Grateful People are Happy People!

July 19, 2025 Saturday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Daily Readings: Exodus 12:37-42; Matthew 12:14-21

Human beings tend to remember what touches their hearts. When something deeply impacts or transforms their lives, a sense of gratitude takes root. That gratitude often seeks expression, and over time, such remembrance becomes sacred, even liturgical. This is precisely what happened with the Israelites. The Lord Himself institutes this remembrance by introducing, for the first time, the concept of a ‘vigil’, marking its sacredness and significance. A vigil becomes a holy time of preparation and reflection, enabling the faithful to recall and marvel at God's mighty deeds.

In today’s reading, the Israelites’ four-hundred-and-thirty-year sojourn in Egypt comes to an end—not by their own might, but through the powerful hand of God. Their deliverance is not merely a political or social event—it is a divine act that must be remembered and celebrated as a perpetual ordinance from generation to generation.

In the Gospel, the growing conflict between Jesus and the Pharisees reaches a critical point. Their intolerance of Jesus’ good works and popularity leads them to conspire against Him. Yet Jesus is not shaken. Knowing that His hour has not yet come, He withdraws, but does not cease teaching and healing. His mission continues with gentleness and fidelity.

Matthew quotes Isaiah 42:1–4 to reveal Jesus' true identity as the chosen Servant of the Lord, one in whom God delights and upon whom the Spirit rests. These words, echoed by the voice from heaven at Jesus’ baptism, affirm that He is indeed the one through whom justice and hope will come, even to the Gentiles. Jesus is not confrontational; He is deeply compassionate, gentle in approach, and faithful in purpose.

Call to Action: Jesus lived a life of humble service and unwavering fidelity to God’s will. Do I mirror His approach when I serve? Or do I seek recognition over righteousness?