Saturday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Title

Good news and bad news

Outline

Often what is good news to some is bad news to others

Rain may be good news to a farmer, but bad news to a family planning outdoor recreation

So it is in our passages

Israel is finally leaving Egypt

God has fulfilled his promise, not with the death of Jacob, not with the death of Joseph, but after 430 years

Israel has left Egypt as a people, not an extended family - 70+ people (plus slaves) are now thousands (the 600,000 figure is problematic and may mean 600 groups or families or something like that)

But this was bad news for the Egyptians and the fact that they rushed out of the land and thus had unleavened bread, while it would be commemorated, would also mean that they were not prepared for a wilderness trek

Of course, God would use the problem for good, but it would be a series of hard lessons to learn

Jesus has a successful ministry in terms of both teaching and healing

But that excites those jealous over the purity of the people to the extent that they want to kill him

Therefore Jesus withdraws - people still come to him, many are still healed, but perhaps his calls to be quiet about it are more urgent now

Ah, yes, but what is not good news for Israel is good news for the Gentiles, to where Jesus has withdrawn: “he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles” and “in his name the Gentiles will hope.”

Most of us realize that what was bad news for the Jews was good news for us and perhaps our ancestors

So, Sisters, let us look at life’s circumstances or the new this way

There may be bad news for the USA or bad news for the Church - polarization and perhaps open conflict for the USA and perhaps such persecution that Catholic moral teaching could be declared child abuse and certainly falling retention of the younger generation for the Church

But in that news, hard thought it is, God is at work purifying us, strengthening the faithful, and reaching out to new groups of people. When we keep our eye on what he is doing in the world, we realize that what is bad news for us may be good news for our souls and for the world as a whole

Readings

Catholic Daily Readings 7-17-2021: Saturday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time

FIRST READING

Exodus 12:37–42

37 The Israelites set out from Rameses for Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, not counting the children. 38 A crowd of mixed ancestry also went up with them, with livestock in great abundance, both flocks and herds. 39 The dough they had brought out of Egypt they baked into unleavened loaves. It was not leavened, because they had been driven out of Egypt and could not wait. They did not even prepare food for the journey.

40 The time the Israelites had stayed in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. 41 At the end of four hundred and thirty years, on this very date, all the armies of the LORD left the land of Egypt. 42 This was a night of vigil for the LORD, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt; so on this night all Israelites must keep a vigil for the LORD throughout their generations.

RESPONSE

Psalm 136:1b

1 Praise the LORD, for he is good;

for his mercy endures forever;

PSALM

Psalm 136:1, 10–15, 23–24

1 Praise the LORD, for he is good;

for his mercy endures forever;

10 Who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,

for his mercy endures forever;

11 And led Israel from their midst,

for his mercy endures forever;

12 With mighty hand and outstretched arm,

for his mercy endures forever;

13 Who split in two the Red Sea,

for his mercy endures forever;

14 And led Israel through its midst,

for his mercy endures forever;

15 But swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea,

for his mercy endures forever;

23 The Lord remembered us in our low estate,

for his mercy endures forever;

24 Freed us from our foes,

for his mercy endures forever;

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Text

GOSPEL

Matthew 12:14–21

14 But the Pharisees went out and took counsel against him to put him to death.

15 When Jesus realized this, he withdrew from that place. Many [people] followed him, and he cured them all, 16 but he warned them not to make him known. 17 This was to fulfill what had been spoken through Isaiah the prophet:

18 “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen,

my beloved in whom I delight;

I shall place my spirit upon him,

and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles.

19 He will not contend or cry out,

nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets.

20 A bruised reed he will not break,

a smoldering wick he will not quench,

until he brings justice to victory.

21 And in his name the Gentiles will hope.”

Notes

Catholic Daily Readings 7-17-2021: Saturday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time

SATURDAY, JULY 17, 2021 | ORDINARY TIME

SATURDAY OF THE FIFTEENTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

YEAR 1 | ROMAN MISSAL | LECTIONARY

First Reading Exodus 12:37–42

Response Psalm 136:1b

Psalm Psalm 136:1, 10–15, 23–24

Gospel Acclamation Text

Gospel Matthew 12:14–21

GREEN