Friday 10 July 2020

Today is Friday the 10 July, in the 14th week of Ordinary Time.  

Salt of the Sound sing “Turn your eyes upon Jesus… and the things of the earth will fall strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.”  

Today’s reading is from the Prophet Hosea.

Hosea 14:2-7

Take words with you
   and return to the Lord;
say to him,
   ‘Take away all guilt;
accept that which is good,
   and we will offer
   the fruit of our lips.
Assyria shall not save us;
   we will not ride upon horses;
we will say no more, “Our God”,
   to the work of our hands.
In you the orphan finds mercy.’
I will heal their disloyalty;
   I will love them freely,
   for my anger has turned from them.
I will be like the dew to Israel;
   he shall blossom like the lily,
   he shall strike root like the forests of Lebanon.
His shoots shall spread out;
   his beauty shall be like the olive tree,
   and his fragrance like that of Lebanon.
They shall again live beneath my shadow,
   they shall flourish as a garden;
they shall blossom like the vine,
   their fragrance shall be like the wine of Lebanon.

We are now at the end of the prophecy of Hosea. Much of the book has been an attack, especially on religious people; but that is not the final judgement. Israel is invited to “return to the Lord”. How might you return to the Lord yourself, today?  

There are some lovely images at the end of the passage showing how things might look when Israel comes back to God. Which is your favourite image? Why does it speak to you?  

Now see these images in the fullness of your imagination as you hear the reading again.  

Finally, what is in your heart now? Is there something that you would like to say to God at this point?

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.