Gospel: July 17, 2026
July 17, 2026 (Friday)
15th Week in Ordinary Time
Psalter: Week 3 (Green)
Is 38:10, 11, 12abcd, 16
You saved my life, O Lord, I shall not die.
1st Reading: Isaiah 38:1-6, 21-22, 7-8
In those days Hezekiah fell mortally ill and the prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz, went to him with a message from the Lord, “Put your house in order for you shall die; you shall not live.”
Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, “Ah Lord! Remember how I have walked before you in truth and wholeheartedly, and done what is good in your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah, “Go and tell Hezekiah what the Lord, the God of his father David, says: I have heard your prayer and I have seen your tears. See! I am adding 15 years to your life and I will save you and this city from the power of the king of Assyria. I will defend it for my sake and for the sake of David my servant.
Isaiah then said, “Bring a fig cake to rub on the ulcer and let Hezekiah be cured!”
Hezekiah asked, “What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the Lord?” Isaiah answered, “This shall be for you a sign from the Lord, that he will do what he has promised. See! I shall make the shadow descending on the stairway of Ahaz go back 10 steps.” So the sunlight went back the 10 steps it had covered on the stairway.
Gospel: Matthew 12:1-8
It happened that, Jesus was walking through the wheat fields on a Sabbath. His disciples were hungry; and they began to pick some heads of wheat, to crush and to eat the grain. When the Pharisees noticed this, they said to Jesus, “Look at your disciples! They are doing what is prohibited on the Sabbath!”
Jesus answered, “Have you not read what David did, when he and his men were hungry? He went into the House of God, and they ate the bread offered to God, though neither he nor his men had the right to eat it, but only the priests. And have you not read in the law, how, on the Sabbath, the priests in the temple desecrate the Sabbath, yet they are not guilty?
I tell you, there is greater than the temple here. If you really knew the meaning of the words: It is mercy I want, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the innocent.
Besides, the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”
Reflection:
Openness to His mercy.
The story of Hezekiah in the first reading highlights key lessons about faith, the power of prayer, God’s sovereignty, and the importance of recognizing and appreciating His healing power when faced with a life-threatening situation. Hezekiah, the King of Judah, was given a second chance at life through God’s intervention and a miraculous sign.
His story encourages believers to turn to God in times of crisis, trust in His power to heal, and express gratitude for the gift of life. The Gospel reaffirms God’s compassionate response to the adversities faced by every believer. Regardless of our backgrounds, status, or history, what truly matters in the eyes of God is our openness to His mercy working in our lives. God desires for us to know and experience His mercy in every aspect of our lives, which motivates us to communicate this mercy to our brothers and sisters as well.
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