When the Paraclete comes, the Spirit of truth, / he will lead you into all truth, / he will remind you of everything I have said

 Gospel: Matthew 10,16-23

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah.

When the Paraclete comes, the Spirit of truth, / he will lead you into all truth, / he will remind you of everything I have said (John 16,13; 14,26). – R.

Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Matthew – At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: 16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore, be wise as serpents and simple as doves. 17Beware of men, for they will hand you over to the courts and flog you in their synagogues. 18You will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, to testify before them and before the nations. 19When they hand you over, do not worry about how to speak or what to say. Then at that moment you will be told what you should say. 20Indeed, it will not be you who will speak, but the Spirit of your Father will speak through you. 21A brother will deliver his own brother to death; the father will hand over the son; Children will rise up against their parents and kill them. 22You will be hated by everyone because of my name. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 23When they persecute you in one city, flee to another. Truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.” – Word of salvation.

Reflection:

The mission of the apostles will shake the foundations of an unjust society; consequently, it will also trigger persecution. People who are attached to power and a luxurious life consider those who point out injustices to them as enemies and propose sharing goods and a dignified life for everyone. Jesus warns his disciples to be careful with these “wolves” ready to attack. They are dangerous and treacherous. However, when your followers, under pressure or torture, have to give reasons for their faith or explanations about the good done, remain calm. The right words will emerge through the work of the Holy Spirit. Tribulations are part of the proclamation of the Gospel. The Lord will care for Kingdom missionaries in all circumstances. It is up to them to “endure to the end”.

We receive, Lord, your mercy in the midst of your temple. As your name, O God, so your praise resounds to the ends of the earth; your right hand is full of justice (Ps 47:10s).

On their evangelizing journey, Christ's disciples will encounter many dangers and challenging situations, generated by the evil of hearts that, captives of an idolatrous society, do not adhere to the truth of the Gospel. Let us celebrate the Lord, who encourages us and guarantees his protection, along with the certainty of new times of justice, peace and full joy for those who persevere to the end.

Hosea 14:2-10

Reading of Hosea's prophecy – Thus says the Lord: 2“Return, Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have fallen into your sin. 3All of you, find words and return to the Lord; say to him: 'Deliver us from all evil and accept this good that we offer, the fruit of our lips. 4Assyria will not save us; we do not want to ride our horses, we will no longer call the products of our hands ‘our gods’; in you the orphan will find mercy’. 5I will heal their wickedness and it will be easy for me to love them; my anger has turned away from them. 6I will be like dew to Israel; he will blossom like a lily and take root like plants in Lebanon. 7Its branches will spread; its splendor will be like that of the olive tree, and its perfume like that of Lebanon. 8They will again sit in my shadow and cultivate wheat, and they will flourish like the vine, whose fame is equal to that of the wine of Lebanon. 9What else has Ephraim to do with idols? I am the one who serves him and watches over him. I am like an evergreen cypress: your fruit comes from me. 10Let the wise man understand these words, let the good understanding reflect on them! The ways of the Lord are straight, and the righteous will walk in them, while the wicked stumble and fall there.” - Word of the Lord.