Reading and meditation on the Word of God on Monday of the fourteenth week in ordinary time, July 6, 2026

Delivered by Josephine Mercy Ho from the Parish of Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral in the Archdiocese of Makassar, Indonesia. Hosea 2: 13.14b-15.18-19; Rs psalm 145: 2-3.4-5.6-7.8-9; Matthew 9: 18-26.THE WOMEN WHOM JESUS LOVED The theme for our meditation today is: The Women whomJesus Loved. Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the Son of God, indeed became a man likeus. He had all the characteristics like human beings in general. One of themwas that He had women who were near Him and served Him. Jesus could not justhave male friends who were evidently close to Him. There was a parish priest who said this in one of hishomilies. After the Holy Mass, the priest was questioned by several youngpeople who met him outside the church. "Who were these women very specialand so loved by Jesus?" They expected that the answer given would be likeMary Magdalene, Martha and her sister Mary or one of the women found in thescriptures. They wanted to know that Jesus Christ had really a love story likeanyone of us, men and women. The Priest said that the women whom Jesus loved andthat they were so special to Him, were those small, poor, sick, sinful, andwidowed in the society where Jesus lived. The first woman should be His ownMother Mary and our Mother too. There were many other women in the newtestament, with or without names, who can be included in this group with theBlessed Mother. Women who were so loved by Jesus had thecharacteristics or signs that made Jesus' attention went to them. The mostnatural sign should be their attractiveness as women that make them equalpartners to men. The Lord makes a woman wife to her husband. This symbolimplies that whoever we are, both men and women, if we are righteous personsand God is working in us, just like the good soil for the word of God to grow,this certainly shows that God really loves us. Another sign of women whom the Lord Jesus loves istheir weakness, their difficulties, and their pains. Jesus' choice has alwaysbeen those people like what the Gospel of today shows us, namely the daughterof the head of the synagogue who was brought back to life by Jesus and a womansuffering hemorrhages for 12 years healed by Jesus. This symbol represents allof us who are in trouble, sickness, and missing something or someone. We reallyneed the Lord Jesus to heal and comfort us. Another one sign of women whom Jesus loved is theirpiety, pure hearts and sacrifices that they offer both for those they love andfor the life in general. Saint Maria Goretti was a little girl who defended herpurity by offering her own life, and this must be an example for all of us. Byfollowing all these examples, we deserve great and wonderful love from the LordJesus Christ. Let'spray. In the name of the Father ... O Lord Jesus, make us able to love ourneighbors with Your own love so that they may have a wonderful encounter withyou and may renew their lives. Hail Mary, full of grace ... In the name of theFather ...