The Catholic Calendar for Saturday, July 4, 2009
Saturday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
St. Elizabeth of Portugal



Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
Genesis 27:1-5, 15-29
Psalm 135:1-6
Matthew 9:14-17



A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

Are you really my son Esau? Certainly, he [Jacob] replied. (see Genesis 27:24)

Today's first reading shows that human weaknesses and outright sins cannot impair God's ability to accomplish His will. He can bless His people in different and unexpected ways, for He is not bound by our human conventions but acts upon what will prove best for us.

In view of this, God permitted Jacob, the twin his mother preferred over Esau, to obey her ruse to disguise himself as his father Isaac's "firstborn" son so he would receive his father's blessing that belonged by tradition to Esau. Although Jacob received this blessing through dishonesty, his father, though deeply distraught, could not revoke his action.

Ironically, we discover in Psalm 135 that Jacob was actually preferred by God to receive this blessing and through it to be in authority over his elder brother. This story is another example of God often choosing the weak and sinful to accomplish His will, for being aware of their unfavorable condition before God, they would see this as a way of making amends through obedience. God's love provides us many such opportunities and produces much good to all through them.

In the gospel Christ tells His apostles that now is the time for celebration, since He, the bridegroom of the Church, has provided and planted the seed of love in human hearts, that He may produce much fruit in their souls for them to share the abundance of His love with others. In keeping with our first reading, Jesus broadens the dimensions of our Faith. Unlike the first covenant that was changed by men, often into empty rules, Christ has given us a new everlasting and unchanging covenant that calls us to learn living in God's love and truth through the ministry of the Holy Spirit He sent us. His Spirit will teach us to die to self, be cleansed of sin and be imbued with God's holy life.

O Loving Father,
We thank You, for through Christ You have raised a fallen world and given us His Spirit to free us from sin and enable us to live in holy peace.
Amen.

- Marie Bocko, OCDS | email: mlbocko(at)twcny(dot)rr(dot)com