Reading and meditation on the Word of God on Monday of the fourteenth week in ordinary time, July 7, 2025

Delivered by Vici from the Parish of Saint John the Baptist in the Archdiocese of Jakarta, Indonesia. Genesis 28: 10-22a; Rs psalm 91: 1-2.3-4.14-15ab; Matthew 9: 18-26.GOD IS IN BETHEL Our meditation today is entitled: GodIs In Bethel. In the tradition of Judaism, bethel means the house of God. Thereis an altar inside where God is believed present. The Jews always call the nameof God with a loud voice because they believe that God lives far away inheaven. Bethel is just a representation or means to call and greet the AlmightyGod and to feel His presence. The story of how a Bethel was formedis a story about the journey of Jacob. In his long journey he stopped at aplace of worship for the gods of nonbelievers. He was exhausted and sleptthere, and in that sleep he met God in a dream, which gave him a vision. Hethen took the stone where he put his head, made it a memorial stone, poured oilon it, then named it bethel. How simple to make a house of God likewhat Jacob did. This is the making of the house of God that is free andpersonal that differs from how people today make chapels, churches, cathedralsor other houses of worship. Making a bethel, the place where God dwells as whatJacob did is the same as our understanding of the gospel and Christianspirituality that justifies each person’s conscience to be the house of God. We often notice someone who waslooking for God but not even finding Him. It is something not really true. He issearching God who is actually living in Bethel, the house of God, namely hisown conscience. The Trinitarian God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit personified inJesus of Nazareth, strengthens our belief that there is truly the house of God,the bethel where God can be found. The Gospel of today tells that  an unbeliever officer came to Bethel, spokewith the Lord and asked for His help to bring into life his daughter who hadjust died. God dwells in bethel, that is our dailylife, starting with a simple prayer as soon as we get up in the morning untilwe raise our thanksgiving to Him when go to rest at night. We make ourselves asbethels, so we will feel comfortable, we are happy and firm with ourselves. Whenother people come to us, they feel close and at home with us. Furthermore, theplace and environment we are in is a bethel too, because we bring ourselves tothat place. Hopefully there will be a lot of blessings anywhere, where we areand work. Let's pray. In the name of theFather ... O God, we thank you for you dwell in our hearts,  the holy temples. May we always care for ourhearts to remain pure and obedient to you. Hail Mary full of grace ... In thename of the Father ...