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The BreadCast


Daily Exposition of the Readings for Catholic Mass...

as well as Prayers to the Saints on the General Roman Calendar (for the U.S.).  

From the books Our Daily Bread and Prayers to the Saints by James H. Kurt - both with imprimatur.

Jul 10, 2023

(Gn.32:23-33;   Ps.17:1-3,6-8,15;   Mt.9:32-38)

 

“You test my heart, searching it in the night.”

 

“You have contended with divine and human beings,” the angel says of Jacob; and so he receives his new name, Israel: “he strives with God”.  Such striving with the Lord in this night which has set upon the earth is our lot in life.  May we prevail upon Him as has Jacob.

As he is about to reenter the Promised Land after fourteen years away, fearful for what awaits – particularly in the face of the potential anger of his brother Esau, whose birthright and blessing he has assumed – Jacob sets himself apart from all things and alone prepares to confront the Lord.  We are told he wrestles all the night with a “man,” for indeed as such does God appear to him through His messenger.  In contending with the Lord, Jacob remains strong and earns the blessing of his new name.  He is a worthy combatant in the struggle to know God in this life, and so, “on waking” the next morning, as he goes forth at dawn, he is “content” in God’s presence; he is prepared for any danger which lies before him.  And reconciliation with Esau he shall find.  And the father of the Israelites he has become.

How much easier it is for us to behold the face of God, to come to know Him whom our souls long to see, now that Christ has come.  And yet the struggle goes on; it is not over, but rather finds a certain intensification through clarification in the shadow of the cross.  We see in our gospel how Jesus Himself struggles.  His children are “like sheep without a shepherd,” “lying prostrate from exhaustion,” and He must become exhausted as they, as He tours their towns, constantly teaching and preaching and healing all their infirmities – and all this while being accused of doing the work of “the prince of demons” by those in the role of leaders.  The struggle Jesus undergoes is most evident in His entreaty to His disciples: “Beg the harvest master to send out laborers to gather His harvest.”  Jesus desperately needs assistance.

The Lord shall find assistance in His apostles; they, too, shall carry the cross of Christ, laying down their lives for the building up of the Church.  But all of us are indeed called under the cross; all of us are beckoned into the struggle for souls, the divine and human drama that is our lot in this world.  But first we must be tested, as will be Peter and the apostles; for we must be tried in His holy fire to be purified of any “malice” and “deceit” which clings to us, and so be prepared to enter the struggle, to labor in the fields – to meet our destiny which lies in the heart of our Lord. 

There we shall find comfort, but here the dark night is upon us as we strive with God to be made perfect in His sight.  May the dawn break upon us and we go forth at His side. 

*******

O LORD, let us labor with your Son,

striving always for union with you.

YHWH, may we all be gathered into your arms, safe from all that could harm us.  Help us to meet the test you set before us; enable us to meet with you, O mighty God.  For how shall we come face to face with you if you do not bless us, if you do not give us the strength we need.  Heal us this day of all infirmity, of all the disease that sin does bring, that waking from the dark night this world imposes, we shall be content in your presence.

You try us by fire, LORD, by holy fire that would purge us of all dross, of all sin that clings to our souls.  Remove all doubt and fear from our hearts; hear us as we call to you.  Do not leave us till we are blessed to bear your NAME.

Why should we question your goodness, LORD?  Your goodness cannot but prevail.  May we embrace the Son who walks among us, and be joined to you by His compassion.