July 17, 2021

Saturday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 394

Reading I

Ex 12:37-42

The children of Israel set out from Rameses for Succoth,
about six hundred thousand men on foot,
not counting the little ones.
A crowd of mixed ancestry also went up with them,
besides their livestock, very numerous flocks and herds.
Since the dough they had brought out of Egypt was not leavened,
they baked it into unleavened loaves.
They had rushed out of Egypt and had no opportunity
even to prepare food for the journey.

The time the children of Israel had stayed in Egypt
was four hundred and thirty years.
At the end of four hundred and thirty years,
all the hosts of the LORD left the land of Egypt on this very date.
This was a night of vigil for the LORD,
as he led them out of the land of Egypt;
so on this same night
all the children of Israel must keep a vigil for the LORD
throughout their generations.

Responsorial Psalm

136:1 and 23-24, 10-12, 13-15

1.  His mercy endures forever. 
   or: 
   R.    Alleluia.
   Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
       for his mercy endures forever;
   Who remembered us in our abjection,
       for his mercy endures forever;
   And freed us from our foes,
       for his mercy endures forever.
   R.    His mercy endures forever.
   or: 
   R.    Alleluia.
   Who smote the Egyptians in their first-born,
       for his mercy endures forever;
   And brought out Israel from their midst,
       for his mercy endures forever;
   With a mighty hand and an outstretched arm,
       for his mercy endures forever.
   R.    His mercy endures forever.
   or: 
   R.    Alleluia.
   Who split the Red Sea in twain,
       for his mercy endures forever;
   And led Israel through its midst,
       for his mercy endures forever;
   But swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea,
       for his mercy endures forever.
   R.    His mercy endures forever.    
   or: 
   R.    Alleluia.

Alleluia

2 Cor 5:19

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

Gospel

Mt 12:14-21

The Pharisees went out and took counsel against Jesus
to put him to death.

When Jesus realized this, he withdrew from that place.
Many people followed him, and he cured them all,
but he warned them not to make him known.
This was to fulfill what had been spoken through Isaiah the prophet:

    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.
    He will not contend or cry out,
        nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.
    A bruised reed he will not break,
        a smoldering wick he will not quench,
    until he brings justice to victory.
        And in his name the Gentiles will hope.

Reflection: KEEP WALKING

Reading passages like that of today's first reading, where it says that was for the Lord a night of vigil, to bring them out of Egypt'... that the Lord watched over the people of Israel as they walked into that night of freedom towards the broad day light... there is a longing in our hearts that cries... Will there not be a day when the people suffering today would walk into their freedom; the oppressed innocents, the trodden poor, the cheated multitudes, the neglected lots, the exploited masses - will there not be an end to evil in the world? Will not the Lord keep watch over these my suffering brothers and sisters to walk into their freedom, into their life of peace, into their days of tranquillity? The response is right there in the reading too... the number of years that the Hebrews lived in Egypt was four hundred and thirty! The Lord is still working on the solution, and we are all part of the process! There are many who create hindrances and blocks, but despite all, the humanity will one day see the eternal goodness, the Reign of God established forever! Our role in the plan, is as that of the people of Israel - Keep Walking... Jesus was cornered, plotted against... he moved on, slipped through, and went ahead doing good to the people - for he knew his time had not come, he knew the One who sent him had a proper plan and the right time - and Jesus kept walking, 'and many followed him'. Let us wait on the Lord, in the Lord's own time everything will happen according to the design; but on our part we are called to do the little that is ours to do, and keep walking. As Matthew quotes Isaiah, 'In God's name will we hope.' And the sign of hope is - to keep walking!