Year of the Bible
Matthew 9
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**Bible Commentary:
The ninth chapter of Matthew’s Gospel juxtaposes more stories of miraculous healings with unprecedented forgiveness. Jesus, the great physician, not only demonstrates that he has the power to heal but also that he can forgive sins. The two are closely linked, and the Messiah has come to heal both body and soul. Jesus looks upon the crowds and pities them because they’re like sheep without a shepherd. As the good news of the kingdom begins to spread, Jesus goes from village to village teaching and acting as a loving shepherd caring for his flock. God’s master plan never was for Jesus to spread the kingdom of heaven alone. The request to “pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” is an invitation for Jesus’ disciples in all ages to join him. Today, the Church is called to continue Jesus’ ministry through the two powerful sacraments of healing—Reconciliation and Anointing of the Sick.
The Gospel of Saint Matthew, Chapter 9:
Jesus Heals a Paralytic
1 And getting into a boat he crossed over and came to his own city. 2 And behold, they brought to him a paralytic, lying on his bed; and when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” 3 And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” 4 But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? 6 But that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Rise, take up your bed and go home.” 7 And he rose and went home. 8 When the crowds saw it, they were afraid, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to men.
The Call of Matthew
9 As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax office; and he said to him, “Follow me.” And he rose and followed him.
10 And as he sat at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 13 Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.”
The Question about Fasting
14 Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 15 And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come, when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 And no one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made. 17 Neither is new wine put into old wineskins; if it is, the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins are destroyed; but new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.”
A Girl Restored to Life and a Woman Healed
18 While he was thus speaking to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.” 19 And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples. 20 And behold, a woman who had suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment; 21 for she said to herself, “If I only touch his garment, I shall be made well.” 22 Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.” And instantly the woman was made well. 23 And when Jesus came to the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players, and the crowd making a tumult, 24 he said, “Depart; for the girl is not dead but sleeping.” And they laughed at him. 25 But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26 And the report of this went through all that district.
Jesus Heals Two Blind Men
27 And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” 28 When he entered the house, the blind men came to him; and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be done to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly charged them, “See that no one knows it.” 31 But they went away and spread his fame through all that district.
Jesus Heals a Man Who Was Mute
32 As they were going away, behold, a mute demoniac was brought to him. 33 And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds marveled, saying, “Never was anything like this seen in Israel.” 34 But the Pharisees said, “He casts out demons by the prince of demons.”
The Harvest Is Plentiful, the Laborers Are Few
35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every disease and every infirmity. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; 38 pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
Daily Lectio Divina Question for Today:
The woman reached out and touched his garment and was healed. Lord Jesus, when you looked upon her, what did she see in your gaze?
**Bible Commentary provided by – Scott Hahn and Mark Shea, Gospel of Matthew, ed. Jennifer Phelps, Catholic Scripture Study (Charlotte, NC: Catholic Scripture Study International, 2007), 81.
Revised Standard Version; Second Catholic Edition. (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006).
Permission to use the RSV-2CE given for Bishop's Year of the Bible by Ignatius Press. Many thanks to Ignatius for this.
If you're looking for a good Catholic edition of the Bible, look no further
Mateo 9
1 Subió a una barca, cruzó de nuevo
el mar y llegó a su ciudad. 2 Entonces,
le presentaron a un paralítico tendido
en una camilla. Al ver Jesús la fe de
ellos, le dijo al paralítico:
–Ten confianza, hijo, tus pecados te
son perdonados.
3 Entonces algunos escribas dijeron
para sus adentros: Éste blasfema. 4 Conociendo
Jesús sus pensamientos, dijo:
–¿Por qué pensáis mal en vuestros
corazones? 5 ¿Qué es más fácil, decir:
Tus pecados te son perdonados, o decir:
Levántate, y anda? 6 Pues para que
sepáis que el Hijo del Hombre tiene potestad
en la tierra para perdonar los pecados
–se dirigió entonces al paralítico–,
levántate, toma tu camilla y vete a
tu casa.
7 Él se levantó y se fue a su casa. 8 Al
ver esto, la gente se atemorizó y glorificó
a Dios por haber dado tal potestad a
los hombres.
9 Al marchar Jesús de allí, vio a un hombre
sentado al telonio, que se llamaba
Mateo, y le dijo:
–Sígueme.
Él se levantó y le siguió.
10 Ya en la casa, estando a la mesa, vinieron
muchos publicanos y pecadores
y se sentaron también con Jesús y
sus discípulos. 11 Los fariseos, al ver esto,
empezaron a decir a sus discípulos:
–¿Por qué vuestro maestro come
con publicanos y pecadores?
12 Pero él lo oyó y dijo:
–No tienen necesidad de médico los
sanos, sino los enfermos. 13 Id y aprended
qué sentido tiene: Misericordia
quiero y no sacrificio; porque no he venido
a llamar a los justos sino a los pecadores.
14 Entonces se le acercaron los discípulos
de Juan para decirle:
–¿Por qué nosotros y los fariseos
ayunamos con frecuencia y, en cambio,
tus discípulos no ayunan?
15 Jesús les respondió:
–¿Acaso pueden estar de duelo los
amigos del esposo mientras el esposo
está con ellos? Ya vendrá el día en que
les será arrebatado el esposo; entonces,
ya ayunarán.
16 Nadie pone un remiendo de paño
nuevo a un vestido viejo, porque lo añadido
tira del vestido y se produce un desgarrón
peor. 17 Ni se echa vino nuevo en
odres viejos; porque entonces los odres
revientan, y el vino se derrama, y los odres
se pierden. El vino nuevo lo echan en
odres nuevos y así los dos se conservan.
18 Mientras les decía estas cosas, un
hombre importante se acercó, se postró
ante él y le dijo:
–Mi hija se acaba de morir, pero
ven, pon la mano sobre ella y vivirá.
19 Jesús se levantó y le siguió con sus
discípulos.
20 En esto, una mujer que padecía
flujo de sangre hacía doce años, acercándose
por detrás, tocó el borde de su
manto, 21 porque se decía a sí misma:
Con sólo tocar su manto me curaré.
22 Jesús se volvió y mirándola le dijo:
–Ten confianza, hija, tu fe te ha salvado.
Y desde ese mismo momento quedó
curada la mujer.
23 Cuando llegó Jesús a la casa de aquel
hombre y vio a los músicos fúnebres y a la
gente alterada, comenzó a decir:
24 –Retiraos; la niña no ha muerto,
sino que duerme.
Pero se reían de él. 25 Y, cuando
echaron de allí a la gente, entró, la tomó
de la mano y la niña se levantó. 26 Y esta
noticia corrió por toda aquella comarca.
27 Al marcharse Jesús de allí, le siguieron
dos ciegos diciendo a gritos:
–¡Ten piedad de nosotros, Hijo de
David!
28 Cuando llegó a la casa se le acercaron
los ciegos y Jesús les dijo:
–¿Creéis que puedo hacer eso?
–Sí, Señor –le respondieron.
29 Entonces les tocó los ojos diciendo:
–Que se haga en vosotros conforme
a vuestra fe.
30 Y se les abrieron los ojos. Pero Jesús
les ordenó severamente:
–Mirad que nadie lo sepa.
31 Ellos, en cambio, en cuanto salieron
divulgaron la noticia por toda aquella
comarca.
32 Nada más irse, le trajeron un endemoniado
mudo. 33 Después de expulsar
al demonio habló el mudo. Y la multitud
se quedó admirada diciendo:
–Jamás se ha visto cosa igual en Israel.
34 Pero los fariseos decían:
–Expulsa los demonios por el príncipe
de los demonios.
35 Jesús recorría todas las ciudades y aldeas
enseñando en sus sinagogas, predicando
el Evangelio del Reino y curando
todas las enfermedades y dolencias.
36 Al ver a las multitudes se llenó de
compasión por ellas, porque estaban
maltratadas y abatidas como ovejas que
no tienen pastor.
37 Entonces les dijo a sus discípulos:
–La mies es mucha, pero los obreros
pocos. 38 Rogad, por tanto, al señor de la
mies que envíe obreros a su mies.
Pregunta de Lectio Divina para el día de hoy
La mujer acercándose por detrás tocó el borde de su manto y quedó curada. Señor Jesús, cuándo la miraste, ¿qué vió ella en tu mirada?
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