Fear Faith and Freedom

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge our concepts of fear and proclaim our faith is the path to freedom from beast-like behaviour.

Walk with Faith in Freedom

The Reading from the Prophet Hosea introduces an oracle of doom that surprisingly leads to hope.

* [2:18–19] Baal: the word means “lord, master.” It was commonly used by women of their husbands, but it is to be shunned as a title for the Lord because of its association with the fertility gods, the Baals. Many Israelites saw little if any difference between the worship of the Lord and the worship of the Baals, thereby dishonoring the true source of the land’s fertility. (Hosea, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 145 declares the “works of God” make God present and invite human praise

* [Psalm 145] A hymn in acrostic form; every verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Acrostic poems usually do not develop ideas but consist rather of loosely connected statements. The singer invites all to praise God (Ps 145:1–3, 21). The “works of God” make God present and invite human praise (Ps 145:4–7); they climax in a confession (Ps 145:8–9). God’s mighty acts show forth divine kingship (Ps 145:10–20), a major theme in the literature of early Judaism and in Christianity. (Psalms, PSALM 145 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus declares as saved a woman suffering hemorrhages and the Daughter of a Synagogue leader is healed.

* [9:18–34] In this third group of miracles, the first (Mt 9:18–26) is clearly dependent on Mark (Mk 5:21–43). Though it tells of two miracles, the cure of the woman had already been included within the story of the raising of the official’s daughter, so that the two were probably regarded as a single unit. The other miracles seem to have been derived from Mark and Q, respectively, though there Matthew’s own editing is much more evident.

* [9:18] Official: literally, “ruler.” Mark calls him “one of the synagogue officials” (Mk 5:22). My daughter has just died: Matthew heightens the Marcan “my daughter is at the point of death” (Mk 5:23).

* [9:20] Tassel: possibly “fringe.” The Mosaic law prescribed that tassels be worn on the corners of one’s garment as a reminder to keep the commandments (see Nm 15:37–39; Dt 22:12).

* [9:24] Sleeping: sleep is a biblical metaphor for death (see Ps 87:6 LXX; Dn 12:2; 1 Thes 5:10). Jesus’ statement is not a denial of the child’s real death, but an assurance that she will be roused from her sleep of death. (Matthew, CHAPTER 9 | USCCB, n.d.)

Kimberly Grassmeyer comments that people of privilege, like an “Official”, can influence or buy positive outcomes.  We might wonder: Why did Jesus help “that guy”, when so many other children die?  Why was he more deserving? 

On deeper reflection, what became more meaningful to me was the reading’s illustration that the power and love of our God is always available, and available  to all of us.  “Ask and it shall be given.”  The more powerful Official asked for help, and witnessed a miracle.  The less powerful woman shyly acted in hope of a cure, and a cure was provided.  Who can say which of the two was more deserving?  Which of the two had greater faith?  The good news for all of us is that God’s love is abundant and unending: power, status, or any other socially constructed identifier doesn’t matter after all.  We all have equal access.  Ask.  It shall be given.  Amen.  (Grassmeyer, 2026)

Don Schwager quotes “Daughter, your faith has made you well,” by John Chrysostom (347-407 AD)

"So what did Messiah do? He did not let her go unnoticed but led her into the center of attention and made her visible. He had many reasons for doing this. Some might imagine that 'he did this merely for love of glory - otherwise why would he not allow her to remain concealed?' But what are they proposing who might say this? That he should keep her silent, that he should ignore her need, and thereby pass up miracles too numerous to mention, all because he is in love with glory? What an unholy thought, inspired by the most unholy one of all."

"What then is his intention in bringing her forward? First, Jesus puts an end to her fear. He does not want her to remain trapped in dread. He gives no cause for her conscience to be harmed, as if she had stolen the gift. Second, he corrects her assumption that she has no right to be seen. Third, he makes her faith an exhibit to all. He encourages the others to emulate her faith. Fourth, his subduing the fountains of her hemorrhage was another sign of his knowledge of all things. And finally, do you remember the ruler of the synagogue? He was at the point of despair, of utter ruin. Jesus is indirectly admonishing him by what he says to the woman." (excerpt from the THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 31.2) (Schwager, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that Hosea married Gomer, an unfaithful wife who he forgave even as she kept turning away. Hosea presents this as a lesson to Israel continuing to return to false gods. Hosea proclaims Israel has been following her “baal”. Hosea will allure her, Gomer, as God will Israel into the desert to initiate a second opportunity to be espoused again. God wants the sinner to turn and return to His grace. By choosing sin we become cheap and beast-like. There are two healings in Matthew’s Gospel today. Touching the cloak of Jesus as an unclean person, was in opposition to Jewish culture that would have made Jesus unclean too. She touched and her faith has saved her, indicating Spirit and body were healed in an expression of faith. The mourners have begun to mark the death of the daughter of the Synagogue official and Jesus declares her sleeping and brings her back to life. Friar Jude notes there are two healings, smaller and larger. The daughter is not resurrected to eternal life, but reanimated because one day in the future she will die.

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 9:18-26 comments that each of us faces struggles or fears that can drown out the truths of faith. The noise of our doubts, the lies of the evil one, and maybe even the words of other people can confuse us about Jesus’ love and presence with us in our struggles. They can shake our faith and provoke panic in our hearts.

At moments like that, imagine Jesus beside you. Bring your swirling thoughts to him. Imagine him telling your doubts and fears to go away as he marches them to the door. Stay with Jesus. It can take time for these voices to calm down and the turmoil to dispel. Believe that he is with you and that he knows what he’s going to do. Trust in him no matter how long it takes. Let him remind you that you are his, and he will never leave you. He is your Lord; you can surrender every part of your life to him. Peace really is possible as you persist in bringing your “commotion” to Jesus and letting him deal with it.

Not only is Jesus with you, but he lives in you. So turn to him in the uproar, and let the peace and quiet of his presence strengthen your faith.

“Jesus, you are faithful. I fix my eyes on you as you take me by the hand.” (Meditation on Matthew 9:18-26, n.d.)

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, explores the first beatitude as a call to interior freedom, a key to participating in the kingdom of God. Christian Scripture scholars point out that the Greek word usually used for the peasant class is “tapeinoi”, but that is not the word Matthew and Luke use here. They use the word “ptochoi”, which literally means “the very empty ones, those who are crouching.” They are the beggars, the nobodies of this world who have nothing left. Jesus is saying, “Happy are you, you’re the freest of them all.”

The higher up we are in the system, the more trapped we are. The more we are outside the system, the freer we are. When we are high up in anything, we are expected to represent it, hold it together, and affirm it. The price of the truth can be very great, so we say what is needed to survive and to be liked inside the group, and to hold the group in unity.

“How blessed are the poor in spirit” (Matthew 5:3), the ones who don’t have to play any of these games. Jesus is recommending a social reordering here, quite different from common practice. Notice how he also uses present tense: “The kingdom of God is theirs” (Matthew 5:3). He doesn’t say “will be theirs.” That tells us that the kingdom of God isn’t later. It’s present tense: We are the free ones now, if we remain without anything to protect or anything we need to prove or defend. (Rohr, n.d.)

As we contemplate the interaction of fear with our faith and freedom we implore the Spirit to guide our action as we live out our Baptismal anointing as priest, prophet, and leader.

References

Grassmeyer, K. (2026, July 6). Daily Reflection July 6, 2026 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved July 6, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-july-6-2026 

Hosea, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 6, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/hosea/2? 

Matthew, CHAPTER 9 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved July 6, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/9?18 

Meditation on Matthew 9:18-26. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved July 6, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/07/06/1609483/ 

Psalms, PSALM 145 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 6, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/145? 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). How Do We Become Poor in Spirit? Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved July 6, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/how-do-we-become-poor-in-spirit/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Take Heart, Your Faith Has Made You Well. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved July 6, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Life Love and Law

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to contemplate the role of our relationship with God in guiding our charity and the precepts with which we navigate our lives.

Law and Life 

The Reading from the First Book of Kings presents Elijah’s conflict with the prophets of Baal.

* [18:1–45] The story of the conflict with the prophets of Baal (vv. 21–40) is embedded in the story of the drought and its ending (vv. 1–20, 41–45). The connection between the two stories is found in Canaanite theology, in whose pantheon Baal, “the Cloud Rider,” the god of rain and storm, was recognized as the one who brings fertility. Worship of many gods was virtually universal in the ancient world; the Israelite requirement of exclusive worship of the Lord (Ex 20:3) was unique. The people of Israel had apparently become comfortable worshiping both Baal and the Lord, perhaps assigning mutually exclusive spheres of influence to each. By claiming authority over the rain (17:1; 18:1), the Lord was challenging Baal’s power in Baal’s own domain. The entire drought story in chaps. 17–18 implies what becomes explicit in 18:21–40: this is a struggle between the Lord and Baal for the loyalties of the people of Israel. (1 Kings, CHAPTER 18 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 16 rejects the futile worship of false gods.

* [Psalm 16] In the first section, the psalmist rejects the futile worship of false gods (Ps 16:2–5), preferring Israel’s God (Ps 16:1), the giver of the land (Ps 16:6). The second section reflects on the wise and life-giving presence of God (Ps 16:7–11). (Psalms, CHAPTER 16 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Matthew proclaims Jesus Teaching About the Law in the Sermon on the Mount.

* [5:17–20] This statement of Jesus’ position concerning the Mosaic law is composed of traditional material from Matthew’s sermon documentation (see note on Mt 5:1–7:29), other Q material (cf. Mt 18; Lk 16:17), and the evangelist’s own editorial touches. To fulfill the law appears at first to mean a literal enforcement of the law in the least detail: until heaven and earth pass away nothing of the law will pass (Mt 5:18). Yet the “passing away” of heaven and earth is not necessarily the end of the world understood, as in much apocalyptic literature, as the dissolution of the existing universe. The “turning of the ages” comes with the apocalyptic event of Jesus’ death and resurrection, and those to whom this gospel is addressed are living in the new and final age, prophesied by Isaiah as the time of “new heavens and a new earth” (Is 65:17; 66:22). Meanwhile, during Jesus’ ministry when the kingdom is already breaking in, his mission remains within the framework of the law, though with significant anticipation of the age to come, as the following antitheses (Mt 5:21–48) show.

* [5:19] Probably these commandments means those of the Mosaic law. But this is an interim ethic “until heaven and earth pass away.” (Matthew, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB, n.d.)

Rev. Kent Beausoleil, SJ, comments that we have the invitation—some would even say a ‘call’—to collaborate, co-labor, co-create with God.  Jesus, seems to be egging on his listeners back then, as well as us today, to make a stance.  This fulfillment is not a passive event. It demands active participation.

In the end then, the choice is ours always, but the needed commitment to work for the building of God’s plan of salvation requires our collaboration.  Will you come sow the good seed of God’s love, water it, and help it to grow, or will your action destroy the possibility of divine love coming to have ever greater life?  Will you help me Jesus asks, to fulfill God’s plan for your own, and the world’s growth (or groaning) to fulfillment?  In the end then, this fulfillment is not a passive event. It demands active participation. (Beausoleil, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “What you teach, you should do,” by Chromatius (died 406 AD)

"While it is sinful to abolish the least of the commandments, all the more so the great and most important ones. Hence the Holy Spirit affirms through Solomon: 'Whoever despises the little things shall gradually die' (Sirach 19:1b). Consequently nothing in the divine commandments must be abolished, nothing altered. Everything must be preserved and taught faithfully and devotedly that the glory of the heavenly kingdom may not be lost. Indeed, those things considered least important and small by the unfaithful or by worldly people are not small before God but necessary. For the Lord taught the commandments and did them. Even small things point to the great future of the kingdom of heaven. For this reason, not only words but also deeds are important; and you should not only teach, but what you teach, you should do." (excerpt from TRACTATE ON MATTHEW 20.2.1-3)

[Note: Chromatius was an early Christian scholar and bishop of Aquileia, Italy. He was a close friend of John Chrysostom and Jerome. He died in 406 AD. Jerome described him as a "most learned and most holy man."] (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on 1 Kings 18:20-39 comments that our world is not so different from Elijah’s. Violent atrocities dominate the headlines. In a world with so much injustice, it’s easy to wonder why God doesn’t just come and destroy all evildoers so that the righteous can live in peace.

But look at the fire on Carmel, and you’ll see something different. You’ll see God reaching out to accept your offerings just as he accepted Elijah’s. You’ll see his fire surrounding your prayers, your acts of obedience, and the sacrifices you make in serving his people. He never rejects the offering of a heart intent on loving him!

“Here I am, Father; I offer you my thoughts, my words, and my actions—my very life—as a sacrifice of praise!” (Meditation on 1 Kings 18:20-39, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that the reading from 1 Kings is in the context of  Elijah having been persecuted by Queen Jezebel, who was descended from a family of a pagan priesthood. In the contest with the priests of Baal and embarrassment to the Queen on her home territory, Elijah calls for “Fire from the Shy” to determine the true god of fertility. The priests of Baal are mocked by Elijah and when Baal does not respond, the Prophet of Israel declares the non-existence of Baal and that Yahweh is also a God of fertility. In the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew’s Gospel, the instruction to observe the smallest part of the Law seems in contrast with the message of Paul. Friar Jude proposes that the demographics of the Church growing among Gentiles tended to favour accepting Paul and we tend to keep very few of the Jewish Laws even as Matthew asserts that we are the New Israel.

The daily meditation from the Center for Action and Contemplation was not available at publication time.

We seek the wisdom of the Spirit as we contemplate the meaning of observing the Law to our Baptismal Anointing as priest, prophet, and leader in our community.

References

Beausoleil, K. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved June 10, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-june-10-2026 

Matthew, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 10, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/5? 

Meditation on 1 Kings 18:20-39. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved June 10, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/06/10/1589288/ 

1 Kings, CHAPTER 18 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved June 10, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1kings/18? 

Psalms, CHAPTER 16 | USCCB. (n.d.). Retrieved June 10, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/16?1 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Great Are Those Who Teach and Obey the Commandments. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved June 10, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/ 

Righteousness and Riches

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to consider the themes in society that lead us away from using our time, treasure, and talent for the benefit of others in need.

Riches and Righteousness 

The reading from the Book of Judges presents the cyclical pattern that characterized the relationship of the Israelites with God.

* [2:10–19] This long thematic passage establishes the cyclical pattern for the stories found in the rest of the book. When the Israelites are secure, they forsake the Lord and worship other gods. In punishment the Lord places them in the power of a foreign oppressor. But when they cry out in distress, the Lord takes pity on them and raises up a judge, who delivers them from the oppressor. The Israelites remain faithful to the Lord during the lifetime of the judge, but when the judge dies they again abandon the Lord, and the cycle begins anew.

* [2:11] The Baals: the title “Baal,” meaning “lord” or “master,” belonged to a large number of Canaanite, Phoenician, and Syrian deities, including especially the great storm god Hadad Baal, widely revered as lord of the earth. The plural form, which occurs here, was used by the biblical writers to refer to foreign gods in general.

* [2:13] The Astartes: Ashtoreth, or Astarte, was an important Canaanite and Phoenician goddess. The plural form used here probably refers to foreign goddesses in general. (Judges, CHAPTER 2|USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 106 invites Israel to praise God.

* [Psalm 106] Israel is invited to praise the God whose mercy has always tempered judgment of Israel (Ps 106:1–3). The speaker, on behalf of all, seeks solidarity with the people, who can always count on God’s fidelity despite their sin (Ps 106:4–5). Confident of God’s mercy, the speaker invites national repentance (Ps 106:6) by reciting from Israel’s history eight instances of sin, judgment, and forgiveness. (Psalms, PSALM 106 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus advises the Rich Young Man.

* [19:16–30] Cf. Mk 10:17–31. This story does not set up a “two-tier” morality, that of those who seek (only) eternal life (Mt 19:16) and that of those who wish to be perfect (Mt 19:21). It speaks rather of the obstacle that riches constitute for the following of Jesus and of the impossibility, humanly speaking, for one who has many possessions (Mt 19:22) to enter the kingdom (Mt 19:24). Actual renunciation of riches is not demanded of all; Matthew counts the rich Joseph of Arimathea as a disciple of Jesus (Mt 27:57). But only the poor in spirit (Mt 5:3) can enter the kingdom and, as here, such poverty may entail the sacrifice of one’s possessions. The Twelve, who have given up everything (Mt 19:27) to follow Jesus, will have as their reward a share in Jesus’ (the Son of Man’s) judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Mt 19:28), and all who have similarly sacrificed family or property for his sake will inherit eternal life (Mt 19:29).

* [19:16] Gain eternal life: this is equivalent to “entering into life” (Mt 19:17) and “being saved” (Mt 19:25); the life is that of the new age after the final judgment (see Mt 25:46). It probably is also equivalent here to “entering the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 19:23) or “the kingdom of God” (Mt 19:24), but see notes on Mt 3:2; 4:17; 18:1 for the wider reference of the kingdom in Matthew.

* [19:17] By Matthew’s reformulation of the Marcan question and reply (Mk 10:17–18) Jesus’ repudiation of the term “good” for himself has been softened. Yet the Marcan assertion that “no one is good but God alone” stands, with only unimportant verbal modification.

* [19:18–19] The first five commandments cited are from the Decalogue (see Ex 20:12–16; Dt 5:16–20). Matthew omits Mark’s “you shall not defraud” (Mk 10:19; see Dt 24:14) and adds Lv 19:18. This combination of commandments of the Decalogue with Lv 19:18 is partially the same as Paul’s enumeration of the demands of Christian morality in Rom 13:9.

* [19:20] Young man: in Matthew alone of the synoptics the questioner is said to be a young man; thus the Marcan “from my youth” (Mk 10:20) is omitted.

* [19:21] If you wish to be perfect: to be perfect is demanded of all Christians; see Mt 5:48. In the case of this man, it involves selling his possessions and giving to the poor; only so can he follow Jesus. (Matthew, CHAPTER 19 | USCCB, n.d.)

Larry Hopp comments that in today’s Gospel, Jesus provides us with further insight into the question of “how do we live our lives for our Lord”.

So - is it really possible to give our lives over completely to our Lord and Savior and to live for Him? I do not believe Jesus was baiting the young man – or us – with the impossible. The young man was likely a fairly “good” individual, at least in the eyes of the world. Yet Jesus saw past the young man’s outward image and gazed into his heart.

Thinking we are pretty “good” just will not cut it. It is only through surrendering our heart completely to Jesus that we can look forward to eternal life with Him. Jesus knew that even when we have given our heart to Him, we would still stumble – that is why He gave himself up for us on the cross. Such love is incomprehensible – the best reason of all for surrendering our heart completely to our gracious Lord and Savior.

Dear Heavenly Father, help me to avoid the lies and temptations of this world and to keep my eyes and heart focused continually and completely upon my precious Lord and Savior. 

In the name of Jesus the Christ. Amen. (Hopp, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Seek the life that endures,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"The Lord said to a certain young man, 'If you would enter life, keep the commandments.' He did not say 'If you would have life' but 'If you would enter life,' defining that life as eternal life. Let us first consider then the love of this life. For this life is loved, whatever its quality - and however troubled it is, however wretched, people are afraid to end it. Hence we should see, we should consider, how much eternal life is to be loved, when this miserable life that must at some time be ended is so loved. Consider, brothers, how much that life is to be loved when it is a life you never end. You love this life, where you work so much, run, are busy, pant. In this busy life the obligations can scarcely be counted: sowing, plowing, working new land, sailing, grinding, cooking, weaving. And after all this hard work your life comes to an end. Look at what you suffer in this wretched life that you so love. And do you think that you will always live and never die? Temples, rocks, marbles, all reinforced by iron and lead, still fall. And a person thinks that he will never die? Learn therefore, brothers, to seek eternal life, when you will not endure these things but will reign with God forever." (excerpt from Sermon 84,1) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Judges 2:11-19 comments that the stories in the Book of Judges show us what happens when we lose sight of the life God calls us to live.

None of us have to feel trapped in a downward spiral of sin—neither us nor any of our loved ones. Jesus’ hand is always outstretched, ready to lift us up. His Spirit is always ready to pour God’s love into us. Every sin can be forgiven. Every broken heart can be mended. Jesus, our Lord, has saved us!

“Jesus, Lord of the covenant, thank you for rescuing me!” (Meditation on Judges 2:11-19, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler reflects on the texts of today. Judges one of two books speaking of the conquest. In Joshua, triumphant Israel is portrayed and here the people turn to Baal, god of fertility and rain and abandon worship of Yahweh. The people called upon God to return to them and “judges” assisted the people to be faithful. Judges were called charismatically and would rescue the people temporarily. A Young Man seeks to inherit eternal life. Jesus calls him to perfection in the context of the “Shema Israel” where possessions are linked to our strength. Friar Jude reminds us that we need perspective on the role of wealth and be as generous as possible.

Fr Richard Rohr, OFM, suggests how we might honor our emotions without overly attaching to them. Emotions are, first of all, a gift from God so that we can touch reality by a way other than our brain.   

Pastor Peter Scazzero affirms that our emotions are central to our humanity and to our relationships with God and people.

To feel is to be human. To minimize or deny what we feel is a distortion of what it means to be image bearers of God. To the degree that we are unable to express our emotions, we remain impaired in our ability to love God, others, and ourselves well. Why? Because our feelings are a component of what it means to be made in the image of God. To cut them out of our spirituality is to slice off an essential part of our humanity. [1] (Rohr, n.d.)

Father Richard considers the risk of overemphasizing the importance of our feelings:  

Because emotions were so repressed and denied and thought to be always faulty, it’s probably one of the major reasons we moved into overly heady Christianity. We’re rediscovering the value of emotions now, but this has the danger of swinging the pendulum to the other side—assuming that emotions are always right, always good. But when taken at face value, emotions don’t have any cognitive balancing. We aren’t asking “Is that a sensible response? Is that a reasonable response?” So, we have a lot of sentimentality and drama, the pumping up of emotions about nothing. We spend hours creating outer dramas, particularly when there’s no inner drama, no inner aliveness or contentment. Inside the frame of the smaller self, we tend to make everything a big deal. (Rohr, n.d.)

We ponder the distractions and attractions in our environment today that propose life styles that put our success and aggrandizement as a priority over the care, compassion, and mercy modelled by Jesus for fullness of life.

References

Hopp, L. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved August 18, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-august-19-2019 

Judges, CHAPTER 2|USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved August 18, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/judges/2?11 

Matthew, CHAPTER 19 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 18, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/19?16 

Meditation on Judges 2:11-19. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved August 18, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/?utm_content=buffer5c902&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer 

Psalms, PSALM 106 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 18, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/106?34 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved August 18, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/a-gift-for-experiencing-reality/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Give - and You Will Have Treasure in Heaven. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 18, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=aug18