16TH MONDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Matthew 12:38-42) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

“An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet.” (Mt 12:39)

FIRST READING - 14:5-18

A reading from the Book of Exodus

When it was reported to the king of Egypt

that the people had fled,

Pharaoh and his servants changed their minds about them.

They exclaimed, "What have we done!

Why, we have released Israel from our service!"

So Pharaoh made his chariots ready and mustered his soldiers—

six hundred first-class chariots

and all the other chariots of Egypt, with warriors on them all.

So obstinate had the LORD made Pharaoh

that he pursued the children of Israel

even while they were marching away in triumph.

The Egyptians, then, pursued them;

Pharaoh's whole army, his horses, chariots and charioteers,

caught up with them as they lay encamped by the sea,

at Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.

Pharaoh was already near when the children of Israel looked up

and saw that the Egyptians were on the march in pursuit of them.

In great fright they cried out to the LORD.

And they complained to Moses,

"Were there no burial places in Egypt

that you had to bring us out here to die in the desert?

Why did you do this to us?

Why did you bring us out of Egypt?

Did we not tell you this in Egypt, when we said,

'Leave us alone. Let us serve the Egyptians'?

Far better for us to be the slaves of the Egyptians

than to die in the desert."

But Moses answered the people,

"Fear not! Stand your ground,

and you will see the victory the LORD will win for you today.

These Egyptians whom you see today you will never see again.

The LORD himself will fight for you; you have only to keep still."

Then the LORD said to Moses, "Why are you crying out to me?

Tell the children of Israel to go forward.

And you, lift up your staff and, with hand outstretched over the sea,

split the sea in two,

that the children of Israel may pass through it on dry land.

But I will make the Egyptians so obstinate

that they will go in after them.

Then I will receive glory through Pharaoh and all his army,

his chariots and charioteers.

The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD,

when I receive glory through Pharaoh

and his chariots and charioteers."

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - 12:38-42

From the Gospel according to Matthew

Some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Jesus,

"Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you."

He said to them in reply,

"An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign,

but no sign will be given it

except the sign of Jonah the prophet.

Just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale three days and three nights,

so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth

three days and three nights.

At the judgment, the men of Nineveh will arise with this generation

and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah;

and there is something greater than Jonah here.

At the judgment the queen of the south will arise with this generation

and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth

to hear the wisdom of Solomon;

and there is something greater than Solomon here."

16TH MONDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Matthew 12:38-42)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

Today's Word of God speaks about going out to preach the Gospel, just as Jesus Himself did during His life of public ministry. Throughout His preaching, Jesus brought the Word of God the Father to everyone, teaching them about the Kingdom of Heaven, calling them to repentance, and urging them to abandon the path of sin and return to God the Father. He also performed miracles of healing and exorcism for all who believed in His name.

But in life, there are people who do not believe in Jesus Christ. They think that Jesus is power-hungry, a dreamer, just a man who dares to claim equality with God, dares to say He knows everything, and even claims to perform miracles. From those thoughts, Satan led them to question and gradually lose faith in Jesus Christ and they made demands to persecute and condemn God.

They demanded that Jesus Christ perform a miracle before their eyes before they would believe in His preaching. But God knows the thoughts and intentions of people—He knows their hardened hearts. So Jesus said: "No sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah the prophet."

From there, He foretold a miracle far greater than Jonah’s—who spent three days in the belly of a fish. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, would come to earth to become a human, die, and after three days, rise again to bring humanity eternal life and perfect happiness with God the Father.

To continue the mission of Jesus Christ, He also taught His apostles: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit.” This means professing the one and only Holy Trinity: God the Father is the Creator; God the Son, who came to earth to sacrifice Himself, die, and rise again to save humanity; and God the Holy Spirit, the Sanctifier of all things. Go and preach the Gospel, so that whoever believes will be saved and receive eternal life.

Only God alone has the power to raise people from the dead to eternal life. God calls missionaries to go forth and do so, to bring souls back to God the Father, so that those souls may have eternal life with Him — that is the one and only purpose, and the ultimate goal that humankind in this world is seeking to achieve.

Thanks be to God. Amen

19:00 July 21th, 2025 - Prayer of Divine Mercy - The Way to Heaven