DAILY READINGS & REFLECTION

JULY 11, 2023

TUESDAY - MEMORIAL OF SAINT BENEDICT, ABBOT

FIRST READING

GENESIS 32:23-33 OR (PROVERBS 2:1-9)

23 He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had. 24 And Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. 25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched the hollow of his thigh; and Jacob's thigh was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. 26 Then he said, "Let me go, for the day is breaking." But Jacob said, "I will not let you go, unless you bless me." 27 And he said to him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Jacob." 28 Then he said, "Your name shall no more be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed." 29 Then Jacob asked him, "Tell me, I pray, your name." But he said, "Why is it that you ask my name?" And there he blessed him. 30 So Jacob called the name of the place Peni'el, saying, "For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved." 31 The sun rose upon him as he passed Penu'el, limping because of his thigh. 32 Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the sinew of the hip which is upon the hollow of the thigh, because he touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh on the sinew of the hip.

The Word of the Lord
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RESPONSORIAL PSALM

PSALMS 16(17):1-3, 6-8, 15 OR (PSALMS 34:2-11)

Response: In justice, I shall behold thy face, O Lord.

Hear a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry!
Give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit!

R. In justice, I shall behold thy face, O Lord.

From thee let my vindication come!
Let thy eyes see the right!
If thou triest my heart, if thou visitest me by night,
if thou testest me, thou wilt find no wickedness in me;
my mouth does not transgress.

R. In justice, I shall behold thy face, O Lord.

I call upon thee, for thou wilt answer me, O God;
incline thy ear to me, hear my words.
Wondrously show thy steadfast love,
O savior of those who seek refuge
from their adversaries at thy right hand.

R. In justice, I shall behold thy face, O Lord.

Keep me as the apple of the eye;
hide me in the shadow of thy wings.
As for me, I shall behold thy face in righteousness;
when I awake, I shall be satisfied with beholding thy form.

R. In justice, I shall behold thy face, O Lord.
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GOSPEL

"Never seen anything like this"

MATTHEW 9:32-38 OR (MATTHEW 19:27-29)

32 As they were going away, behold, a dumb demoniac was brought to him. 33 And when the demon had been cast out, the dumb man spoke; and the crowds marveled, saying, "Never was anything like this seen in Israel." 34 But the Pharisees said, "He casts out demons by the prince of demons." 35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every infirmity. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."

The Gospel of the Lord
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REFLECTION

DAILY QUOTE FROM THE EARLY CHURCH FATHERS

Freedom and healing in Christ, by Hilary of Poitiers (315-367 AD)

"In the deaf and dumb and demoniac appear the need of the Gentiles for a complete healing. Beleaguered on all sides by misfortune, they were associated with all types of the body's infirmities. And in this regard a proper order of things is observed. For the devil is first cast out; then the other bodily benefits follow suit. With the folly of all superstitions put to flight by the knowledge of God, sight and hearing and words of healing are introduced. The declaration of the onlookers followed their admiration over what took place: 'Never has the like been seen in Israel.' Indeed, he whom the law could not help was made well by the power of the Word, and the deaf and dumb man spoke the praises of God. Deliverance has been given to the Gentiles. All the towns and all the villages are enlightened by the power and presence of Christ, and the people are freed from every impairment of the timeless malady.

(excerpt from ON MATTHEW 9.10)
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Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)
The Revised Standard Version of the Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1965, 1966 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.