July 07, 2015 Tuesday, 14th Week in Ordinary Time
1st Reading:
Gen 32:22-32
Gospel: Mt 9:32–38
Some people brought to Jesus a man who was dumb because he was possessed by a demon. When the demon was driven out, the dumb man began to speak. The crowds were astonished and said, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.” (But the Pharisees said, “He drives away demons with the help of the prince of demons.”)Jesus went around all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom, and he cured every sickness and disease. When he saw the crowds he was moved with pity, for they were harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd.
Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the workers are only few. Ask the master of the harvest to send workers to gather his harvest.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the
Assimilated Life
Experience)
By doing good no matter how small you load the devil’s head with burning coal! The smallest act of goodness infuriates the devil. The scary thing is that the devil won’t take it lying down. He strikes back with the ferocity of a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. But we need not panic because our very own good work will be our defense, for God takes it personally the most insignificant good work we render to our neighbors.
In today’s Gospel Jesus healed a possessed dumb man. The devil launched an offensive through the poisonous mouths of the Pharisees who accused Jesus of being an agent of evil. Jesus fought back by exposing their inconsistency. He didn’t have to come up with very complicated syllogisms to expose the inconsistency of Satan dividing his own house by destroying his own minions. Jesus moved on even as the enemies were looking for ways to get even with him by trapping him. Forgetting that he too was harassed, Jesus showed pity for the people whom he likened to sheep without a shepherd.
The phrase “like sheep without a shepherd” is an important Old Testament verse, which the Jews were very familiar of. In the Book of Numbers, we read: “May the Lord… set over the community a man who shall act as their leader … so that the Lord’s community may not be like sheep without a shepherd” (Num. 27: 15-17). Jesus’ use of this verse, which the Jews associates with liberation, must have awakened the hope of his listeners.
Despite the devil’s harassment Jesus was still able to inspire others. When we do good no matter how small the devil can mount an opposition to make us fall. Let us fight as Jesus did. Evil will thrive when good people do not strive. – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email: [email protected]. Website: www.frdan.org.
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