The Lord’s Judgment against Israel
1How prosperous Israel is—
a luxuriant vine loaded with fruit.
But the richer the people get,
the more pagan altars they build.
The more bountiful their harvests,
the more beautiful their sacred pillars.
2The hearts of the people are fickle;
they are guilty and must be punished.
The Lord will break down their altars
and smash their sacred pillars.
3Then they will say, “We have no king
because we didn’t fear the Lord.
But even if we had a king,
what could he do for us anyway?”
7Samaria and its king will be cut off;
they will float away like driftwood on an ocean wave.
8And the pagan shrines of Aven,*10:8 Aven is a reference to Beth-aven; see 10:5a and the note there. the place of Israel’s sin, will crumble.
Thorns and thistles will grow up around their altars.
They will beg the mountains, “Bury us!”
and plead with the hills, “Fall on us!”
12I said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness,
and you will harvest a crop of love.
Plow up the hard ground of your hearts,
for now is the time to seek the Lord,
that he may come
and shower righteousness upon you.’
Reflection
Hosea, an eighth-century prophet, delivered this message to the northern kingdom of Israel during a period of material prosperity that masked spiritual emptiness and unfaithfulness to God's covenant. During Ordinary Time, when we settle into the rhythms of daily life, this reading calls us to examine whether our own abundance draws us closer to God or tempts us toward false securities and divided loyalties. The prophet's final plea to plow up the hard ground of our hearts reminds us that genuine prosperity comes not from what we accumulate, but from constantly turning back to the Lord and allowing his righteousness to transform our lives from within.
2Sing to him; yes, sing his praises.
Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds.
3Exult in his holy name;
rejoice, you who worship the Lord.
4Search for the Lord and for his strength;
continually seek him.
5Remember the wonders he has performed,
his miracles, and the rulings he has given,
6you children of his servant Abraham,
you descendants of Jacob, his chosen ones.
7He is the Lord our God.
His justice is seen throughout the land.
Reflection
Psalm 105 was composed as a liturgical hymn for ancient Israel's worship, recounting God's faithfulness throughout their history to inspire continued devotion. In Ordinary Time, when the Church moves through the steady rhythm of daily living rather than major feast days, this psalm invites us to recognize God's presence in the ordinary moments of our lives by remembering His past mercies and actively seeking Him in the present. By cultivating gratitude for what God has done and vigilance in seeking what He continues to do, we transform routine days into occasions of genuine encounter with the Divine.
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve Apostles
1Jesus called his twelve disciples together and gave them authority to cast out evil*10:1 Greek unclean. spirits and to heal every kind of disease and illness.
first, Simon (also called Peter),
then Andrew (Peter’s brother),
James (son of Zebedee),
John (James’s brother),
3Philip,
Bartholomew,
Thomas,
Matthew (the tax collector),
James (son of Alphaeus),
Thaddaeus,*10:3 Other manuscripts read Lebbaeus; still others read Lebbaeus who is called Thaddaeus.
4Simon (the zealot*10:4 Greek the Cananean, an Aramaic term for Jewish nationalists.),
Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).
5Jesus sent out the twelve apostles with these instructions: “Don’t go to the Gentiles or the Samaritans,
Reflection
Matthew composed this gospel in the late first century for a Jewish-Christian community seeking to understand Jesus's mission and their own role in continuing it. During Ordinary Time, when we reflect on Jesus's daily ministry and teachings, this passage reminds us that the apostles receive not merely a commission but concrete divine power to heal and cast out evil—a sign that God's kingdom is actively breaking into the world through their witness. As we navigate our own ordinary days, we too are called to recognize the authority Christ has given us through baptism to announce his kingdom's presence, not through miraculous signs necessarily, but through lives of healing compassion and spiritual liberation offered to those around us.