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It is not God who chooses our punishment.
It is of our own making.
Jesus performed many miracles there, but still their citizens are not changed.
He realized that the hearts of these people are bottomless pits.
No amount of wonderwork can make them see God’s goolness.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel
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Isaiah 7:1-9
When Ahaz son of Jotham,
列印
Sometimes even from one’s most intimate circle of family and friends.
This may mean losing treasured bonds and taking up the difficulty of the cross.
St. Bonaventure, bishop & doctor
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Isaiah 1:10-17
Hear the warning of Yahweh,
列印 Jesus sent these twelve on mission with the instruction: Go instead to the lost sheep of the people of Israel.
Gave them authority over the unclean spirits to drive them out and to heal every disease and sickness.
The kingdom of David was split in two after Solomon took over.
In the south is the kingdom of Judah whose capital is Jerusalem.
The Northern Kingdom of Israel was composed of ten tribes and had their Capital later on in Samaria.
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Hosea 10:1-3, 7-8, 12
Israel was a spreading vine,
列印 Today's Gospel narrates Jesus choosing twelve from among his disciples.
Jesus gave them authority over evil spirits as he sent them in pairs.
He also cautioned them of the fact that, in their mission of proclaiming God's reign,
they would also experience rejection and persecution.
This is practical advice so that the focus is on the mission at hand rather than the missionary.
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Amos 7:12-15
Amaziah then said to Amos,
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The dumb man in today's Gospel, His speech is restored when Jesus heals him. The crowd is astonished.
The Pharisees take offense and accuse Jesus of being in league with the prince of demons.
They are incapable of praising God for the miracle that happened right in front of them.
The wise king Solomon quips that the most fragrant perfume can be ruined by just a single dead fly.
The Pharisees tries to blot Jesus’ reputation by associating his work with that of the devil.
Jesus is sensitive and attentive to people’s deepest need and cry, He hears them and sees them in their suffering.
St. Augustine Zhao Rong, priest, & Companions, martyrs
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Hosea 8:4-7, 11-13
Without my approval
列印 “Do not be afraid”, God is reminding us all the time .
The words of Jesus are an encouragement not to be deterred in the face of challenge or opposition.
Help me to recognise your supporting presence and not to be afraid for you are with me always.
Blessed Virgin Mary
St. Henry
＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊
Isaiah 6:1-8
In the year that king
列印 Didn't he pass through many crowds, rubbing shoulders with them?
Weren’t there people who saw him pass by, but didn’t think much of him?
Perhaps there were many who smirked at the purpose of his travel.
Her faith was so great. it was enough that she got to touch the edge of his cloak, as he passed by.
＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊
Hosea 2:16, 17c-18, 21-22
So I am going to allure her,
列印 It is humanly impossible to speak so.
It will not be we who speak, but the Spirit of Christ.
Jesus knows all this, yet he still sends us to take the Gospel to this difficult world.
But he also promises us his assistance: he asks us not to worry!
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Hosea 14:2-10
Return to your God,
列印 Jesus returned to his hometown. His town mates
They cannot believe that a family of carpenters can produce someone like him.
becomes a stumbling block to their faith in him.
Their own prejudices robbed them of the opportunity
to grow more in their knowledge of Jesus and of Jesus' authority.
May we let go of whatever hinders us to know Jesus more.
＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊
Ezekiel 2:2-5
A spirit came upon me
列印 The good news is that the Kingdom of Heaven is near. The manifestation is healing and restoration to good health,
liberation from the bondage of evil and the return to life.
Not mean only those done by priests, All Christians are asked to do evangelization.
Someone who reveals the love and mercy of God in himself or herself.
To the extent that we mediate God’s love to others, to that extent, we are His heralds of the gospel.
St. Benedict, abbot
＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊
Hosea 11:1-4, 8c-9
I loved Israel
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In their culture, when Jesus and His disciples weren’t fasting frequently like the pious Pharisees,
anything less was considered unrighteous.
Jesus wants our minds and hearts to be like new wine skins -
open and ready to receive the new wine of the Holy Spirit.
Blessed Virgin Mary St. Maria Goretti, virgin & martyr
＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊
Amos 9:11-15
On that day,
