Basic HTML Version
W
EDNESDAY
OF
THE
T
HIRTEENTH
W
EEK
IN
O
RDINARY
T
IME
Amos 5:14-15, 21-24;
Responsorial Psalm 50:7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13, 16bc-17,
Matthew 8:28-34
S
UMMARY
In a few verses before today˅s passage, the Prophet Amos laments for his
people because the Lord knows ˈhow grievous your sins: Oppressing the
just, accepting bribes, repelling the needy at the gate!ˉ (Am. 5:12.) And so
Amos exhorts us to ˈSeek good and not evil,ˉ that we ˈmay live,ˉ and then
ˈtruly will the Lord...be withˉ us; so let ˈjustice prevail.ˉ Like Amos, the
Psalmist rejects hollow solemnities and what we call ˈlip serviceˉ to the
Lord˅s commandments by those who hate true discipleship to his Word. In
Matthew, Jesus heals needy demoniacs, an act of divine justice in an en-
counter with on-going evil.
R
EFLECTION
Matthew˅s account of the healing of these two men possessed by savage
demons follows Jesus˅ calming the storm on the Sea of Galilee and pro-
ceeds his healing of a paralytic. It invites me to reflect on healing of my
demons ˀ my attitudes and actions into which I am locked or compelled
and that bring harm to me, my family, my friends, my community, and, yes,
my country too, on this Fourth of July.
My demons are metaphor for failings that arise from
the flawed nature of my humanity. For example, my
pride in doing my best ˀ a good attitude -- can
become a cardinal sin when too consuming, such as
when my excessive pursuit of worldly achievement
squandered time better spent on family.
The demons Jesus exorcised were supernatural be-
ings -- fallen angels. It is striking how the followers