Daily Reflection, July 7, 2026

Reflection:

So we begin to hear from the prophet Hosea, a man of great passion and great love.

A major influence on Hosea and his preaching was the tragedy in his own marriage with Gomer whose wandering eye led her to become unfaithful and an adulterous wife. Hosea’s painful life led him to speak about the relationship of faithless Israel. But Hosea, though deeply affected by her infidelity, could not walk away from his love for Gomer and the relationship of his marriage. Instead, her behaviour and his love for her that he could not reject, became the theme running through all his preaching to the unfaithful Israel. Hosea’s obsession became the start of a long tradition of prophecy to liken the people’s relationship to their God with the strength and the pain of marriage. Even In the New Testament Paul, in his own preaching, uses the image of marriage as another strong way to describe our often frail relationship with our faithful partner, God.  

The Gospel leads us to Jesus as he starts his healing ministry. We see the beginning of opposition to his words of challenge and hope.  In this very busy chapter of his gospel Matthew has Jesus heal a paralysed man. On the way through he invites Matthew to leave his tax collector’s seat and go with him. He heals an official’s daughter followed by setting free a woman with a longstanding bleed. Two blind men and a man who was not able to speak rounds out his healing sweep through the countryside. He then reminds his disciples and us that they are needed to notice and act to continue his healing among in face of needs swirling all round them and calling out for a response of care.

Fr. Kevin Dance CP lives at St.Brigid’s Retreat, Marrickville. He is very actively involved in ministries locally and at Passionist International, where he served as the Executive Director for many years.