For he Fourth of July the readings serve us up God's tenderness. .

Monday, 7/4/16

The Fourth is a day for fireworks and blustering, but the readings offer us only tenderness.

In the First Reading Gomer has deserted Hosea. But rather than hunting her down for punishment, he speaks with the utmost tenderness. “I will allure her. I will lead her into the desert, and speak to her heart.”

In the Gospel, we see her tenderness of the woman suffering from infirmities, in her reluctance to  contaminate Jesus with her touch, and in tribute to the strength of his holiness, she feels that even a touching of his garment would cure her.   

We have this story of the little sick girl In Chapter Five of Mark’s Gospel, and Mark gives us the actual words Jesus spoke that day in lifting up the girl. He said, “Talitha ko-um.” How tender was that?


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