Servant of Mercy and Justice

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to accept that our practice of mercy and justice may need revision as we seek to model the witness of Jesus.

Feeding Mercy and Justice

The reading from the Book of Exodus introduces the Departure of the Israelites from Egypt.

* [12:38] Mixed ancestry: not simply descendants of Jacob; cf. Nm 11:4; Lv 24:10–11.

* [12:40] In Egypt: according to the Septuagint and the Samaritan Pentateuch “in Canaan and Egypt,” thus reckoning from the time of Abraham. Cf. Gal 3:17. (Exodus, CHAPTER 12, n.d.)

Psalm 136 praises Israel’s God.

* [Psalm 136] The hymn praises Israel’s God (“the God of gods,” Ps 136:2), who has created the world in which Israel lives. The refrain occurring after every line suggests that a speaker and chorus sang the Psalm in antiphonal fashion. A single act of God is described in Ps 136:4–25. God arranges the heavens and the earth as the environment for human community, and then creates the community by freeing them and giving them land. In the final section (Ps 136:23–25) God, who created the people and gave them land, continues to protect and nurture them. (Psalms, PSALM 136 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus, The Chosen Servant, cites the Suffering Servant of Isaiah.

* [12:15–21] Matthew follows Mk 3:7–12 but summarizes his source in two verses (Mt 12:15, 16) that pick up the withdrawal, the healings, and the command for silence. To this he adds a fulfillment citation from the first Servant Song (Is 42:1–4) that does not correspond exactly to either the Hebrew or the LXX of that passage. It is the longest Old Testament citation in this gospel, emphasizing the meekness of Jesus, the Servant of the Lord, and foretelling the extension of his mission to the Gentiles.

* [12:15] Jesus’ knowledge of the Pharisees’ plot and his healing all are peculiar to Matthew.

* [12:19] The servant’s not contending is seen as fulfilled in Jesus’ withdrawal from the disputes narrated in Mt 12:1–14.

* [12:21] Except for a minor detail, Matthew here follows the LXX, although the meaning of the Hebrew (“the coastlands will wait for his teaching”) is similar. (Matthew, CHAPTER 12 | USCCB, n.d.)

Michele Bogard declares “His mercy endures forever.”

The beatitudes teach us blessed are the merciful, as mercy shall be theirs. I am choosing to focus on the corporal works of mercy as I navigate this less than hopeful time in our country’s history. Clothing the naked. Feeding the hungry… On July 5th my son and I went to our favorite community partner and volunteered with the food pantry. As SNAP benefits will be reduced in many ways, I’m finding that I need to find things that I can try to have a sense of control. Spending time volunteering was a very tiny, minuscule way that I could find hope that morning. I wonder how can you find a way that you can enact a small way to be that mercy to others? And then in turn, could we all feel God’s mercy. (Bogard, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “The Savior's meekness,” by John Chrysostom (347-407 AD).

"The prophet celebrated in advance both the Savior's meekness right alongside his unspeakable power. Thereby he opened to the Gentiles a great and effective door. Isaiah also foretold the ills that were to overtake the Jews. He foreknew the Son's oneness with the Father: 'Israel is my chosen, my soul has accepted him; I have put my Spirit upon him' (Isaiah 42:1). For it is not as an adversary that Christ transcends the law, as if he were an enemy of the Lawgiver, but as though he were of one mind with the Lawgiver and held to the very same purposes. Then, proclaiming the Lord's meekness, Isaiah said, 'He shall not cry nor lift up his voice' (Isaiah 42:20). For his desire indeed was to enable healing in their presence. But since they pushed him away, he did not contend any further against their opposition." (excerpt from THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 40.2.1) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Exodus 12:37-42 comments that like the people of Israel, we, too, have been set free. On the cross, Jesus accomplished our deliverance by overcoming the power of sin and liberating us from death.

Jesus, your liberator, knows you intimately. He knows your strengths and weaknesses. He knows your desires—both the good ones and the not-so-good ones. And he loves you! He is committed to you! So place your life in his hands today. No matter what comes your way, stay close to the One who is journeying with you from slavery into freedom.

“Jesus, thank you for leading me into the freedom of your kingdom!” (Meditation on Exodus 12:37-42, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the Exodus passage where the freedom of Israelites are realized and they have to take unleavened bread. The night of Passover is celebrated to this day and we as Christians believe Eucharistic meal is a type of Passover meal. In the Gospel of Matthew the Pharisees try to kill Jesus who moves to a deserted spot.  Jesus responds to hate with love. Friar Jude reminds us that Evil wants us to use its tools to fight. Love is the only way to destroy the power of evil.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Beth Norcross and Leah Rampy from the Center for Spirituality in Nature who invite us to seek to discover the spiritual wisdom of trees.

 As we observe the patterns of trees, we might consider how to stretch toward the light. Our practice probably won’t look exactly like that of a tree, physically shaping ourselves to reach toward the sun. It might generate a similar feeling, however, as we listen for the places within us that are longing for more light and adapt our spiritual practices to respond to that need….  

To embrace the practice of trees, we might notice the places within us where the light seldom shines. We may long to look away from our shadows, to ignore the ways we feel least connected to the holy. Yet the trees would tell us that those are the very places to which we must attend, lovingly stretching into the pain, misunderstanding, grief, or confusion. The trees remind us that if we refrain from growing in those difficult, shadowy places, our journey toward the light will be constrained. (Rohr, n.d.)

We ponder the way in which we are called to share Jesus' love and mercy as we implore the Spirit to guide our action to help the people we encounter on our journey.

References

Bogard, M. (n.d.). Daily Reflection. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved July 19, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-july-19-2025 

Exodus, CHAPTER 12. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved July 19, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/exodus/12? 

Matthew, CHAPTER 12 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 19, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/12?14 

Meditation on Exodus 12:37-42. (n.d.). Retrieved July 19, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/?utm_content=buffer5c902&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer 

Psalms, PSALM 136 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 19, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/136?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved July 19, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-dance-of-darkness-and-light-weekly-summary/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Until Jesus Brings Justice to Victory. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved July 19, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=jul19 

Covenant Concerns

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today express the invitation of God to a Covenant relationship that will be reflected in our life choices.

Gratitude for Blessing

In the reading from the Book of Joshua, a Ceremony calls the Tribes to renew the Covenant.

[24:2] Beyond the River: east of the Euphrates; cf. Gn 11:28–31.

* [24:12] The hornets: see note on Ex 23:28. (Joshua, CHAPTER 24, n.d.)

Psalm 136 praises God’s Work in Creation and in History.

* [Psalm 136] The hymn praises Israel’s God (“the God of gods,” Ps 136:2), who has created the world in which Israel lives. The refrain occurring after every line suggests that a speaker and chorus sang the Psalm in antiphonal fashion. A single act of God is described in Ps 136:4–25. God arranges the heavens and the earth as the environment for human community, and then creates the community by freeing them and giving them land. In the final section (Ps 136:23–25) God, who created the people and gave them land, continues to protect and nurture them.

* [136:22] A heritage for Israel: the land was given to Israel by God to be handed on to future generations. (Psalms, PSALM 136, n.d.)

The Gospel of Matthew presents teaching on Marriage and Divorce.

* [19:4–6] Matthew recasts his Marcan source, omitting Jesus’ question about Moses’ command (Mk 10:3) and having him recall at once two Genesis texts that show the will and purpose of the Creator in making human beings male and female (Gn 1:27), namely, that a man may be joined to his wife in marriage in the intimacy of one flesh (Gn 2:24). What God has thus joined must not be separated by any human being. (The NAB translation of the Hebrew bāśār of Gn 2:24 as “body” rather than “flesh” obscures the reference of Matthew to that text.)

* [19:7] See Dt 24:1–4.

* [19:9] Moses’ concession to human sinfulness (the hardness of your hearts, Mt 19:8) is repudiated by Jesus, and the original will of the Creator is reaffirmed against that concession. (Unless the marriage is unlawful): see note on Mt 5:31–32. There is some evidence suggesting that Jesus’ absolute prohibition of divorce was paralleled in the Qumran community (see 11QTemple 57:17–19; CD 4:12b–5:14). Matthew removes Mark’s setting of this verse as spoken to the disciples alone “in the house” (Mk 10:10) and also his extension of the divorce prohibition to the case of a woman’s divorcing her husband (Mk 10:12), probably because in Palestine, unlike the places where Roman and Greek law prevailed, the woman was not allowed to initiate the divorce.

* [19:11] [This] word: probably the disciples’ “it is better not to marry” (Mt 19:10). Jesus agrees but says that celibacy is not for all but only for those to whom that is granted by God.

* [19:12] Incapable of marriage: literally, “eunuchs.” Three classes are mentioned, eunuchs from birth, eunuchs by castration, and those who have voluntarily renounced marriage (literally, “have made themselves eunuchs”) for the sake of the kingdom, i.e., to devote themselves entirely to its service. Some scholars take the last class to be those who have been divorced by their spouses and have refused to enter another marriage. But it is more likely that it is rather those who have chosen never to marry, since that suits better the optional nature of the decision: whoever can…ought to accept it. (Matthew, CHAPTER 19, n.d.)

David Crawford comments that Pharisees were devout individuals who spent a lot of time studying and debating the Law, and they were known for leading righteous lives (as Jesus intimated in Matthew 5:20).  In fact, they are the sort of people you would love to have in your parish or Bible study group.  They ask serious questions – in today’s reading, about divorce.  They follow rules.  They value Scripture.  They worship regularly. 

Jesus never criticizes the Pharisees for valuing the Law, but He regularly challenges their misinterpretations and misuses.  When Pharisees reject “bad people” like tax collectors, prostitutes and non-Jews, Jesus (who 1 Timothy 2:4 tells us wants ALL to be saved) dines with these folks and invites them to follow Him.  When Pharisees condemn individuals who violate God’s Law, Jesus (who John 3:17 reminds us came NOT to condemn but to save the world) extends mercy and forgiveness.  In short, Jesus challenges the Pharisees for misusing God’s Word as a tool to keep people from coming close to God.  It can be tempting to follow a path similar to that of the Pharisees, rejecting people whose actions and words we find distasteful.  Instead, Jesus calls His followers to forgive, to show mercy, to extend love to all.

Loving God, forgive me when I too often view myself and others in ways that lead to divisions.  Lead me away from the temptations to judge, especially when those judgements cause me to forget how often you have forgiven me.  Help me to avoid saying and doing things that make it more difficult for people to come close to You.  Fill me with your Spirit so that, in all I say and do, so that I see and love others as Christ would have me do.  Amen. (Crawford, 2023)

Don Schwager quotes “Don't separate what God has joined together,” by John Chrysostom (347-407 AD).

"Then he showed that it is a fearful thing to tamper with this law. When establishing this law, he did not say, 'Therefore, do not sever or separate' but 'What God has joined together, let man not separate.' If you quote Moses, I will quote the God of Moses, and with him I am always strong. For God from the beginning made them male and female. This law is very old, even if it appears human beings have recently discovered it. It is firmly fixed. And God did not simply bring the woman to her husband but ordered her also to leave her father and mother. And he not only ordered the man to go to the woman but also to cling to her, showing by his way of speaking that they could not be separated. And not even with this was God satisfied, but he sought also for another greater union: 'for the two shall be one flesh.'" (excerpt from THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 62.1) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Joshua 24:1-13 comments that Joshua shows, the story of our faith is not the story of our grueling quest for God. It’s the story of God taking the initiative and reaching out to us, protecting and providing for us, and calling us to himself.

As we look back over our lives, we can see how God has been involved even in the smallest details. He initiated the victories we won, and he walked with us and held us through the difficulties.

So rejoice in God’s unrelenting and loving pursuit of you! Like the Israelites, make his faithfulness the foundation for everything you do.

“Thank you, Lord, for all that you have done for me!” (Meditation on Joshua 24:1-13, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that Joshua gathers the Israelites and speaks of salvation history and renewing the Covenant. Not all the people of the Exodus were Jewish. The History of the Journey to the Promised Land is related to the Covenant. Friar Jude explains some details of divorce in Jesus' time and mentions contemporary situations of Pope Francis' desire for compassion and decisions of those who cease living in marriage but decide not to remarry.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, describes how God shaped the prophets’ hearts, and how our hearts are changed through their ministry.

The biblical text mirrors our own human consciousness and journey. Life itself—and the Scriptures, including the prophets—is always three steps forward and two steps backward. It gets the point and then loses it or doubts it. Our job is to see where the three-steps-forward texts are heading (invariably toward mercy, forgiveness, inclusion, nonviolence, and trust), which gives us the ability to clearly recognize and understand the two-steps-backward texts (which are usually about vengeance, divine pettiness, law over grace, form over substance, and technique over relationship). [2]  

The amazing thing about the prophets’ message is that it’s so simple. When we first read through the prophetic books of the Bible, it looks like we are taking two steps backward: pages and pages of prophecies about this, that, and the other thing. The prophets rail against idol worship and speak about death and destruction. But when we read the prophets again and again, we are struck by their “three steps forward” direction of justice, mercy, consolation, and love. We begin to see the central insight which arranges the parts into a single whole. The insight is the love of God, experienced and lived. (Rohr, 2023)

We call on the Holy Spirit to guide our journey to love, mercy and compassion as we seek greater understanding of our role in the Covenant in which we experience God.

References

Crawford, D. (2023, August 18). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved August 18, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/081823.html 

Joshua, CHAPTER 24. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 18, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/joshua/24?1 

Matthew, CHAPTER 19. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 18, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/19?3 

Meditation on Joshua 24:1-13. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved August 18, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/08/18/762467/ 

Psalms, PSALM 136. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved August 18, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/136?1 

Rohr, R. (2023, August 18). The Prophetic Call to Life — Center for Action and Contemplation. Richard Rohr. Retrieved August 18, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-prophetic-call-to-life-2023-08-18/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). What God Has Joined Together. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 18, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=aug18