15TH FRIDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Matthew 12:1-8) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

FIRST READING - 11:10—12:14

A reading from the Book of Exodus

Although Moses and Aaron performed various wonders

in Pharaoh's presence,

the LORD made Pharaoh obstinate,

and he would not let the children of Israel leave his land.

The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt,

"This month shall stand at the head of your calendar;

you shall reckon it the first month of the year.

Tell the whole community of Israel: On the tenth of this month

every one of your families must procure for itself a lamb,

one apiece for each household.

If a family is too small for a whole lamb,

it shall join the nearest household in procuring one

and shall share in the lamb

in proportion to the number of persons who partake of it.

The lamb must be a year-old male and without blemish.

You may take it from either the sheep or the goats.

You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month, and then,

with the whole assembly of Israel present,

it shall be slaughtered during the evening twilight.

They shall take some of its blood

and apply it to the two doorposts and the lintel

of every house in which they partake of the lamb.

That same night they shall eat its roasted flesh

with unleavened bread and bitter herbs.

It shall not be eaten raw or boiled, but roasted whole,

with its head and shanks and inner organs.

None of it must be kept beyond the next morning;

whatever is left over in the morning shall be burned up.

"This is how you are to eat it:

with your loins girt, sandals on your feet and your staff in hand,

you shall eat like those who are in flight.

It is the Passover of the LORD.

For on this same night I will go through Egypt,

striking down every first born of the land, both man and beast,

and executing judgment on all the gods of Egypt—I, the LORD!

But the blood will mark the houses where you are.

Seeing the blood, I will pass over you;

thus, when I strike the land of Egypt,

no destructive blow will come upon you.

"This day shall be a memorial feast for you,

which all your generations shall celebrate

with pilgrimage to the LORD, as a perpetual institution."

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - 12:1-8

From the Gospel according to Matthew

Jesus was going through a field of grain on the sabbath.

His disciples were hungry

and began to pick the heads of grain and eat them.

When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him,

"See, your disciples are doing what is unlawful to do on the sabbath."

He said to them, "Have you not read what David did

when he and his companions were hungry,

how he went into the house of God and ate the bread of offering,

which neither he nor his companions

but only the priests could lawfully eat?

Or have you not read in the law that on the sabbath

the priests serving in the temple violate the sabbath

and are innocent?

I say to you, something greater than the temple is here.

If you knew what this meant, I desire mercy, not sacrifice,

you would not have condemned these innocent men.

For the Son of Man is Lord of the sabbath."

15TH FRIDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Matthew 12:1-8)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

The Word of God for today teaches people two things:

• The first is about God's law and human law.

God alone gives the law, and He judges people according to His law, which is the law of love — the most perfect and beautiful law. Human laws help to perfect social order, but they still have limitations. Most importantly, it does not lead to eternal life as God's law does. Therefore, today God reminds us: Do not rely on human law to judge or condemn our brothers and sisters, for doing so goes against God's law.

• The second is about people's attitude or heart toward God the Father.

The Word of God says: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.”

God is all-powerful. He knows every thought and feeling toward Him and others in each person’s heart. He knows who is living truthfully and who is living falsely. Therefore, no one can hide anything from God the Father. He reminds us not to live a double-hearted or two-faced life, because when God the Father calls us out of this world, we must stand before His fair and just judgment. At that time, the good deeds we have done and the good words we have spoken will be revealed by the angels. At the same time, the accuser will also open the book that records every single detail of human error.

Today’s Word of God teaches us to live truthfully before God the Father and before our brothers and sisters, to live a simple, humble, self-abasement, childlike, and lowly in heart. We must live sincerely with all our hearts: with submission to God above all things and loving our neighbors as ourselves.

Out of humility, people obey God. Only through humility can we deny ourselves, die to our ego, and let go of our pride. Only with humility can we surrender to our own will and bow down to serve our brothers and sisters.

Humility means recognizing one’s own sins without focusing on the sins of others. It means never judging or condemning anyone, but seeing only God the Father reigning and recognizing that I am nothing. By living this way, people become perfect according to God's commandments: to love God above all things and to love our brothers and sisters as ourselves. Then, we will attain a perfect life with God the Father in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Thanks be to God. Amen

19:00 July 18th, 2025 - Prayer of Divine Mercy - The Way to Heaven