Reading 1
Gn 28:10-22a
Jacob departed from Beer-sheba and proceeded toward Haran.
When he came upon a certain shrine, as the sun had already set,
he stopped there for the night.
Taking one of the stones at the shrine, he put it under his head
and lay down to sleep at that spot.
Then he had a dream: a stairway rested on the ground,
with its top reaching to the heavens;
and God’s messengers were going up and down on it.
And there was the LORD standing beside him and saying:
“I, the LORD, am the God of your forefather Abraham
and the God of Isaac;
the land on which you are lying
I will give to you and your descendants.
These shall be as plentiful as the dust of the earth,
and through them you shall spread out east and west, north and south.
In you and your descendants
all the nations of the earth shall find blessing.
Know that I am with you;
I will protect you wherever you go,
and bring you back to this land.
I will never leave you until I have done what I promised you.”
When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he exclaimed,
“Truly, the LORD is in this spot, although I did not know it!”
In solemn wonder he cried out: “How awesome is this shrine!
This is nothing else but an abode of God,
and that is the gateway to heaven!”
Early the next morning Jacob took the stone
that he had put under his head,
set it up as a memorial stone, and poured oil on top of it.
He called the site Bethel,
whereas the former name of the town had been Luz.
Jacob then made this vow: “If God remains with me,
to protect me on this journey I am making
and to give me enough bread to eat and clothing to wear,
and I come back safe to my father’s house, the LORD shall be my God.
This stone that I have set up as a memorial stone shall be God’s abode.”
91:1-2, 3-4, 14-15ab
Responsorial PsalmR. (see 2b)
In you, my God, I place my trust.
You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High,
who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,
Say to the LORD, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
R. In you, my God, I place my trust.
For he will rescue you from the snare of the fowler,
from the destroying pestilence.
With his pinions he will cover you,
and under his wings you shall take refuge.
R. In you, my God, I place my trust.
Because he clings to me, I will deliver him;
I will set him on high because he acknowledges my name.
He shall call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in distress.
R. In you, my God, I place my trust.
Gospel
Mt 9:18-26
While Jesus was speaking, an official came forward,
knelt down before him, and said,
“My daughter has just died.
But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live.”
Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples.
A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him
and touched the tassel on his cloak.
She said to herself, “If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured.”
Jesus turned around and saw her, and said,
“Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.”
And from that hour the woman was cured.
When Jesus arrived at the official’s house
and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion,
he said, “Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping.”
And they ridiculed him.
When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand,
and the little girl arose.
And news of this spread throughout all that land.
Meditation: Matthew 9:18-26
“News of this spread throughout all that land.” (Matthew 9:26)
“Jesus, why do you eat with sinners and tax collectors?” “Jesus, why don’t your disciples fast like we do?” “Jesus, bring my daughter back from the dead.” “Oh, if only I touch Jesus’ cloak, I’ll be healed.”
Pharisees challenged him. John’s disciples wanted clarification. A woman wanted to be healed. A father wanted his daughter back. Mourners ridiculed him. Noise. Crowds. Questions. Commotion. How did Jesus keep his focus and his peace amidst all the chaos?
One thing is certain: He didn’t use a top-secret strategy that only he and the Father knew about. And neither did he have it easy because he was the Son of God. No, Jesus kept his peace the same way that we all can: He rested “in the shelter of the Most High” (Psalm 91:1). He made sure that he spent time with the Father. He stepped back from the pleas and pressure, put everything aside, and listened. He asked questions, sought wisdom, and made it his business to learn his Father’s thoughts and desires.
You can do this, too. You can read Scripture, asking God to show you his heart in the written word. You can ask him questions, and expect the Spirit to put answers in your mind and heart. In prayer, you can be sure to spend time sitting quietly with him. Silence all the worries, fears, and to-do lists. Set aside your prayer requests and intercessory lists for a time and just listen. Or we can settle down under the shelter of his wings and let him shield you from everything for just ten minutes, and you’ll begin to see a change.
God makes some bold promises in today’s psalm: “Whoever clings to me I will deliver; whoever knows my name I will set on high. All who call upon me I will answer… . I will deliver them and give them honor” (Psalm 91:14-15). These promises are for you. They guarantee that you can walk peacefully through the most chaotic of situations. It takes some practice, and we won’t always get it right. But the more time we spend with our Father, the more successful we will be.
“Father, I want to dwell in your shelter today. Refresh me, and help me to walk through my day in peace. Help me to stay focused on the business you have for me.”
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