Wednesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
It was useless for Samaria (the ancient Israelite northern kingdom, which was overrun by material prosperity) to turn to a king for stability after being so spiritually hollowed out by idolatry. Hosea is sent to prophesy that their political and economic bubble will burst, the material goods will run out, and then their emptiness will become apparent when the kingdom of Samaria falls and all their places of idolatry are grown over with weeds. And so Hosea proclaims that it is time to seek the Lord.
The apostles are prepared by Christ in the midst of material simplicity and even poverty. They have to seek the Lord from the very beginning of their ministry. They rely on the Lord for their daily bread. And so, they are ready to let the Lord who cares for them now work through them to care for “the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Today, let us reflect with the prophet Hosea and the apostles: what am I seeking? Whom am I seeking? Simply more material things? Or am I seeking the Lord?