Saturday, July 18, 2015
15th Week in Ordinary Time 1st Reading:
Ex 12:37-42 Gospel:
Matthew 12:14-21
The Pharisees went out and made plans to get rid of him. As Jesus was aware of the plot, he went away from that place. Many people followed him and he cured all who were sick. Then he gave them strict orders not to make him known.
In this way Isaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled:“Here is my servant whom I have chosen… He will not argue or shout, nor will his voice be heard in the streets. The bruised reed he will not crush, nor snuff out the smoldering wick. He will persist until justice is made victorious and in him all the nations will put their hope.”
D@iGITAL EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
The Evangelist Matthew loves quoting Old Testament verses in making running commentaries of Jesus’ activities. His intention is to present Jesus as the fulfillment of Scriptures. These running commentaries are now called fulfillment citations. Today’s Gospel reading contains one of his ten fulfillment citations. By inserting Isaiah’s prophecy about the suffering servant (Isaiah 42:1-4) Matthew shows how the promise of a servant “who will persist until justice is made victorious” is fulfilled in Jesus.
The identification of Jesus as the suffering servant prophesied by Isaiah is clearer in Mark’s expanded version of today’s Gospel reading (Mark 3:7-12). The detailed version of Mark is a picture of a Spirit-filled Servant who is gentle and who quietly cares for the weak, the wounded and those discouraged. Jesus was the fulfillment of Yahweh’s promise, as foretold by Isaiah, to send a Servant “on whom all nations will put their hope”.
History continues to reveal the fulfillment of God’s promise as we experience God’s love through the Church. In the Church’s ministry of the Sacrament of Reconciliation our Lord continues to bind our wounds. In the Church’s celebration of the Holy Eucharist Jesus continues to feed and nourish us. In the Church’s ministry of the Sacrament of Baptism, Christ continues to welcome our children and our children’s children to God’s big family. In the Church’s ministry of ordaining priests, Christ continues to provide for workers in his vineyard. In the Church’s ministry of marrying couples, Christ continues to bless all families. In the Church’s ministry of anointing the sick, Christ continues to heal his people.
Let us spread love for God’s Sacraments so that people may experience the fulfillment of God’s promise in their lives. We will then be walking “fulfillment citations” in a world that has become more sarcastic about God. – Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM. Email:[email protected]. Website:www.frdan.org.
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