Tripping Upon Grace in Order to Stand Up, Matthew 9:35-10:15, Romans 5:1-11

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Tripping upon Grace in order to Stand Up, Matthew 9.35-10.15, Romans 5.1-11

Jesus tells his disciples to pray for laborers to go out bring a harvest of salvation. He then sends them out in light of their prayers. But they go with grace, they go as sinners saved by the very grace that they put forward to their hearers. We too go out with grace that overcomes all our sinfulness before the Father because our going out is on account of Jesus laying down his life for us. And so, we trip upon grace as believers, falling down due to our sinfulness, but there is grace that we trip upon to bring us healing and strength to stand back up and go forward with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Image: Wheat Field with Crows, Vincent van Gogh, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Sinners in Need of Healing, Matthew 9:9-13

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Sinners in Need of Healing, Matthew 9.9-13

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When Jesus called Matthew to be his disciples, the Pharisees were upset that the was a great feast in the aftermath. All kinds of various sinners they didn’t care for were having a meal with Jesus. Jesus’ response is one we all know so well, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” All those at the feast knew they were sinners and Jesus’ presence is one that can begin their healing. We, too, as sinners need healing from Jesus outwardly and inwardly. May we have eyes to see that we are in great need and have no righteousness or health on our own.

Image: Christ Healing the Sick, anonymous icon, rights unknown. Image found here (see “about” tab for devotional )and here (about 2/3s of the way down).

Jesus' Great Compassion Leads Laborers Forth, Matthew 9:35-38, Acts 1:1-8

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Jesus' Great Compassion Leads Laborers Forth, Matthew 9.35-38

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When Jesus is healing and teaching in the Gospel of Matthew, we hear of his looking upon the crowds with compassion and calling upon his disciples to pray for God the Father to raise up laborers to go into this harvest of people who need the Good Shepherd. This passage is part of our readings for World Mission Sunday and reminds us that as we pray for laborers, the Lord can call us into the very work we are praying for.

Image: Sent to Sheep without a Shepherd, picture by Lawrence OP, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, no changes made. Image location: https://www.flickr.com/photos/paullew/50003858018/

God's Faithfulness Reveals Our Need for Jesus, Hosea 5.15-6.6, Matthew 9.9-13

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran God_s Faithfulness Reveals Our Need for Jesus, Hosea 5.15-6.6, Matthew 9.9-13

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God is continually demonstrating his covenant faithfulness towards us. And that faithfulness will always reveal to us our lack of faithfulness toward God, leading us to receive his mercy that comes through the covenant.

Image: See page for author, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons. Image location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jesus_calls_Matthew_from_among_the_tax_officials._Woodcut,_1_Wellcome_V0034940.jpg

Compassion Towards Us Sheep, Matthew 9:35-38

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Compassion Towards Us Sheep, Matthew 9.35-38

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Jesus teaches and heals and sees a harvest all around him of people who need the salvation he is bringing. He also sees that in the people’s needs, they are exactly like sheep without a shepherd, without a good shepherd who will lead them into the truth and protect them no matter the cost. Jesus is that shepherd and calls us to himself to bring others to know him as the Good Shepherd.

Image: Shepherd and Sheep, Anton Mauve, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Jesus' Mission, Our Mission, Matthew 9.35-38

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Jesus' Mission, Our Mission, Matthew 9.35-38

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In our Gospel today, Jesus goes about teaching, proclaiming, and healing. He does this as he looks upon the crowds with deep compassion. How does this come down to us today? What does Jesus’ response teach us about our own condition? What does Jesus’ actions toward our condition mean for us in response?

Image: Jesus preaching before a crowd, woodcut. Part of the Wellcome Collection. Image location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Christ_preaching_before_a_crowd._Woodcut._Wellcome_V0034716.jpg and https://wellcomecollection.org/works/svbe5hgz?wellcomeImagesUrl=/indexplus/image/V0034716.html License: CC BY 4.0, No changes made.