4 February 2020
Tuesday of the Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
The gospel today recalls Jesus performing lots of miracles. Even touching his cloak cures a woman who, as Mathew pointedly states, had spent all her money to little success. There is a line from today’s gospel that always struck me as particularly meaningful. After Jesus raises the little girl from the dead and amazes all surrounding, he tells the mother of the child to give her something to eat. No doubt Patristic writers and saints have drawn various allegorical meanings of Jesus’ request. For my part, I think it was one of simple practicality. I am particularly impressed with the great foundresses of religious congregations of the 19th century such as Catherine McAulely (1778-1841), Francis Xavier Cabrini (1850-1917) and Rose Hawthorne (1851-1926) whose biographies are peppered with sage advice from the importance of planting trees for shade and fruit, to making sure there was clean water for the orphans, as well as building a basement that did not flood. Sanctity means keeping your sights on God but not ignoring the blessed fact of the incarnation. Keeping the balance between the things of the spirit and the things of the flesh require a discerning heart and mind. Jesus reminds us that we need to attend, in an appropriate way, to the needs of our bodies so that this vessel of our soul may better serve its Creator.