The Gospel according to Matthew chapter 10

MATTHEW

 CHAPTER

 10

1. Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness.

(Matthew chapter 10 verse 1)

Instead of sending the apostles to graduate school  or university in philosophy and theology, Jesus gave his apostles all the tools that they needed in order to proclaim Your message of love and repentance and a radical change in our lifestyle based on Your Word. According to Mr Pawar the author of this chapter, on calling Your disciples You gave them the authority to help others. As Christians we are also bound by the moral obligation to be of help and service to others. Apart from helping others or empower others to seek medical help, we are in a never ending war against the forces of evil that have the capacity of even inflicting physical harm and illness and even psychological disorders on us. 

2. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon, also known as Peter; and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3. Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus; 4. Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed him.

(Matthew chapter 10 verses 2 to 4)


On reflecting You chose twelve men with different personalities and characteristics, of which some were extroverts having an outgoing personality as in the case of Peter who later on became the leader, while others such as his brother Andrew the somewhat introvert type who chose to follow under the protection of his brother. On the other hand there was James who formed part of Your inner circle who was nicknamed as being one of the 'Sons of thunder". John who was the other 'Son of thunder' is said to have a fiery temperament, while Philip is described as being a very practical and task oriented person who on being assigned the task of spreading the 'Word of God' set his heart and soul on fulfilling the task to the point of giving himself up as a martyr. On the other hand there were those such as Nathanael or Bartholomew who was rather cautious and sceptical in his first encounter with you oh Jesus. In this group of personality types we also find Thomas who did not believe that You rose from the dead before he was presented with the evidence. There also apostles such as James the less and Simon the Zealot who were sort of less popular when compared with Peter and Matthew the dishonest tax collector who although having such a shrewd character was still chosen to be an apostle.


Among the twelve apostles there are you and me who are praying on this scripture. We are the extended Church of today. As in the case of the twelve we also have the task of spreading the 'good news' of our salvation based on the 'Word of God'. As in the mentioned selection personality types everyone has a place in the body of Christ. God is welcoming new members and is still calling us even today. We are all sinners and therefore we are all in need of salvation even if we are fervent Christians, protestants, homosexuals, bishops or cardinals among others. God is God of all or none of all. Even if you are a member of a terrorist group and are not yet aware of God as your God He is still your God and is patiently waiting for You in heaven to welcome You in His arms. God is our creator, He knows human nature and is aware why some people become abusers, murderers, ninjas, thrill seekers, explorers while others become Popes, Cardinals, leaders of Protestant groups or Churches. God has all under control and loves us for whom and what we are. So if You ever feel that You are not part of the body of Christ, if you ever feel that you are an outcast refer to the twelve apostles and consider yourself as being one of the group.


5. These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans,

(Matthew chapter 10 verse 5)


According to Mr. Pawar the apostles were so obedient to You oh Jesus that they were ready to venture to foreign lands where nobody knew them, like wise we must also be ready to venture beyond our safety zones in order to proclaim the good news of God. Even today we are called and requested to obey in proclaiming the good news. As the great master mind God is aware of the great benefit that will benefited by all who receive and accept to live according to the way of life that You planned for us.


Oh Jesus in Your infinite wisdom You were aware that there would be people and nations who would not accept the apostles and their message and therefore You gave them strict instructions not to go to such places. You love us so much that You do not want us to endure unnecessary hardship in any thing we undertake especially in the proclamation of Your good news. You do not want us to take unnecessary risks.


6. but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

(Matthew chapter 10 verse 6)


Jesus seems to be telling his apostles that He wanted to give priority to Hebrews who for some reason had left Jerusalem. Oh Jesus those people who form part of Your inner circle seem to be precious to You. As Christians may we all form part of this inner circle! May we always be candidates to receive the graces of the good news. Even though Malta is a small island in the middle of nowhere You still wanted us to receive the 'good news' of the Gospel marking our salvation.


According to Mr. Pawar with whom  I totally agree We are all lost sheep in our life. At times we also go astray especially when we are determined to go our way instead of following yours. As humans we may not have any particular motive in life but You oh Jesus are always there as master of the cattle in order to keep us united as one herd under one shepherd even those sheep that are in different churches and religions that are not yet part of the Roman Catholic church..


7. As you go, proclaim the good news, 'The kingdom of heaven has come near. 8.Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. You received without payment; give without payment

(Matthew chapter 10 verse 7 to 8)


According to verses 7 to 8 it is a fact that there will always be people who are in need of help, therefore as followers of Jesus, we are bound to give a helping hand according to our abilities. Moreover as stated by Mr Devain Ajit Pawar  the author of this chapter, if we all contributed positively to the needs of others society would be a paradise.


 Moreover when sending Your apostles You did not give them a pastoral dogmatic decree or theology. We already had the ten commandments as a point of reference. What was lacking was the awareness of the need of repentance, the going against the sinful ways of the world and the beginning of a new  life, based on the love of God and our neighbours. You gave Your apostles the authority to banish Satan everywhere they went and to cure disease. Although our priests and pastors as far as I know have not been given the faculty of performing such miracles, the healing of sins as in the case of priests, gives a new boost of energy and a strong will to live that is able to cure any disease if it is according to the will of God.


9. Take no gold or silver, or copper in your belts, 10. no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for laborers deserve their food.

(Matthew chapter 10 verses 9 to 10)


Oh Jesus You wanted your apostles to travel really light on their first mission. Their primary concern was that of spreading the 'Good News' and not of filling their stomachs or making material gain from their service to the people. Jesus did not want them to make provisions for themselves, because He would be making provisions for them Himself. You told them that the labourers, deserved their food and therefore those labouring in Your fields such as missions or other projects are all catered for by Your divine providence both spiritually and even physically. In some way either directly or by means of the generosity of others You provide your labourer's with the much needed resources.


As referred to by the author of this chapter God caters for our needs and is always ready to listen to our prayers that is when our requests are not a source of harm instead of good. Therefore we are to be great full for having such a caring and loving father.


11. Whatever town or village you enter, find out who in it is worthy, and stay there until you leave. 12. As you enter the house, greet it. 13. If the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.

(Matthew chapter 10 verses 11 to 13)


Jesus instructed his apostles that on finding a person who is worthy of welcoming them and the presence of God in them, they were to dwell in that household during the time of their ministry. As a thanksgiving token they were to bless the house and all who dwell in it, however if on the contrary they were not accepted they were to move on and take back their blessings so that it would not be wasted among those who would not accept it. Oh Jesus may we all found worthy of receiving Your blessings in our dwelling places. May we always be ready to welcome You in our homes and in our hearts. May we never be denied of Your presence. During these times the evil one is causing divisions in our families by creating barriers between husbands and wives and even children to parents. We are living in a state of chaos because we are not accepting You as a member of our family. We are even changing the original model of a family that consisted of one man for one woman to a model consisting of two men or two women! Please oh Jesus Son of God do not hold this great sin against us for we know not what we are doing! Forgive us as You forgave us at the time of Your passion for we are greatly sinning by implementing laws such as divorce that all go against Your will. Please have mercy and forgiveness even though we do not deserve it as sinners, but only as Your loving children.


14. If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town. 15. Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgement than for that town.

(Matthew chapter 10 verses 14 to 15)


Oh Jesus time is so precious! It is best to invest time in the spreading of Your Word to holding petty arguments in relation to social issues or dilemmas that often have no possibility of a solution. When giving the apostles these instructions You told them to avoid arguments with those who did not welcome Your 'Good News' and simply to move away permitting such people to fall under Your judgement instead of ours. You love us so much that You do not want our souls to be stimulated to a state of confusion or emotional involvement which in turn leads to to commit one sin after another. In our relations with others You wish us to show respect to others and not be harsh and irritable.


16. "See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.

(Matthew chapter 10 verse 16)


During our times oh Jesus we are still surrounded by serpents, people who are ready to twist the truth in order to try and persuade others that You and Your Word are not the truth, are old fashioned during these sinful times. There are those who are making use of social medias on line and even offline in order to spread negative messages that go directly against Your will and values. Give me the Spirit of Truth oh Jesus so that in such circumstances my testimony about You will be true and valid. Please help me not to get involved in petty arguments but testify with both words and moreover by means of positive actions. As Christians we are at risk and exposed to hazards concerning both the body and the soul. Even today our brothers and sisters are being beheaded and thrown into open sea left to die because they believe in You oh Jesus.


17. Beware of them, for they will hand you over to councils and flog you in their synagogues; 18. and you will be dragged before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them and the Gentiles. 19. When they hand you over, do not worry about how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you at that time; 20.  for it is not you who speak; but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

(Matthew chapter 10 verses 17 to 20)


According to Mr.Pawar during the times of Jesus superstition and corrupt practises were applied and whoever opposed this corrupt system would be strictly punished. Jesus was fully aware of this situation and of the persecutions that they would experience when proclaiming His Word, however oh Jesus You always encourage us and empower us by reassuring us that You will speak up for us and therefore we are not to be troubled or over concerned when enduring such situations.

With reference to persecution during our times please click on the following link:_

The experience of persecution


21. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; 22. and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

(Matthew chapter 10 verses 21 to 22)


We are living in world where sin has taken over our brains so much that we are living in a typical state of nature, where our egoistic self is getting the better of us. During situations where we are asked to make important decisions our focus is becoming simply on ourselves or according to what we feel more than what is right according to Your Word.


This has been reflected by the introduction of atrocious laws such as that of abortion and other laws such as divorce in Malta and recently that of spring hunting. We are approving death over life, so much that we are approving and supporting a legal framework that encourages and approves of such sinful acts. As You said anybody who stands up in favour of Your Word by proclaiming Your good news verbally or even on line is subject to ridicule and opposition. Oh Jesus I pray that you give me and others to continue and never be dissuaded by the negative power of those who do not approve of You and Your values.


23. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly I tell you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

(Matthew chapter 10 verse 23)


Oh Jesus today many Christians are being forced to flee from their hometown and nation in persecution. Many have already accepted to be beheaded instead of rejecting their faith in You. In a spirit of solidarity with our brothers and sisters whose life and death are a living testimony of what it means to be a true and totally convinced Christian I offer this prayer for their souls. I invite you to join in the following prayer by clicking on the following link:-

Prayer for 21 Coptic Christian Martyrs

Coptic Priest offers prayers for victims and even the killers


24. "A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; 25. it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household!

(Matthew chapter 10 verses 24 to 25)


Oh Jesus You set us a good example by which to follow in your ways and be like You. As in the case of the mentioned 21 Coptic Christian martyrs and many more to come, we are to forsake our lives and not renounce our faith even at the point of death. As You said if You were called slanderous names and You forgave such people, we are also not to retaliate but pray for such people who trespass against us. During such an early stage of the formation of Your Church, you already envisaged persecution for those who believe, live and proclaim Your word. Therefore all is Your control. You know what is going on and when it is Your will You are able to bring these negative events to an end. You are our the whole truth and are the only person who is able to inflict justice on this situation that seems to be far away but can without warning be close to home. I pray oh Jesus that like the martyrs mentioned we are found ready to face such persecution for Your name.


26. "So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known.

(Matthew chapter 10 verse 26)


By means of the Holy Spirit the apostles would be given knowledge beyond knowledge that would outsmart and be able to silence that of their oppressors, therefore the apostles had no reason to fear the opposition. When in a tight corner, especially when speaking in the name of the truth and are confronted or opposed by non-believers, refer to the Holy Spirit of God instead of solely on logic and the Holy Spirit of God will enlighten you with the much needed details in your testimony.


27. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered proclaim from the housetops. 28. Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

(Matthew chapter 10 verses 27 to 28)


According to Mr. Pawar the author of this chapter during these times we are more afraid of natural and  materialistic things than they are of those evil elements that can harm more the soul than the body. Today we are not realising that our real enemy is the Devil and not material sources such as illness and suffering, or capitalism.The sinful world that we live us causes us to worry about the future and installs in us a spirit of depression and fatality with the consequences that our focus shifts from God on to ourselves. The devil makes our world and our crisis appear more desperate and our lives more meaningless to the point of persuading us not to live this world and attempt suicide so that he can take our souls and deprive us of the chance of becoming aware of the love of God and turn to Him in a spirit of love, hope and repentance. When we give up to the snares of the devil our lives become more difficult and meaningless more than they were before because our hope is to be found only in You oh Jesus because it is only in You that our soul can ever experience true love peace and tranquillity.


29. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your father. 30. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. 31. So do not be afraid; you are more of value than many sparrows.

(Matthew chapter 10 verses 29 to 31)


According to the author of this chapter with whom I totally agree Jesus is assuring us that we are worth more than sparrows even though we might be people of low self-esteem, however as sons and daughters of God our esteem in His eyes is abundant, so much that even if we give up on ourselves and on life, You oh God will never give up on us.


32. "Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; 33 but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.

(Matthew chapter 10 verses 32 to 33)


When we accept You are as our God and Saviour, we are committing ourselves to You. On the other hand You are committing Yourself to our salvation, however if we profess that we deny You publicly or even in private we are like a soldier who is sent to battle without a sword or a shield are subject to be destroyed by the enemy, the evil one for in doing so we have denied the protection of the most high God and decided to wage ware according to our own sinful ways and devices.


34. "Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36. and one's foes will be members of one's own household.

(Matthew chapter 10 verses 34 to 36)


Oh Jesus I understand what you meant by divisions among us. This is due to the fact that among families, there are those who believe in You and there are others who simply have decided not to accept You as their God both by their words and more by their actions. Therefore this creates stress on the family system and indeed divisions may be created.


37. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38. and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.

(Matthew chapter 10 verses 37 to 39)


Oh Jesus there is nobody but You who can ever love me as much as You do. Not even my mother who in the flesh gave me life. Life would have no meaning if I ever lost your presence and love in my life. Indeed it would not be worth living. Please help me oh Jesus to carry my cross as You did. Please help me to deny my sinful self, by placing other people's needs before that of my own in total humility. This is something I have tried, however my sinful nature at times rebels and gets the better of me. I pray for help in this area of my life.


40. 'Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.

(Matthew chapter 10 verse 40)


On reflecting I can say the same thing. I share these reflections on line that God gives me in a spirit of prayer. Nobody is forced to receive them. Anybody who does not wish to receive these posts can either unsubscribe or send me an email. God does not force Himself on us and neither do I. However those who refuse to accept the Word of God (not my posts ok!) are refusing Him and those who really accept You oh God know whom they are loving and welcoming. Nothing but pure love in its purest form. I Thank You God for loving me so much that You prompted me to share these insights and prayers with others.


41. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; 42 and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple-truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward."

(Matthew chapter 10 verses 41 to 42)


Oh Jesus, may we never expect a reward from each other for what we do in our daily interactions among each other. However I prefer to receive the reward from You my Father. Among ourselves today we thank each other and tomorrow we argue and may even hate each other. Our thanksgiving is like the wind that is always on the go and unreliable! However Your thanksgiving is true and worthy of praise.



I would like to end this chapter by thanking You for all the support that You have been giving me throughout all these years of my life both online and offline. Thanks for giving me Your Word and the strength to reflect on Your Word even though at times I am tired especially in the mornings. Thanks for all the insights that You share with me. I would also like to thank You for all the people on G+ Facebook and even Twitter who are receiving these posts. They are gifts to me. I thanks both You and them for accepting You, Your Word and even the posts that I share online. Please excuse me all if I ever hurt anybody unintentionally by anything that is included in these posts.

Thank You Jesus

The Gospel according to Matthew Chapter 9

MATTHEW 

CHAPTER 

9

1. And after getting into a boat he crossed the sea and came to his own town.

(Matthew chapter 9 verse 1)

Oh Jesus you are so humble! Although You love us so much You do not force yourself upon us. You give us the opportunity either to believe in You or to choose the ways of the world. Instead of showing resistance or trying to use some form of persuasion You humbly obeyed the request of the people of Gadarene and went back to Your boat and headed for home. I pray oh God that You spare me from the moment of ever closing the doors of my heart to You in rejection. These people and others like them surely are not aware of whom they are rejecting. Even today many are choosing the ways of darkness instead of the ways of light. I pray for such people so that one day Your light will penetrate the darkness of their life and they will make an in depth experience of You and Your love to them as much and more than I have personally experienced to this very day.



2. And just then some people were carrying a paralyzed man lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven."

(Matthew chapter 9 verse 2)


Jesus you always amaze me! Your ways are so different from my ways. On seeing the paralytic You did not command the illness to leave, but You referred to the forgiveness of the persons sins. It is as if sickness is directly related to sin. However You are aware, that sin is far greater of a harm than physical illness. Moreover purity and sin do not mingle together. In order to physically heal us, Jesus needs to give us spiritual healing. This explains at times why we do not heal from long term illness. The problem is not with God but with us. If we decide to remain in our sinful ways, we can never receive Your healing, because our sins block the healing power of Jesus. In light of verse 2 from the ninth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew I invite you to click on the following link:-


Relation of sin to illness



3. Then some of the scribes said to themselves, "This man is blaspheming."4. But Jesus perceiving their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5. For which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven, 'or to say, 'Stand up and walk'?.6 But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"-he then said to the paralytic-"Stand up, take your bed and go to your home,".7 And he stood up and went to his home.


(Matthew chapter 9 verses 3 to 7)


Our world has become a one of contrasts, belief versus unbelief. As in the case of the scribes at times we also do not understand Your ways, forgiveness and healing powers. We try to find a reason in order to make sense of situations but we do not always find an answer because our human intellect is limited. Therefore we end up raising questions and judge both You and Your Holy Word. Instead of letting You and Your Word judge us. However in order to protect us from losing our faith You still perform miracles in our lives in order to prove to us that You are the first and all the causes of our lives and that all is under your control.


In order to view the scenario that Jesus found himself in please click on the following link.


Jesus heals paralytic



8. When the crowds saw it, they were filled with awe, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to human beings.

(Matthew chapter 9 verse 8)


We can also be filled with awe my Jesus by seeing you simply as a healer or a magician, however when viewing You in this distorted way we see You only as a means to satisfy our ends, and not as a loving father as in truth You really are. Although they glorified You, oh Jesus they only saw You as a human being and not as the Son of God..


9. As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth; and he said to him, "Follow me." And he got up and followed him.

(Matthew chapter 9 verse 9)


On reflecting we all can go back and remember that precious peak moment in our lives when You oh Jesus made a strong impact on our lives by attracting our attention so that our hearts may be drawn to You. Oh Jesus You have a particular way that You apply differently with each and every one of us. I would like to share my own experience of one of the peak moments of my life that were so strong that it changed my life forever. I do not mean that I am not a sinner any more, but that my relationship with You oh Jesus became more personal and intimate. Oh Jesus You call us every day, however as in the case of the drug addict who starts experimenting with hard drugs and who never forgets the first time he or she induced the drug the same applies to that sacred moment when You manifest Yourself to us.


When I was in my youth I had been brought up on sound Christian values, I was taught how to pray, and was also given ample knowledge of who You were oh Jesus, however this was never enough to satisfy my thoughts. I wanted more. When I was 17 and a half I joined a  group of people who also wished to know You better. During the first week I was taught about Abraham. When I went home that evening I kept on thinking about this person and how nice it would had been to have a strong relationship with You. During the night I felt a strong breeze in the room however I did not have a fan switched on. I had a vision of the sacred heart of Jesus on my left side and the sacred heart of Your mother Mary on my right. I heard a strong authoritative voice commanding me to leave all I had in order to follow Him.


On waking up I felt that You wanted me to join the priesthood or religious life. I felt my heart was going to burst in two. The dream was a trauma that left its mark to this very day. I spent two years in a convent and was about to start my novitiate as an Augustinian Friar. However You did not want me to give my life to You according to this way of life. During that same week that I had to submit my application I had an accident and ended up with a concussion that left me semi conscious in a dark room. The bump on the head or the whole circumstances made me aware that although I had left my family and my belongings I had become richer than I was before. I was far better than I was at home. On having opened my bible and meditated on the issue you showed me that this was not what You meant when You told me to leave all I had so I decided to leave the convent. On leaving the convent I was still wondering what Your call could have meant. On seeking the counsel of a friar in the convent I made contact with a community of brothers of Mother Theresa in Noto Sicily and planned to spend a month there in order to see if You wanted me to live a life of poverty in this community. You were with me all the time.


On arriving at Sicily the person who was to meet me never appeared at the meeting place. To make matters worse my Italian was terrible so I had a problem in communicating with the locals. I did not know where I actually was and where I was to go. I lifted up my eyes to You my God and prayed for Your help. I decided on praying that if I did not find the way till 12.00 am I would find my way back to the ferry and get the first ship for Malta. In the vicinity there was a vegetable vendor and in broken Italian I asked the customers if they knew where the convent of the brothers of Mother Theresa in Noto was but nobody answered me, (Probably nobody understood me). To make a long story short as I walked away with a heavy heart and luggage case I heard footsteps following me and a couple offered to take me to the convent. In good faith I accepted the invitation and about an hour and a half of travelling we arrived at the convent. After having spent a month in Sicily the vocation promoter told me that I was not strong enough to endure the harsh conditions that the brothers experienced. With a heavy heart I headed back for Malta.


 On praying You showed me that the married life was a possible option. I told God that I would only marry a woman who would lead me to him. He found me a woman who took her spiritual life seriously and we got married. Today I realize that my call is to leave my past that had scarred me so much and start a new life walking in the ways of God. This blog is the fruit of that call. My new call is that of sharing my prayers online and spreading the Word of God. The other part of my call is that of being a good husband and father to my seven year old daughter and being an instrument in God's hands to whom I pledge full obedience love and respect.



10. And as he sat at dinner in the house, many tax collectors and sinners came and were sitting with him and his disciples.

(Matthew chapter 9 verse 10)


Oh Jesus what a lesson You give us. You do not wait for us sinners to come to You. On the contrary You come to us in order to save us. If we want to catch fish we go to the areas where there is a high possibility of catching fish. Thanks Jesus for humbling yourself and venturing into areas that may have been considered as negative by others in order to save us. I pray that You give me the strength and courage to work with people of different walks of life in order to be of service to others.



11. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"

(Matthew chapter 9 verse 11)


At times we do good acts to others as in Your case oh Jesus, however we are misunderstood. We might help others who may have a strong bias on their heads such as illegal immigrants, or people having a negative reputation, and because of our help we may be judged by others and spoken negatively of. However You never stopped doing good acts and was never discouraged by the opposition made by others and neither should we.


12. But when he heard this, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13. Go and learn what this means, I desire mercy, not sacrifice. ' For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners."

(Matthew chapter 9 verses 12 to 13)


As a sinner oh Jesus I am greatly in need of You. Throughout my life as a physician You have cured me of 'Irritable Bowel Syndrome' a condition that is considered as being non curable, as a counselor or psychologist you are still treating me in order to help me fully recover from all my past hurts from people who have and at times are still hurting me. You are every thing to me. This is why I love You so much because I have received alot from You and You are still loving and caring for me.


14. Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?"

(Matthew chapter 9 verse 14)


The difference between the God that the Pharisees and the disciples of John worshiped was the God of the old Testament, however the disciples of Jesus were in the presence of the Son of God who came to update the teachings and commandments of the Old Testament. At times as humans we tend to get stuck in our past, and even though we are exposed to something new, we still cannot accept the current times, because we may still be living in the past. Oh Jesus, there was a time when my hurts were so strong that they blocked me in experiencing You as a loving Father. Thanks for healing me of these hurts and offering me a better future as your loving son.


15. And Jesus said to them, "The wedding guests cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.

(Matthew chapter 9 verse 15)


This verse explains why we fast only during the time of Easter, because during this time, we re-enact or celebrate the most important time of our Christian life, that is the binding stone of our faith, the death and resurrection of You oh Jesus! During the beginning of your ministry You are already referring to Your death. During our every life while we are still alive we are always to keep in mind that our home is not on earth but in heaven.



16. No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloth, for the patch pulls away from the cloak and a worse tear is made. 17. Neither is new wine put into old wine skins, otherwise, the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the wine is destroyed; but new wine is put into fresh wineskins and so both are preserved."

(Matthew chapter 9 verses 16 to 17)


Oh Jesus indeed You are the 'New Wine' and therefore one cannot stop and judge You or considered you only as being the God as portrayed in the 'Old Testament', although even during these times You were loving kind and merciful with Your people and also with us. However You came in order to update the teachings of the Old Testament and make the wine and the skins more refined and of better taste. Therefore the two 'Testaments' are to be viewed in their own individual contexts and are not to be used to contradict each other because as in the case of fruit, they are more appreciated during their harvesting season, however, Your fruit oh Jesus remains forever. Your Word both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament are valid for all times, because the Holy Spirit enlightens my mind and that of others in order to unfold the message of the text which is then applied in my life and then shared with others as in the case of this blog and the ministry of the Church who preaches Your Word till the farthest regions of the earth, so that nobody can say that he or she has never heard of Your name.



18. While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader of the synagogue came in and knelt before him, saying. "My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live."

(Matthew chapter 9 verse 18)



Oh how beautiful are the people who believe in you oh Jesus. In humility they come before You and in faith they lay their prayers before you. In good faith the leader of the synagogue believed in Your healing power and even risked being thrown out of the synagogue administration in order to receive Your healing. On reflecting we can ask our selves if we are ready to take risks for You oh Father.


19. And Jesus got up and followed him with his disciples. 20. Then suddenly a woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his cloak, 21. for she said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be made well." 22. Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, "Take heart, daughter, your faith has made you well." And instantly the woman was made well.

(Matthew chapter 9 verses 19 to 22)


This is a situation oh Jesus that as humans we call a dilemma. On the one hand you have the priority of going to the house of the leader of the synagogue however, on the other hand comes this woman who had been suffering from hemorrhages for twelve years and who had the courage to approach you and in faith touch the helm of your cloak. You acted on the here and now and chose the lady over the so called dead daughter who in her situation could wait for You the giver of life. This is a perfect lesson in decision making oh Jesus. Help me to always turn to You when making my decisions You are the perfect model.


23. When Jesus came to the leader's house and saw the flute players and the crowd making a commotion, 24. he said, "Go away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping." And they laughed at him. 25. But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl got up. 26. And the report of this spread throughout that district.

(Matthew chapter 9 verses 23 to 26)


Oh Jesus how gentle and calm You are. You do not like commotion and disorder. Where there is Your presence there is no room for chaos and disorder. You make fun of the ways of the world especially death, because You have power over it and it is powerless against You. Thanks oh Jesus for being as You are, may I always refer to You in both the good times and the not so good times, for You are my only healer. In relation to my Irritable bowel Syndrome the world did not prove successful but You did and You healed me.


27. As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, crying loudly, "Have mercy on us, Son of David! 28. When he entered the house, the blind men came to him; and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to him, "Yes, Lord" 29. Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith let it be done to you." 30. And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus sternly ordered them, "See that no one knows of this." 31. But they went away and spread the news about him throughout that district.

(Matthew chapter 9 verses 27 to 31)


On reflecting on Jesus I wonder whether the blind men where spiritually or physically blind. It seems that even You viewed them with an attitude of suspicion for You did not respond immediately to their request for healing. Another thing that makes me doubt their sincerity is the fact that You told them that their faith healed them. It is as in the case of the woman who had touched Your cloak. The healing power was sort of stolen of You in the sense that You did not give it freely. Oh Jesus may I never be misguided and interpret the dark as being light.


32. After they had gone away a demoniac who was mute was brought to him. 33. And when the demon had been cast out, the one who had been mute spoke; and the crowds were amazed and said. "Never has anything like this been seen in Israel." 34. But the Pharisees said, "By the ruler of the demons he casts out the demons."

(Matthew chapter 9 verses 32 to 34)


According to human logic, the Pharisees statement is correct and valid, however Your logic oh Jesus Son of God the Most High is totally different from human logic. It seems that when You started your public ministry all hell broke loose. Many people started harassing You from all angles with their issues. However You always catered for the genuine sinners and did not even deny Your healing powers to people such as the two blind men who one being healed did You more harm than good. Thanks oh Jesus for being so kind and generous to us sinners.


35. Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom; and curing every disease and every sickness.

(Matthew chapter 9 verse 35)


Oh Jesus even to this very day You are still in the process of visiting persons, villages, countries and even nations. Anybody who is open to Your healing grace will receive Your healing. I pray oh Jesus that nobody will harden their hearts in Your presence and miss out on this great and healing opportunity. I pray that You will never stop giving us Your healing grace. In a spirit of prayer I invite you to join me in this prayer that is for me and for you who happen to be meditating on the Word of God. Please click on the following link:-

God's healing grace


36.When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38. therefore ask the LORD of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest

(Matthew chapter 9 verse 36 to 38)


Oh Jesus thanks for having compassion for us humans. This is exactly our condition harassed by the evil one from all sides, however we have You and Your Church to guide us along the crooked pathways of life. Thanks for being our shepherd.

 I pray in name of all Roman Catholics and even Christians of all churches to keep on sending shepherds that help us in keeping on track according to Your ways. I invite you to join me in the following prayer for vocations;-


Prayer for vocations


As Christians we all have a role to fulfill. On hearing the word 'Vocation' we may associate it with becoming a Priest, Friar or living in a community. However the connotations are much wider than we may possibly think. Wherever we may go, in what environment You oh God may be sending us, we have the opportunity of spreading Your Word and being fishers of people who on following our way of life based on Your Word and the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and even the teachings of other Churches may make a U turn in one's life and experience Your love in their lives. We are all given the role of missionaries with the God given task of helping but not convincing others to change their ways. Although we may use many nice words and cite scriptures from both the New and Old Testaments the best way to transmit our faiths is to live according to what we believe so that others will see Jesus in us in a more concrete and credible way. Our way of life based on the Word of God and on the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church is enough to set a good example even if we do not utter one word. The saying actions speak louder than words is very meaningful but Jesus told us that if we remained silent the stones could be given voices to spread Your Word. I pray oh Jesus that You keep on giving me insights to share in a spirit of prayer so that Your word will continue spreading throughout the World. Amen



I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer.


Oh God we are living hard times. The enemy is attacking from all sides both inside Your Church and outside. Non believers are launching one attack after another. Christians are being beheaded for whom they believe. Cancer and other fatal conditions are on the increase. We are living a culture that is pro death instead of pro life. Please may Your light shine brighter so that it can penetrate more the darkness of our heart. Please send more vocations because if not our spiritual lives are at stake. Life without You is meaningless oh God. I would have no reason to live if You no longer had a place in my life. Thanks for being my God and my Father.