Melanie Jean Juneau* ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2014%2F07%2F04%2Fdaily-gospel-reflection-for-july-4-2014%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2014%2F07%2F04%2Fdaily-gospel-reflection-for-july-4-2014%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2014%2F07%2F04%2Fdaily-gospel-reflection-for-july-4-2014%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Daily%20Gospel%20Reflection%20for%20July%204%2C%202014) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2014%2F07%2F04%2Fdaily-gospel-reflection-for-july-4-2014%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2F2014%2F07%2F04%2Fdaily-gospel-reflection-for-july-4-2014%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Melanie Jean Juneau](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Melanie-Jean-Juneau.jpg) ### [Melanie Jean Juneau](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/melanie-jean-juneau) Melanie Jean Juneau is a mother of nine children who blogs at [joy of nine9](https://melaniejeanjuneau.wordpress.com/wp-admin/melaniejeanjuneau.wordpress.com.). Her writing is humorous and heart-warming; thoughtful and thought-provoking. Part of her call and her witness is to write the truth about children, family, marriage and the sacredness of life. Melanie is the administrator of [ACWB](http://associationofcatholicwomenbloggers.blogspot.ca/), the Editor in Chief at [CatholicLane](http://catholiclane.com/author/melanie-juneau/), [CatholicStand](http://catholicstand.com/author/melanie-jean-juneau/), [Catholic365](http://www.catholic365.com/author/melanie-jean-juneau/) , [CAPC](http://catholicap.com/author/melanie-jean-juneau/) & author of [Echoes of the Divine](https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/521798). ## Related Blog Articles [ Daily Gospel Reflection for May 4, 2014 Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2014/05/04/daily-gospel-reflection-for-may-4-2014) [ Daily Gospel Reflection for August 4, 2014 Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2014/08/04/daily-gospel-reflection-for-august-4-2014) [ Daily Gospel Reflection for April 4, 2014 Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2014/04/04/daily-gospel-reflection-for-april-4-2014) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! Sign up to receive our free daily digest email. Copyright © 2026 CatholicMom.com. All Rights Reserved.