HOPE FOR THE WOUNDED SOUL

July 19, 2025 Saturday within the 15th werk in Ordinary Time: Year C Matthew 12:14–21 This passage always strikes me deeply. While the Pharisees were plotting to destroy Jesus, He quietly withdrew. He didn’t fight back. He didn’t raise His voice. He simply walked away—and continued healing people. That moment teaches me that not every battle needs to be fought with noise or force. Sometimes, like Jesus, we are called to be faithful in silence. We keep doing good, even when misunderstood or opposed. That takes a kind of strength that doesn’t shout—it endures. I’m moved by the words: “He will not break a bruised reed or quench a smoldering wick.” How many times in my own life have I felt like a bruised reed, bent by exhaustion, doubt, or disappointment? And yet, the Lord never broke me. He never gave up on me. He gently lifted me, quietly healed me, and gave me strength to go on. God’s justice is not harsh—it’s tender. It doesn’t crush the broken; it restores them. That is the kind of justice the world needs. That is the heart of Jesus. Reading this Gospel reminds me of the kind of priest I want to be—and the kind of Christian we’re all called to be. I want to serve not by overpowering others, but by quietly lifting them up. I want to protect the weak, not judge them. I want to be a reflection of Christ’s gentle strength. In a world that often rewards noise and power, Jesus shows us another way: the way of mercy, of peace, and of quiet, faithful love. Blessings Fr. Jhack