July 6, Lectionary # 384 and July 7, Lectionary # 385: Scripture thoughts

Scripture: July 6, Lectionary 384. Hosea 8:4-7, 11-13. Psalm
115:3-4,5-6,7-8,9-10. Matthew 9:32-38:

In our first two readings opposition, rejection, and scepticism lead
leaders, kings, and some people to be deaf to the message of God to them
from the prophets and from Jesus. They are also mute about saying anything
good about the world beyond which they can touch. God is not part of
their identity. As someone has said they are ego-centric (E-G-O = "edging
God out) people, kings, leaders, and nations. Such is the prophetic voice
of Hosea in the first reading.

How is it possible for us to meditate quietly and to pray with such
difficult passages in the Scriptures? We need to read them a second and
even third time to frame them and see why the message is so negative. We
need to read what went before the given reading and what comes after in the
inspired texts that we hear or read. This means doing a little preparation
before the liturgy to see what the "context" is in some of the readings we
hear.

We discover that there is a healing message in them as Jesus, in the
Gospel, continues to heal, preach, and teach despite the opposers and those
deaf to his message. We learn of his great compassion for people and for
those open to his words. He laments the fact there are not enough
following him to help harvest the ripe fields of people eager to hear his
words. His seventy-two disciples and his twelve named apostles are just
not able to keep up with the harvesting of persons so necessary to build
the kingdom of God. We are called to be those who listen to Jesus and bring
his message of Good News to those around us; we do this more by our example
than by our words.

Hosea shows us that he had the same resistance as Jesus has. Kings from
the north and the south resist his message which is God's word through him
as an authentic prophet. Samaria and Ephraim want nothing to do with
Hosea. The sins of the past and those of the present in his timeline are
all too evident in what he conveys to us in his writings. Salvation
history however is the work of God and it continues silently, subtlely, and
perseveringly despite the crooked lines that the opposition provides for
the written word. Some of these tough lines flow from the cursive pen of
the prophet Hosea.

Even our Psalm for the day and its response shows us how idolatry, that is,
thinking we can save ourselves by turning to human made gods is placed
before us today in the response and the content of the Psalm. Yet, we cry
out with the true believers, "The house of Israel trusts in the Lord."

Jesus has cured the deaf man and released his bound tongue. He will carry
on the message by his trust in the Lord. We, too, through our own prayer
and our baptismal commitment can do the same. This divine action of curing
a deaf and mute person is a victory over the sin, the obtuseness, and the
rejection of the religious leaders Jesus encountered. Hosea and Jesus are
on the same page of the lectionary. We must be there too. Amen.

Scripture: July 7, Lectionary # 385. Hosea 10:1-3,7-8, 12. Psalm 105:
2-3,4-5,6-7. Matthew 10: 1-7:

Reading and praying with the Scriptures is not always and easy spiritual
exercise. It takes some discipline on our part in giving it some
time--fixed time. Often we are tired, or we do not pay attention to what
is being read or what we ourselves are reading in Scripture. Tiredness
does not help us to meditate on the word of God. We want to do this but we
simply are limited on certain days or maybe even every day. Contextual
reading is important if we wish to understand the text that we have read in
the liturgy. One clue for today's readings is that they make sense to us
as we come to the final part of them. Their tone and message is clearly
put before us and we see them as creative helps and redemptive uplifts for
our meditation or pondering. For example, at the end of Hosea's passage for
today we read the following, "Break up for yourselves a new field,for it is
time to seek the Lord, till he come and rain justice upon you." That field
is the Scriptures and the raining down is God's inspiration for us this
day.

Jesus, at the very end of our Gospel reading makes the all important
announcement: "The reign (kingdom, realm of God) of God is at hand. " Mark
used this as the very first pronouncement in his Gospel from the lips of
Jesus. Here we have Matthew doing the same with the live voice of Jesus
coming through these sacred texts: the kingdom of God is here; it is within
you. Seek first the kingdom of God. What about the preceding naming of the
apostles including the name of Matthew? We can use this call as our own
summons to keep the message and mission of Jesus alive in our time. Just
put your name among them and continue what they will do once Jesus has
risen from the dead and left the mission in their hands. Through our
baptismal commitment and the calling we now have we too are able to
interact with others and bring the good news to them. We have identified
ourselves with Christ's saving mysteries through Baptism. We have been
named in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Our own
prayer, work, hobbies, acitivities, relationships, are part of the story we
share with Jesus. We too are to be motivated and motivate others with the
announcement: "The Kingdom of God is at hand." Amen.