Monday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Today's Mass Readings

Today's first reading from the Book of Genesis has much to do with Jacob building a shrine to God at Bethel. Bethel is a Hebrew name that literally means, "House of God." This is significant for a number of reasons. First, it points to the future Temple that would be built in Jerusalem. This Temple would be the House of God, built on a heavenly model, and recalling Creation, since the Temple was also known as a House of Rest for God. But, secondly, both the Temple, and Bethel, point to Jesus, who is the New Temple. We likewise become Temples of God through our Baptism. In today's reading from the Gospel of Matthew, we find Jesus, God entering an official's house to heal his daughter who has died. Jesus raises her from the dead. The official's house was clearly not "God's house," and yet, he allowed God to enter into his house.

This imagery of inviting God into our houses finds an important place inthe writings of the Christian mystics, especially of St. Teresa of Avila, a Doctor of the Church. She uses this imagery in her famous spiritual work, Interior Castle.

We too must invite Jesus into our homes. We need to let God into every room of our lives to help bring us the healing that we need. All of us have some spiritual illness. We all are like the official's daughter, and are in need of Jesus' healing.

Let us make our lives, our very selves, "Bethel," a house of God, and allow God to enter our lives in a radically transformative way. Perhaps we can pray about one area of our lives that we need some spiritual healing. Let's take some time today topray and ask God to enter into that part of our life and give us the gracethat we need.

- Jeff Morrow