'Tis also the festival of Saint Canute, Martyr (circa 1043-1086, A.K.A. King Canute IV of Denmark, the Holy; also spelt Knut), martyred by mutinous Vikings: Martyr-link & Wikipedia-link.
Commentary: Wayback Machine.
Scripture of the Day
Mass Readings—Weekday
The Book of Genesis, chapter twenty-eight, verses ten thru twenty-two(a);
Psalm Ninety-one, verses one & two, three & four, & fourteen & fifteen(a,b);
The Gospel according to Matthew, chapter nine, verses eighteen thru twenty-six.
Commentary: Gospel reflection by Bishop Robert Barron (Word on Fire):
Friends, the centerpiece of our Gospel today is the story of the hemorrhaging woman. To get at the power of the Gospel, we have to re-acquaint ourselves with the Jewish attitudes regarding the clean and the unclean. In the book of Leviticus we find carefully laid out prescriptions, dealing with animals, plants, foods, and situations that are unclean. These prescriptions were meant to identify the Jewish people as a people. But they had a rather severe downside, since they placed certain people in extremely difficult situations.Bible Study—The Bible Timeline: Egypt & Exodus, Part 2
Having a flow of blood for twelve years meant that for that entire period the woman in our Gospel was a virtual pariah. Anyone with whom she came in contact would be considered unclean. She couldn't participate in the ordinary life of her society.
She touches Jesus and should have rendered him unclean. But so great is her faith, that her touch, instead, renders her clean. Jesus effectively restores her to full participation in her community.
The most important outcome is this: Jesus implicitly puts an end to the ritual code of Leviticus. The identity of the new Israel, the Church, would not be through ritual behaviors but through imitation of him.
The Book of Exodus, chapter thirty-two (verses one thru thirty-five);
The Book of Exodus, chapter thirty-three (verses one thru twenty-three);
The Book of Exodus, chapter thirty-four (verses one thru thirty-five);
The Book of Exodus, chapter forty (of forty; verses one thru thirty-eight);
The Gospel according to Luke, chapter twelve, verses sixteen thru thirty-four;
The Letter to the Hebrews, chapter nine, verses three, four, & five;
The Book of Revelation, chapter eleven, verse nineteen & chapter twelve, verses one thru nine.
Commentary: The Golden Calf (Exodus, 32:1-29), the Atonement (32:30-33:6), Moses's Intimacy with God (33:7-23), Renewal of the Tablets (34:1-9), Religious Laws (34:10-26), Radiance of Moses's Face (34:27-35), Erection of the Dwelling (40:1-33), & God's Presence in the Dwelling (40:34-38); Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke, 12:16-21) & Dependence on God (12:22-34); excerpt from the Worship of the First Covenant (Hebrews, 9:3-5); & excerpts from the Seventh Trumpet (Revelation, 11:19) & the Woman & the Dragon (12:1-9).
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