Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today's Mass Readings

In Today’s first reading the prophet Hosea says to the people of Israel, “Your piety is like a morning cloud, like the dew that early passes away” (Hosea 6:4). Israel always played hot and cold with God. Hosea’s prophecy in today’s readings comes in the background of a certain political and moral degradation of Israel as a nation. Israel enjoyed political and economic prosperity under Jeroboam II. But as Assyria, the neighboring kingdom grew in strength, moral degradation began to set in. In general people flagrantly violated their Covenant with Yahweh. If we read Hosea 6: 5-6 we realize that, according to Hosea, Israel’s decimation as a nation in 727 BC was interpreted to be the result of their violation of the Covenant with Yahweh.

It would wrong for me to suggest that our infidelities will mean our destruction in the same way that Israel was destroyed. This is hardly the sense we get from the gospel reading where Jesus says to the Pharisees, "I did not come to call the righteous but sinners" (Mt 9:13).

However, in our own personal life the challenge is not to allow Hosea to say to us what he said to the people of Israel, “Your piety is like a morning cloud, like the dew that early passes away” (Hosea 6:4). We are being called to steadfastness today knowing that God comes to call sinners. We are being challenged to mature faith like Abraham knowing that God loves mercy. We are being challenged to be open to the call of God like Matthew was in today's gospel reading (Mt 9:10). We are being called to love and accept people like Jesus knowing that others have imperfections.

"I desire mercy, not sacrifice" (Mt 9:13). Let us try to reflect the meaning of these words.