Introduction
With the conclusion of the great festal seasons of Easter and Pentecost, the Church returns to Ordinary Time — the long stretch of Sundays and weekdays that form the backbone of the liturgical year. Although the term “Ordinary Time” can sound unremarkable to modern ears, it does not mean “common” or “unimportant.” The word “ordinary” comes from the idea of ordered or numbered weeks, marking the steady progression of the Church’s year.
Unlike Advent, Christmas, Lent, or Easter, Ordinary Time does not focus on one particular aspect of Christ’s life or mystery. Instead, it invites the faithful to contemplate the fullness of Christ’s ministry and teaching as it unfolds week by week through the proclamation of Scripture and the celebration of the Eucharist.
In many ways, this season reflects the most ancient rhythm of Christian worship. Before the development of the great liturgical seasons, believers gathered Sunday after Sunday to hear the Word of God proclaimed, to break bread together, and to celebrate the death and resurrection of Christ.
That same rhythm continues today. Across centuries and cultures, Christians continue to gather week after week to encounter Christ in Scripture and sacrament, participating in an unbroken tradition stretching back to the earliest days of the Church.
1st Reading – Exodus 19:2-6a
In those days, the Israelites came to the desert of Sinai and pitched camp.
While Israel was encamped here in front of the mountain,
Moses went up the mountain to God.
Then the LORD called to him and said,
“Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob;
tell the Israelites:
You have seen for yourselves how I treated the Egyptians
and how I bore you up on eagle wings
and brought you here to myself.
Therefore, if you hearken to my voice and keep my covenant,
you shall be my special possession,
dearer to me than all other people,
though all the earth is mine.
You shall be to me a kingdom of priests, a holy nation.”
In today’s first reading, God establishes a special relationship with the Israelites, calling them to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
In those days, the Israelites came to the desert of Sinai and pitched camp. While Israel was encamped here in front of the mountain, Moses went up the mountain to God.
Three months into Israel’s journey through the wilderness, they arrive at the foot of Mount Sinai. They pitch camp while Moses ascends the mountain to receive directives from God.
Then the LORD called to him and said, “Thus shall you say to the house of Jacob; tell the Israelites:
God calls to Moses and designates him as the chosen messenger to convey His words to the people.
You have seen for yourselves how I treated the Egyptians and how I bore you up on eagle wings and brought you here to myself.
Through Moses, God reminds the people of the miraculous events in Egypt, where he delivered them from slavery and brought them out “on eagles’ wings.” God has provided them protection, guidance, and deliverance.
Therefore, if you hearken to my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my special possession, dearer to me than all other people, though all the earth is mine.
God offers a conditional covenant with the Israelites. (Although God’s goodness is unconditional, covenant membership is not.)
If the people heed God’s voice and fully obey the covenant, they will become covenant partners with God. This offer will take effect as soon as they agree to the terms, but Israel will only reach its full maturity if it actively listens to and follows the will of God.
God offers the people three complementary privileges. First, they will become his treasured possession among all nations: God’s chosen people, whom he protects with special care.
You shall be to me a kingdom of priests,
Second, they will be a kingdom of priests.
This means that, like priests, as a people they will become conduits for God’s presence in the world.
a holy nation.”
Third, they will be a holy nation.
Something holy has been set apart, consecrated to God for a sacred purpose. Israel has been chosen by God, invited (not forced) into a covenant relationship, and he will give them a specific purpose to fulfill.
2nd Reading – Romans 5:6-11
Brothers and sisters:
Christ, while we were still helpless,
died at the appointed time for the ungodly.
Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person,
though perhaps for a good person
one might even find courage to die.
But God proves his love for us
in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
How much more then, since we are now justified by his Blood,
will we be saved through him from the wrath.
Indeed, if, while we were enemies,
we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son,
how much more, once reconciled,
will we be saved by his life.
Not only that,
but we also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have now received reconciliation.
During Ordinary Time, the first reading and the Gospel are ordinarily linked by a common theme, while the second reading proceeds independently through an apostolic letter over the course of several weeks.
This week, we begin a semi-continuous reading of Paul’s letter to the Romans, which will continue through the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time.
In this passage, Paul proclaims the heart of the Gospel: though humanity is sinful and powerless to save itself, God has justified, reconciled, and saved us through Jesus Christ.
Brothers and sisters: Christ, while we were still helpless, yet died at the appointed time for the ungodly.
This opening verse speaks to the profound love and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. It highlights the condition of humanity before Christ’s intervention: weak and ungodly. God’s love and salvation extend to all, even those who are undeserving.
Paul goes out of his way to point out our helplessness to emphasize that we did nothing to earn this reconciliation for ourselves.
The Greek word translated as “the appointed time” is kairós, which conveys the idea of something happening at the decisive moment, in accordance with God’s timing or plan.
“If Christ gave Himself up to death at the right time for those who were unbelievers and enemies of God … how much more will He protect us with His help if we believe in Him! He died for us in order to obtain life and glory for us. So if He died for His enemies, just think what He will do for His friends!” [The Ambrosiaster (366-384 AD), Commentaries on Thirteen Pauline Epistles]
Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person, though perhaps for a good person one might even find courage to die.
Paul marvels at the remarkable nature of Christ’s sacrificial death. It is a profound act to die for a righteous person, but to offer one’s life for an ungodly individual is almost unimaginable. Yet, that is precisely what Christ did.
God’s love surpasses human understanding.
“How can Paul say this when the Bible is full of martyrs? What were they doing? In fact, the martyrs were not dying for other people but for God, and for Him anyone would dare to die. But every other death is much harder to endure, even if it is just and in accordance with the law of human nature.” [Origen (after 244 AD), Commentaries on Romans 5,8]
But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
Christ didn’t die for us because we were justified. In fact, it’s the other way around: the only cause for our justification is his sacrificial death on the cross.
How much more then, since we are now justified by his blood,
Paul tells the Christians in Rome that they have been justified through the action of Christ; they have not justified themselves. The verb used here for justified (dikaióō) is a legal term, drawing upon the concept of a judge declaring someone to be righteous or acquitted.
will we be saved through him from the wrath.
The verb for “saved” is sōzō, which means “to be delivered from serious peril.” Although it encompasses both physical and spiritual dimensions of deliverance and restoration, Paul is not referring to deliverance from the perils of life here; he generally uses the verb rhýomai for that.
What we are being saved from is the wrath of God, that is, God’s righteous judgment and divine anger against sin and rebellion. Through Jesus Christ, we are saved from the consequences of sin, reconciled with God, and have the hope of eternal life.
Indeed, if, while we were enemies,
Paul takes his description of man without God a step further: first helpless, then ungodly, and here, an outright enemy of God.
God and Adam had a beautiful friendship in paradise before the Fall. Adam’s sin created enmity between God and man and alienated us from him.
As enemies, we have no right to a relationship with God.
we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son,
The word used for reconciled is katallássō, which means “to change or exchange.” Paul uses it to describe the transformation in the human-divine relationship.
After the Fall, God immediately promised a future redeemer for mankind (Genesis 3:15), demonstrating the scale of his love for us. This promised redemption took place on the cross, when Christ destroyed the enmity created by sin, gaining us access to the grace that changes us, that places us in right relationship with God, that makes us righteous.
how much more, once reconciled, will we be saved by his life.
Paul asks: If Christ’s death can completely transform the relationship of God with his enemies, how much more will we be blessed through his resurrected life, as God’s children?
Not only that, but we also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
Having been justified and reconciled, we can even boast of God himself, whereas before we stood in fear of his wrath. Having experienced God’s love through the death of Christ, we can now exult at the very thought of God.
Gospel – Matthew 9:36-10:8
At the sight of the crowds, Jesus’ heart was moved with pity for them
because they were troubled and abandoned,
like sheep without a shepherd.
Then he said to his disciples,
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.”
Then he summoned his twelve disciples
and gave them authority over unclean spirits
to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness.
The names of the twelve apostles are these:
first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew;
James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John;
Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector;
James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus;
Simon from Cana, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.
Jesus sent out these twelve after instructing them thus,
“Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town.
Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’
Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons.
Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”
As we return to Ordinary Time, we rejoin Jesus during the early stages of his public ministry. This passage emphasizes Christ’s deep compassion for the crowds, who are “troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.” In response, Jesus commissions the Twelve and sends them out to share in his mission — a pivotal moment in the expansion of the Kingdom of God.
This resonates with our first reading, where God chose and called the Israelite people for a holy purpose.
At the sight of the crowds, Jesus’ heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.
After traveling through the towns and villages of Galilee, teaching, preaching, and healing, Jesus encounters crowds of people in desperate need of guidance and care.
The sight of them moves Jesus profoundly. The verb used here for “moved with pity” (splanchnízomai) is very expressive. It comes from the noun splanchna, which refers to the innermost parts of the body, particularly the visceral organs. This emotion goes beyond mere sympathy; it suggests a deep stirring of Jesus’ inner being, an intense response to the physical and spiritual needs of others.
The image of the people as sheep without a shepherd recalls the words of the prophet Ezekiel, who described Israel as sheep scattered and neglected without faithful shepherds to guide them (Ezekiel 34).
Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
As indicated by the crowds, there is an abundance of people who are ready to receive the message of the Gospel and be saved (John 4:35). However, there are not enough laborers to carry out the work.
so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”
Jesus will dispatch his disciples to address this need, but first he makes it clear that the harvest belongs to God. They will simply be his laborers. As such, they are instructed to pray.
Prayer should always precede and accompany the work done on behalf of God.
Then he summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness.
The word for authority is exousía, which is more than just legal permission; it gives the right to perform an action as well as the actual ability to carry it out. Exousía is frequently used in the New Testament in relation to divine authority and underscores the freedom to act within the framework of God’s will.
Once the disciples understand the capabilities they are being endowed with, the attitude of humility Jesus is giving them will be key. They must remember that this power is not their own; it’s the power of God working in them.
The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus; Simon from Cana, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him.
Jesus calls twelve men — the number of the tribes of Israel — to be twelve patriarchs of the new people of God, the Church.
This is the only place where Matthew uses the word “apostle” in his gospel. That term is especially apt in this passage since apóstolos literally means “one who is sent.”
Jesus sent out these twelve after instructing them thus, “Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town. Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.
It’s important to understand this directive from Jesus to stay out of pagan territory and focus their efforts on “the lost of sheep of the house of Israel” as part of a larger plan and in the context of the Jewish eschatological worldview.
As our first reading demonstrated, the Jewish people were God’s special possession, holy and set apart from other nations. As such, they were the first to receive the message of salvation from Christ, the Messiah.
After fulfilling the prophecies and promises given to the Israelites, Jesus will expand the mission of the Church, when he instructs the disciples to go and make disciples of all nations, which includes people from all backgrounds, not just the Jewish people (Matthew 28:19-20).
As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, drive out demons.
The apostles are instructed to first proclaim the arrival of the kingdom of God, the same message proclaimed by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:2) and Jesus (Matthew 4:17). Then they are to perform miracles to demonstrate the truth of their preaching.
Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”
Jesus reminds the apostles that the authority and power they have received are not to be used for personal gain or profit. Instead, they are to freely give, without expecting anything in return.
Their focus should be on serving and ministering to others selflessly, just as they themselves have freely received from Jesus.
Connections and Themes
Called and sent by Divine Mercy. In the first reading, God calls Israel to become “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” In the gospel reading, Jesus sees the crowds with compassion and sends out the Twelve to continue his mission of healing, reconciliation, and proclamation. Together, these readings reveal a consistent biblical pattern: God chooses a people not for privilege alone, but to participate in his saving work for the world.
The second reading from Romans adds a profound layer to this mission. Saint Paul reminds us that God did not call humanity because we were righteous or deserving, but precisely while we were still sinners. The mission entrusted to God’s people is therefore rooted not in superiority, but in mercy received.
The mission of the Church is not carried out from a place of strength or perfection, but from the humility of those who know they have been forgiven.
Compassion that creates mission. In the gospel reading, Jesus looks upon the crowds with deep compassion because they are “troubled and abandoned, like sheep without a shepherd.” His response to human suffering is not passive sorrow, but action: he calls and sends the Twelve to continue his work. This echoes the first reading, where God calls Israel at a time when they are small, vulnerable, and without power among the nations, yet are called to become his treasured possession and a holy nation set apart for his purposes. In both readings, divine compassion leads to divine calling.
Our second reading deepens this theme by revealing the true depth of God’s compassion. Christ died for humanity “while we were still helpless” and “while we were still sinners.” The mission entrusted to the disciples flows from the very heart of God, whose mercy reaches out first to the weak, the lost, and the undeserving.
Sometimes we are among the crowds: lost, alone, in need of a shepherd. But sometimes, we’re among those whom Christ calls and sends. This is the work of Ordinary Time: learning, day by day, to live as disciples formed by mercy and sent on mission.
Sunday Readings 