Our loving Lord always calls us gently back to faithfulness. For He only desires what is best for us and that only happens when we enter into an intimate relationship with Him. We are able to live life to the full in Him.
However many a time due to our unfaithfulness we feel the life being drained out of us. We feel listless and spiritually dry and often peace of mind eludes. We need to examine our conscience and acknowledge that we have sinned; turn back swiftly to our Lord through penance and reconciliation otherwise we will surely head towards spiritual death. Prayerfully we have time to change our hearts before our ultimate end God willing.
Let us therefore, confidently turn to Jesus so that He can heal and restore us. So that we may once again become the saints we are called to be, Holy as our Heavenly Father is Holy. 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 Lord
It 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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