Reading 1, Hos 8:4-7, 11-13

⁴ They have set up kings, but without my consent, and appointed princes, but without my knowledge. With their silver and gold, they have made themselves idols, but only to be destroyed.

⁵ I spurn your calf, Samaria! My anger blazes against them! How long will it be before they recover their innocence?

⁶ For it is the product of Israel- a craftsman made the thing, it is no god at all! The calf of Samaria will be broken to pieces!

⁷ Since they sow the wind, they will reap the whirlwind; stalk without ear, it will never yield flour- or if it does, foreigners will swallow it.

¹¹ Ephraim keeps building altars for his sins, these very altars are themselves a sin.

¹² However much of my Law I write for him, Ephraim regards it as alien to him.

¹³ They offer sacrifices to me and eat the meat, they do not win Yahweh's favour. On the contrary, he will remember their guilt and punish their sins; they will have to go back to Egypt.

Gospel, Mt 9:32-38

³² They had only just left when suddenly a man was brought to him, a dumb demoniac.

³³ And when the devil was driven out, the dumb man spoke and the people were amazed and said, 'Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.'

³⁴ But the Pharisees said, 'It is through the prince of devils that he drives out devils.'

³⁵ Jesus made a tour through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing all kinds of disease and all kinds of illness.

³⁶ And when he saw the crowds he felt sorry for them because they were harassed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd.

³⁷ Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is rich but the labourers are few, so ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers to his harvest.'

September 2010

October 2010