Fr. Roger J. Landry
Visitation Convent of the Sisters of Life, Manhattan
Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time, Year II
Votive Mass for Evangelization
July 10, 2018
Hos 8:4-7.11-13, Ps 115, Mt 9:32-38
To listen to an audio recording of this homily, please click below:
The following points were attempted in the homily:
- In the Gospel, Jesus exorcises. He came into the world to cast out the power of Satan and inaugurate the Kingdom of God.
- In today’s first reading, we see the type of work the devil seeks to accomplish. He always attacks marriage, like he did with Adam’s and Eve’s, because marriage has been created in the image and likeness of God. We see in Hosea how the devil attacks the spousal union between God and his people that would be fulfilled in Christ’s union with the Church. As we mentioned yesterday, when we focused on the spousal imagery in Hosea 2, every sin against God is a sin of adultery. That’s what God was listing, the various idols that had become the people of Israel’s loves: kings they’ve chosen rather than God, silver and gold idols and calves, which, to quote the Psalms have mouths that don’t speak, eyes that don’t see, ears that don’t hear, noses that don’t smell, hands that don’t feel, feet that don’t walk. It says that “their makers shall be like them,” meaning they will become lifeless through the worship of gods that cannot give life. When the sow the wind of idolatry, the reap the empty, destructive whirlwind, like fruitless stalks of grain that can yield no flower. At the very end of the passage, Hoses says that God “shall still remember their guild and punish their sins,” warning, “they shall return to Egypt,” which is a sign of their slavery. But they way that God will punish their sins is through the work of his Son, the Lamb of God who comes to take away the sins of the world. God’s vengeance would be mercy.
- We see that mercy on full display in the Gospel, when Jesus’ guts burst with mercy on the crowds who are mangled and isolated like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus announces the kingdom to them, he teaches and he cures. But then out of mercy he asks everyone to pray to the Harvest Master to send laborers for his abundant harvest. We’ll see tomorrow that the ones who are the answers to those prayers are the very ones he’s asked to pray. We are the recipients of those prayers made for 2000 years and we need to continue those prayers and respond to the Lord’s summons. This is the world of the friends of the Bridal Chamber. This is the work for which Jesus strengthens us by his Body and Blood.
The readings for today’s Mass were:
Reading 1 HOS 8:4-7, 11-13
They made kings in Israel, but not by my authority;
they established princes, but without my approval.
With their silver and gold they made
idols for themselves, to their own destruction.
Cast away your calf, O Samaria!
my wrath is kindled against them;
How long will they be unable to attain
innocence in Israel?
The work of an artisan,
no god at all,
Destined for the flames—
such is the calf of Samaria!When they sow the wind,
they shall reap the whirlwind;
The stalk of grain that forms no ear
can yield no flour;
Even if it could,
strangers would swallow it.
When Ephraim made many altars to expiate sin,
his altars became occasions of sin.
Though I write for him my many ordinances,
they are considered as a stranger’s.
Though they offer sacrifice,
immolate flesh and eat it,
the LORD is not pleased with them.
He shall still remember their guilt
and punish their sins;
they shall return to Egypt.
Responsorial Psalm PS 115:3-4, 5-6, 7AB-8, 9-10
R. (9a) The house of Israel trusts in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Our God is in heaven;
whatever he wills, he does.
Their idols are silver and gold,
the handiwork of men.
R. The house of Israel trusts in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
They have mouths but speak not;
they have eyes but see not;
They have ears but hear not;
they have noses but smell not.
R. The house of Israel trusts in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
They have hands but feel not;
they have feet but walk not.
Their makers shall be like them,
everyone that trusts in them.
R. The house of Israel trusts in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Our God is in heaven;
whatever he wills, he does.
Their idols are silver and gold,
the handiwork of men.
R. The house of Israel trusts in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
They have mouths but speak not;
they have eyes but see not;
They have ears but hear not;
they have noses but smell not.
R. The house of Israel trusts in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
They have hands but feel not;
they have feet but walk not.
Their makers shall be like them,
everyone that trusts in them.
R. The house of Israel trusts in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Alleluia JN 10:14
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the good shepherd, says the Lord;
I know my sheep, and mine know me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the good shepherd, says the Lord;
I know my sheep, and mine know me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel MT 9:32-38
A demoniac who could not speak was brought to Jesus,
and when the demon was driven out the mute man spoke.
The crowds were amazed and said,
“Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”
But the Pharisees said,
“He drives out demons by the prince of demons.”Jesus went around to all the towns and villages,
teaching in their synagogues,
proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness.
At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them
because they were troubled and abandoned,
like sheep without a shepherd.
Then he said to his disciples,
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.”
and when the demon was driven out the mute man spoke.
The crowds were amazed and said,
“Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”
But the Pharisees said,
“He drives out demons by the prince of demons.”Jesus went around to all the towns and villages,
teaching in their synagogues,
proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness.
At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them
because they were troubled and abandoned,
like sheep without a shepherd.
Then he said to his disciples,
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.”
