She Knows How to Reach

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 Zechariah 9:9-10

Thus says the LORD:
Rejoice heartily, O daughter Zion,
shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king shall come to you;
a just savior is he,
meek, and riding on an ass,
on a colt, the foal of an ass.
He shall banish the chariot from Ephraim,
and the horse from Jerusalem;
the warrior's bow shall be banished,
and he shall proclaim peace to the nations.
His dominion shall be from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13-14

R. (cf. 1) I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
I will extol you, O my God and King,
and I will bless your name forever and ever.
Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.
The LORD is faithful in all his words
and holy in all his works.
The LORD lifts up all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down.
R. I will praise your name for ever, my king and my God.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Reading 2 Romans 8:9, 11-13

Brothers and sisters:
You are not in the flesh;
on the contrary, you are in the spirit,
if only the Spirit of God dwells in you.
Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you,
the one who raised Christ from the dead
will give life to your mortal bodies also,
through his Spirit that dwells in you.
Consequently, brothers and sisters,
we are not debtors to the flesh,
to live according to the flesh.
For if you live according to the flesh, you will die,
but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body,
you will live.

Alleluia Cf. Matthew 11:25

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Matthew 11:25-30

At that time Jesus exclaimed:
"I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,
for although you have hidden these things
from the wise and the learned
you have revealed them to little ones.
Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will.
All things have been handed over to me by my Father.
No one knows the Son except the Father,
and no one knows the Father except the Son
and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him."

"Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."

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Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. Neither this work nor any part of it may be reproduced, distributed, performed or displayed in any medium, including electronic or digital, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

July 6, 2026 // Optional Memorial of Saint Maria Goretti, Virgin and Martyr // Monday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Read the Word // Open your Bible to today’s Gospel: Matthew 9:18–26

Reflect on the Word //

It had been nearly fifteen years since we’d been in the same room, and I could hardly wait to see my dear friend—this friend who taught me to love God’s Word.

A lot happened in those fifteen years, a lot of life, big life. In her case, she’d lost her only son when he was murdered by a homeless drug addict. Some years before that, her husband fell, broke his neck, and was now a quadriplegic. My dear friend is his caretaker, even as she continues to work a full-time job.

As I was waiting for her, I texted and asked her what she was driving so I’d know what car to look for. She replied that she had planned on buying herself a nice luxury vehicle but instead, she was driving a wheelchair-accessible minivan. This was followed by many laughing emojis.

At dinner, we sat and laughed and cried and laughed some more through a delightful three hours, trying to cram fifteen years of living into our conversation. Her sincere Christian witness, her love for the Lord, her trust in His plans was deeply moving. She even beamed as she told me the story of how the Lord had provided the ugly but necessary minivan. Through the whole dinner, I kept thinking, This is a woman who knows how to reach for Jesus. And keep reaching.

Twelve long years, the unnamed woman in our Gospel reading bled (see Matthew 9:20). Twelve long years she sought treatment, spending everything she had to no avail. Still, she reached out for the Lord. She reached for Jesus and was met with His healing power. I saw that so clearly in my friend. Despite all she had suffered and lost, she continued to reach for Jesus, and He was so willing and able to fill her up to the brim with trust in Him and sincere joy.

This being human, living among other broken humans, living in a broken world—it’s not easy. But if we keep reaching for the Lord, He will unleash grace upon grace, and occasionally, an ugly minivan.

Relate to the Lord // Where do you need to reach out for Jesus—again or for the first time?

Be a Woman of the Word

About Liz Kelly Stanchina

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Liz Kelly is a jazz singer who met Jesus in late-night adoration. She is the author of more than a dozen award-winning books, includingAnchored by Hope, Meditations to Calm the Anxious Soul, Jesus Approaches, Love Like a Saint, and A Place Called Golgotha. Her take home retreat forJesus Approaches has been called "a spa for the soul." She holds advanced degrees in creative writing and Catholic studies. She is trained as a spiritual director, leading retreats and speaking around the world with a particular focus on helping women to flourish in their faith. Visit her website at LizK.org. Her popular column, Your Heart, His Home is available on Substack.