Daily Mass Reflection – Saturday, July 19th, 2025
Readings: Exodus 12:37–42 | Psalm 136 | Matthew 12:14–21
In today’s first reading from (Exodus 12:37–42), we hear how the Israelites set out from Rameses to Succoth on the night of their deliverance. After centuries of bondage, God led them out of Egypt. The Scripture says, “It was a night of vigil for the Lord as he led them out of the land of Egypt; so on this same night all the Israelites must keep a vigil for the Lord throughout their generations” (Exodus 12:42). God’s faithfulness to His people did not end with a miracle alone, it established a lasting memory, a call to remembrance and gratitude across all generations.
This theme of enduring mercy is echoed powerfully in the Responsorial Psalm:
“His mercy endures forever” (Psalm 136).
This refrain becomes the heartbeat of today’s message. No matter how broken or distant humanity becomes, God remains merciful and steadfast. Each verse of the psalm recalls a divine act, creation, liberation, protection, and provision, and with each, the people respond, “His mercy endures forever.”
The Gospel from (Matthew 12:14–21) turns our focus to Jesus, who now faces rejection and danger. The Gospel tells us, “The Pharisees went out and took counsel against Jesus to put him to death” (Matthew 12:14). In the face of this growing threat, Jesus does not retaliate or confront. Instead, he quietly withdraws.
And yet, his retreat is not defeat. It is an invitation.
“Many people followed him, and he cured them all, but he warned them not to make him known” (Matthew 12:15–16). This quiet strength is the fulfillment of prophecy.
Matthew writes,
“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” (Matthew 12:18).
“He will not contend or cry out, nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory” (Matthew 12:19–20).
“And in his name the Gentiles will hope” (Matthew 12:21).
This is the heart of today’s Gospel. Jesus brings justice, not by domination, but by mercy. His way does not crush the broken or extinguish the faint-hearted. Instead, he heals, lifts, and restores. Those rejected by society, the sick, the foreign, the outcast, find in him their dignity and hope.
By the way, we may ask but who are the Pharisees of our day? Those who resist the truth, suppress justice, and cling to power at the expense of compassion?
And who are the bruised reeds and smoldering wicks around us, the lonely, the poor, the voiceless, waiting for someone to see them, to lift them, to show mercy?
Dear Lord, may we not be among those who resist your truth or turn away from justice. Make us instead part of the quiet crowd that follows you, the ones who seek healing, the ones who serve in silence and love. May we become instruments of your mercy, and may your mercy, which endures forever, shine through us.
God bless you 🙏
Amen.
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