*** 1st Reading ***

Isaiah 30:19-21, 23-26

O people of Zion,

Who dwell in Jeru­salem, you will weep no more.

When you cry, he will listen; when he hears, he will answer. When the  Lord  has  given  you the bread of anguish and the water of distress, he, your teacher will hide no longer.

 Your own eyes will see him, and your ear will listen to his words behind you: “This is the way, walk in it.” He will then give rain for the seed you sow and make the harvest abundant from the crops you grow. On that day your cattle will graze in wide pas­tures. Your beasts of burden will eat silage tossed to them with pitchfork and shovel.

 For on the day of the great slaughter, when fortresses fall, streams of water will flow on every mountain and lofty hill.  The light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun seven times greater, like the light of seven days, when Yahweh binds up the wounds of his people and heals the bruises inflicted by his blows.

 

Ps 147:1-2, 3-4, 5-6

Blessed are all who wait for the Lord.

 

**** Gospel ****

Matthew 9:35 – 10:1, 5a, 6-8

Jesus went around all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom, and he cured every sickness and disease.   When he saw the crowds he was moved with pity, for they were ha­rassed and helpless like sheep without a she­pherd.

  Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the workers are only few.  Ask the master of the harvest to send workers to gather his harvest.” Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority over the unclean spirits to drive them out and to heal every disease and sickness.

Jesus sent these twelve on mission with the instruction: “Do not visit pagan territory and do not enter a Samaritan town.   Go instead to the lost sheep of the people of Israel. Go and proclaim this message: The kingdom of heaven is near.   

Heal the sick, bring the dead back to life, cleanse the lepers, and drive out demons. Freely have you received, freely give.

 

Gospel Reflection

Isaiah advises the Israelites to put their trust in Yahweh and nor on human or earthly political powers. At that time Israel was under attack from the Assyrians. Israel sought the heop of Egypt, the rival political power.

Isaiah tells them not to be dismayed by these superpowers that were about to squeeze Israel. Salvation lay in trust in Yahweh. Isaiah advises them to wait for the Lord to act. So it happened, Assyria, under Sennacherib failed to conquer Jerusalem by an act of God (see 2 kings 18-19).

In the fullness of time Jerusalem will have the king above all kings. Then, even the mighty like Herod the Great tremble! The king of Israel, born in Bethlehem, will be a shepherd like the shepherds of Bethlehem.

He will be the Good Shepherd who would have compassion on the poor and the sick; he will raise to life even the dead and reclaim from Satan the possessed. Moreover, he will be a Good Shepherd who will call and send other shepherds who will be shepherds after his own heart.

When the world we live in seems to be enveloped in evil and we seem powerless it is good to remember that though we may like Israel have our own share of “bread of anguish and the water of distress” we can await in Faith for our Shepherd-king, Jesus!