Reading 1, Hos 2:16, 17b-18, 21-22

¹⁶ But look, I am going to seduce her and lead her into the desert and speak to her heart.

¹⁷ There I shall give her back her vineyards, and make the Vale of Achor a gateway of hope. There she will respond as when she was young, as on the day when she came up from Egypt.

¹⁸ When that day comes- declares Yahweh- you will call me, 'My husband', no more will you call me, 'My Baal'.

²¹ I shall betroth you to myself for ever, I shall betroth you in uprightness and justice, and faithful love and tenderness.

²² Yes, I shall betroth you to myself in loyalty and in the knowledge of Yahweh.

Gospel, Mt 9:18-26

¹⁸ While he was speaking to them, suddenly one of the officials came up, who bowed low in front of him and said, 'My daughter has just died, but come and lay your hand on her and her life will be saved.'

¹⁹ Jesus rose and, with his disciples, followed him.

²⁰ Then suddenly from behind him came a woman, who had been suffering from a haemorrhage for twelve years, and she touched the fringe of his cloak,

²¹ for she was thinking, 'If only I can touch his cloak I shall be saved.'

²² Jesus turned round and saw her; and he said to her, 'Courage, my daughter, your faith has saved you.' And from that moment the woman was saved.

²³ When Jesus reached the official's house and saw the flute-players, with the crowd making a commotion, he said,

²⁴ 'Get out of here; the little girl is not dead; she is asleep.' And they ridiculed him.

²⁵ But when the people had been turned out he went inside and took her by the hand; and she stood up.

²⁶ And the news of this spread all round the countryside.

September 2010

October 2010