First Reading – Micah 2:1-5

1 Woe to those who plan iniquity, and work out evil on their couches; In the morning light they accomplish it when it lies within their power.
2 They covet fields, and seize them; houses, and they take them; They cheat an owner of his house, a man of his inheritance.
3 Therefore thus says the LORD: Behold, I am planning against this race an evil from which you shall not withdraw your necks; Nor shall you walk with head high, for it will be a time of evil.
4 On that day a satire shall be sung over you, and there shall be a plaintive chant: “Our ruin is complete, our fields are portioned out among our captors, The fields of my people are measured out, and no one can get them back!”
5 Thus you shall have no one to mark out boundaries by lot in the assembly of the LORD.

Responsorial Psalm – Psalms 10:1-2, 3-4, 7-8, 14

Response: Do not forget the poor, O Lord!

Why, O LORD, do you stand aloof?
Why hide in times of distress?
Proudly the wicked harass the afflicted,
who are caught in the devices the wicked have contrived.
Response: Do not forget the poor, O Lord!

For the wicked man glories in his greed,
and the covetous blasphemes, sets the LORD at nought.
The wicked man boasts, “He will not avenge it”;
“There is no God,” sums up his thoughts.
Response: Do not forget the poor, O Lord!

His mouth is full of cursing, guile and deceit;
under his tongue are mischief and iniquity.
He lurks in ambush near the villages;
in hiding he murders the innocent;
his eyes spy upon the unfortunate.
Response: Do not forget the poor, O Lord!

You do see, for you behold misery and sorrow,
taking them in your hands.
On you the unfortunate man depends;
of the fatherless you are the helper.
Response: Do not forget the poor, O Lord!

Alleluia – 2 Corinthians 5:19

Response: Alleluia, alleluia.
God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ,
and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
Response: Alleluia, alleluia.

7/16/2022 Today’s Gospel Reading – Matthew 12:14-21

14 The Pharisees went out and took counsel against Jesus to put him to death.
15 When Jesus realized this, he withdrew from that place. Many people followed him, and he cured them all,
16 but he warned them not to make him known.
17 This was to fulfill what had been spoken through Isaiah the prophet:
18 Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved in whom I delight; I shall place my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.
19 He will not contend or cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
20 A bruised reed he will not break, a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory.
21 And in his name the Gentiles will hope.

7/16/2022 Today’s Gospel Reflection – Matthew 12:14-21

What does it mean to be a servant? We need not look any further than Jesus Himself. He was sent to earth with a specific mission and He fulfilled that mission – to inaugurate the Kingdom of God. It isn’t easy to do a certain job when you know many people will despise, persecute and even kill you but Jesus was unafraid. Despite the threat to His life, He did not give up. He has to be OBEDIENT to the One who sent Him. He is God but He became a servant to His Father and to the people.

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We read in verse 15 that He withdrew but from that place only. He went on to continue doing His job which includes healing the sick. His withdrawal was a strategic move because it wasn’t yet the right time for Him to undergo trial and crucifixion. He has a lot more to do including the proclamation of justice to all people.

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Some people easily abandon their fight for what is right as soon as they feel threaten by the powers that be. Others continue fighting by taking up arms. Verses 19 and 20 gives us the idea of non-violent resistance. Jesus shuns violence and He Had shown it during His passion and death. He never gave in and He did give up despite the threat to His life. This is another mark of a true servant – COURAGE.

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Jesus served the people who were marginalized by institutions of society. The poor, the sick and the uneducated were attracted to Him because in Him, they found HOPE that they cannot find elsewhere. Verse 20 says that Jesus will bring JUSTICE to victory. Even today, a lot of people continue to suffer due to policies that favor the status quo than real change for the good of all. We look up to Jesus as the ultimate model of servant leadership who will work for genuine justice without violence. We look up to Him for Hope in an otherwise hopeless world.

Go here to see further reflection.