Reflection for July 6 Monday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time: Matthew 9:18-26

Gospel: Matthew 9:18-26

While Jesus was speaking, an official came forward, knelt down before him, and said, “My daughter has just died. But come, lay your hand on her, and she will live.” Jesus rose and followed him, and so did his disciples. 

A woman suffering hemorrhages for twelve years came up behind him and touched the tassel on his cloak. She said to herself, “If only I can touch his cloak, I shall be cured.” Jesus turned around and saw her, and said, “Courage, daughter! Your faith has saved you.” And from that hour the woman was cured.  

When Jesus arrived at the official’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd who were making a commotion, he said, “Go away! The girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they ridiculed him. When the crowd was put out, he came and took her by the hand, and the little girl arose. And news of this spread throughout all that land.

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Reflection:

Do we worry that our prayers to the Lord will not be heard?

Let us not allow fear or anxiety to take hold of our hearts. As long as we come to the Lord with genuine faith, we can be confident that He hears every prayer we offer. He may not always answer according to our own plans or timetable, but He always responds according to His perfect wisdom, love, and will. Our prayers are never ignored, for our loving and faithful God knows what is truly best for us.

Why is it that we do not always receive what we ask from Jesus? At times, it is because doubt weakens our faith, or because we fail to cooperate with Him through faithful action. True faith is not only expressed through our words but is also revealed by the way we live and respond to God's call.

Sometimes we pray without deep conviction. We utter words, yet our hearts are hesitant, uncertain, or divided. But powerful prayer flows from a heart that completely trusts in the Lord. When we surrender our fears, cast aside our doubts, and confidently entrust everything to Jesus, we open ourselves to receive His grace. We can rest in the assurance that He is gracious, merciful, and always faithful to those who seek Him with sincere hearts.

In today's Gospel, we encounter two people whose prayers were strengthened by both faith and action. They did not simply ask Jesus for help—they approached Him with unwavering trust and acted upon that faith. Because they believed in His power and compassion, they experienced His loving response.

May their example inspire us to bring every joy, every burden, every fear, and every hope before the Lord. Let us continue to go to Jesus not only when we are in need, but also in moments of peace, gratitude, and blessing. The more we seek Him, the more our friendship with Him deepens, and the stronger our faith becomes. As we remain close to Him, we learn to trust Him more completely and discover the peace that only He can give.

How do we deepen our friendship with Jesus? We spend time with Him each day in prayer, meditate on His Word in the Bible, faithfully participate in the Holy Mass, and visit Him in the Adoration Chapel. Every moment we spend with the Lord draws us closer to His Sacred Heart and transforms us little by little into the people He calls us to be.

Today, Jesus lovingly invites us to trust Him more deeply than ever before. Will we bring our prayers to Him with unwavering faith, support them with faithful action, and choose each day to grow in a deeper friendship with the One who never fails us?– Marino J. Dasmarinas