Homily for Saturday of the 15th Week in Ordinary Time

There is a stark contrast between those who sought to destroy Jesus and Jesus himself, who came not to destroy but to heal. From the very start of his ministry, some wanted Jesus dead. Despite this, Jesus always aimed to bring life to others and to share in God’s own life. We hear, "a bruised reed he will not break, a smoldering wick he will not quench." His mission inspires hope and instills a sense of life and purpose in us.

The bruised reed and the smoldering wick refer to those broken in body and spirit. Breaking a bruised reed and extinguishing a smoldering wick is very easy. Those who are broken physically or spiritually are extremely vulnerable. Jesus is sensitive to those who are vulnerable. He can restore the bruised reed and ignite the smoldering wick into a living flame.