How often have we been unfaithful to the Lord our God? When we lose our tempers easily and snap at others. When we desire and give in to the lure of unspiritual things. When we put our children, family, work above Him. Do we then continue to allow sin to dominate and drain us out of our lives?
Let us turn to our Lord in faith, hope and in His mercy He will heal and set us free. For He desires to embrace us in His love; to have a deep on going personal relationship with each and everyone of us. He wants to restore us to where we should be, and that is living life to the full in His love. Amen
First reading
Hosea 2:16,17-18,21-22 ·
I will betroth you to myself and you will come to know the name of the LordIt is the Lord who speaks:I am going to lure her and lead her out into the wilderness and speak to her heart.
I am going to give her back her vineyards,
and make the Valley of Achor a gateway of hope.
There she will respond to me as she did when she was young, as she did when she came out of the land of Egypt.When that day comes – it is the Lord who speaks – she will call me, ‘My husband’,
no longer will she call me, ‘My Baal.’ I will betroth you to myself for ever, betroth you with integrity and justice, with tenderness and love; I will betroth you to myself with faithfulness, and you will come to know the Lord.
Gospel
Matthew 9:18-26
‘Your faith has restored you to health’While Jesus was speaking, up came one of the officials, who bowed low in front of him and said, ‘My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her and her life will be saved.’ Jesus rose and, with his disciples, followed him. Then from behind him came a woman, who had suffered from a haemorrhage for twelve years, and she touched the fringe of his cloak, for she said to herself, ‘If I can only touch his cloak I shall be well again.’ Jesus turned round and saw her; and he said to her, ‘Courage, my daughter, your faith has restored you to health.’ And from that moment the woman was well again.
When Jesus reached the official’s house and saw the flute-players, with the crowd making a commotion he said, ‘Get out of here; the little girl is not dead, she is asleep.’ And they laughed at him. But when the people had been turned out he went inside and took the little girl by the hand; and she stood up. And the news spread all round the countryside.
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