Gospel: July 7, 2025
July 7, 2025 (Monday)
14th Week in Ordinary Time
Psalter: Week 2 / (Green)
Ps 91:1-2, 3-4, 14-15ab
In you, my God, I place my trust
1st Reading: Genesis 28:10-22a
Gospel: Matthew 9:18-26
While Jesus was speaking to them, an official of the synagogue came up to him, bowed before him and said, “My daughter has just died, but come and place your hands on her, and she will live.” Jesus stood up and followed him with his disciples. Then a woman, who had suffered from a severe bleeding for 12 years, came up from behind and touched the edge of his cloak; for she thought, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.” Jesus turned, saw her and said, “Courage, my daughter, your faith has saved you.” And from that moment, the woman was cured. When Jesus arrived at the official’s house and saw the flute players and the excited crowd, he said, “Get out of here! The girl is not dead. She is only sleeping!” And they laughed at him. But once the crowd had been turned out, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she stood up. The news of this spread through the whole area.
Reflection:
“Humility helps us to see clearly.”
Genesis has two contrasting stories which relate to a gate leading to heaven. One is the tower of Babel and the other is Jacob’s ladder. The story of the tower of Babel is one of great pride. The desire to reach the gate of God (babel) is the temptation to conquer heaven by our own efforts. It is man’s desire to replace God with himself. By contrast, Jacob sees the house of God and the gate of heaven in a dream as he lies humbly on the dust of the desert. This vision is given to him by God; he has not tried to take it by force. And rather than trying to climb up to God, Jacob senses that God has come down to him and is standing with him. Pride clouds our vision and disrupts our relationship with God and others. Humility helps us to see clearly. In humility we recognize God’s presence and his loving care. “Truly the Lord was in this place and I was not aware of it.” We become aware of his presence by acknowledging that the world is also God’s house (Bethel) for “the earth and its fullness belong to the Lord” (Ps 24:1).
