One Walk

Dear Lord God, give me my daily bread so I will have what I need to be able to give to others; for without Your help I can do nothing. In Jesus name I ask and pray, Amen.

Ignorance of Scripture is ignorance of Christ.

— St. Jerome

Genesis 46:1-7, 28-30

1 So Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beer-sheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. 2 And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night, and said, "Jacob, Jacob." And he said, "Here am I." 3 Then he said, "I am God, the God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt; for I will there make of you a great nation. 4 I will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again; and Joseph’s hand shall close your eyes." 5 Then Jacob set out from Beer-sheba; and the sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons which Pharaoh had sent to carry him. 6 They also took their cattle and their goods, which they had gained in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob and all his offspring with him, 7 his sons, and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters, and his sons’ daughters; all his offspring he brought with him into Egypt. 28 He sent Judah before him to Joseph, to appear before him in Goshen; and they came into the land of Goshen. 29 Then Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to meet Israel his father in Goshen; and he presented himself to him, and fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while. 30 Israel said to Joseph, "Now let me die, since I have seen your face and know that you are still alive."

Psalm 37:3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40

3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so you will dwell in the land, and enjoy security. 4 Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 18 The LORD knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will abide for ever; 19 they are not put to shame in evil times, in the days of famine they have abundance. 27 Depart from evil, and do good; so shall you abide for ever. 28 For the LORD loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. The righteous shall be preserved for ever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off. 39 The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; he is their refuge in the time of trouble. 40 The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked, and saves them, because they take refuge in him.

Matthew 10:16-23

16 "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 Beware of men; for they will deliver you up to councils, and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear testimony before them and the Gentiles. 19 When they deliver you up, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour; 20 for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 Brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; 22 and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next; for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel, before the Son of man comes.

Dear Lord God, today St Catherine speaks to the truth about fallen man, even though we are born with You planted in our hearts we grow up ignorant of Your love and our need for You. So we walk and learn the ways under the sun, until we realize those ways will never fill the space in our hearts that is Yours’. Then we seek to change to be like You intended us to be, but that way is hard and filled with many lonely and dark days full of regret for our having waited so long to seek Your will. But through Jesus Christ, the Apostles, Prophets and Saints we have examples. O Lord continue the work You have begun in me, O that You would bless me indeed, enlarge my territory, and keep me from evil and causing pain. Let today be another day given to You my Lord by reflecting You love, Your kindness, Your forgiveness to all those You place in my path, Amen.

Our self will is so subtle and so deeply rooted within us, so covered with excuses and defended by false reasoning that it seems to be a demon. When we cannot do our own will in one way, we do it in another, under all kinds of pretexts.

— St. Catherine of Genoa

Genesis 49:29-32; 50:15-26

29 Then he charged them, and said to them, "I am to be gathered to my people; bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, 30 in the cave that is in the field at Mach-pe’lah, to the east of Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field from Ephron the Hittite to possess as a burying place. 31 There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah — 32 the field and the cave that is in it were purchased from the Hittites."

15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, "It may be that Joseph will hate us and pay us back for all the evil which we did to him." 16 So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, "Your father gave this command before he died, 17 `Say to Joseph, Forgive, I pray you, the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.’ And now, we pray you, forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father." Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18 His brothers also came and fell down before him, and said, "Behold, we are your servants." 19 But Joseph said to them, "Fear not, for am I in the place of God? 20 As for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. 21 So do not fear; I will provide for you and your little ones." Thus he reassured them and comforted them. 22 So Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he and his father’s house; and Joseph lived a hundred and ten years. 23 And Joseph saw E’phraim’s children of the third generation; the children also of Machir the son of Manas’seh were born upon Joseph’s knees. 24 And Joseph said to his brothers, "I am about to die; but God will visit you, and bring you up out of this land to the land which he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob." 25 Then Joseph took an oath of the sons of Israel, saying, "God will visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here." 26 So Joseph died, being a hundred and ten years old; and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.

Psalm 105:1-4, 6-7

1 O give thanks to the LORD, call on his name, make known his deeds among the peoples! 2 Sing to him, sing praises to him, tell of all his wonderful works! 3 Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice! 4 Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his presence continually! 6 O offspring of Abraham his servant, sons of Jacob, his chosen ones! 7 He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth.

Matthew 10:24-33

24 "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master; 25 it is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Be-el’zebul, how much more will they malign those of his household. 26 "So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, utter in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim upon the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s will. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 So every one who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

Dear Lord God, I know what I lack, I know where I stumble, I know where I am weak, I know when I am being selfish and prideful, I know when I am being judgmental; but I do not know how to avoid putting myself in situations or with people that bring the worst out, rather than the best. I mean I know I must meet the needs and serve others and stay connected to You to be filled with what I need to give, but I keep failing the test in real time. I mean I know I must always be gentle and kind, delivering all I say and do with love, even if it is a convicting message. I know when I fail to do this because the Spirit immediately convicts me, even if the situation and conversation does not turn into an ugly shouting match, which is what seems to happen far too often. All this not only takes away from my walk with You, but also fails to do what I seek. O Lord feel my cry! Show me the way; give me the knowledge and wisdom to be helpful and insightful in my words and an example in my actions, even if the action is to persevere in seeking Your will and trying to live by Your word, always in prayer and in thanks giving, always ready to Shake the dust from my feet. O Lord that You would bless me indeed, enlarge my territory and keep me from evil and from causing pain. This I ask in Jesus name, Amen.

If we should be saved and become saints, we ought always to stand at the gates of the Divine mercy to beg and pray for, as an alms, all that we need.

— St. Alphonsus Liguori

Genesis 44:18-21, 23-29; 45:1-5

18 Then Judah went up to him and said, "O my lord, let your servant, I pray you, speak a word in my lord’s ears, and let not your anger burn against your servant; for you are like Pharaoh himself. 19 My lord asked his servants, saying, `Have you a father, or a brother?’ 20 And we said to my lord, `We have a father, an old man, and a young brother, the child of his old age; and his brother is dead, and he alone is left of his mother’s children; and his father loves him.’ 21 Then you said to your servants, `Bring him down to me, that I may set my eyes upon him.’ 23 Then you said to your servants, `Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you shall see my face no more.’ 24 When we went back to your servant my father we told him the words of my lord. 25 And when our father said, `Go again, buy us a little food,’ 26 we said, `We cannot go down. If our youngest brother goes with us, then we will go down; for we cannot see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.’ 27 Then your servant my father said to us, `You know that my wife bore me two sons; 28 one left me, and I said, Surely he has been torn to pieces; and I have never seen him since. 29 If you take this one also from me, and harm befalls him, you will bring down my gray hairs in sorrow to Sheol.’

1 Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him; and he cried, "Make every one go out from me." So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. 2 And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. 3 And Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph; is my father still alive?" But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence. 4 So Joseph said to his brothers, "Come near to me, I pray you." And they came near. And he said, "I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. 5 And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.

Psalm 105:16-21

16 When he summoned a famine on the land, and broke every staff of bread, 17 he had sent a man ahead of them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave. 18 His feet were hurt with fetters, his neck was put in a collar of iron; 19 until what he had said came to pass the word of the LORD tested him. 20 The king sent and released him, the ruler of the peoples set him free; 21 he made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his possessions,

Bible Study: [Psalm 105] A hymn to God who promised the land of Canaan to the holy people. Cf Psalm 78; 106; 136. Israel is invited to praise and seek the presence of God (Psalm 105:1-6), who is faithful to the promise of land to the ancestors (Psalm 105:7-11). In every phase of the national story–the ancestors in the land of Canaan (Psalm 105:12-15), Joseph in Egypt (Psalm 105:16-22), Israel in Egypt (Psalm 105:23-38), Israel in the desert on the way to Canaan (Psalm 105:39-45)–God remained faithful, reiterating the promise of the land to successive servants.

Matthew 10:7-15

7 And preach as you go, saying, `The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying, give without pay. 9 Take no gold, nor silver, nor copper in your belts, 10 no bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor a staff; for the laborer deserves his food. 11 And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it, and stay with him until you depart. 12 As you enter the house, salute it. 13 And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it; but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And if any one will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet as you leave that house or town. 15 Truly, I say to you, it shall be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom and Gomor’rah than for that town.

Bible Study: [10:1-11:1] After an introductory narrative (Matthew 10:1-4), the second of the discourses of the gospel. It deals with the mission now to be undertaken by the disciples (Matthew 10:5-15), but the perspective broadens and includes the missionary activity of the church between the time of the resurrection and the parousia. 2 His twelve disciples: although, unlike Mark (Mark 3:13-14) and Luke (Luke 6:12-16), Matthew has no story of Jesus’ choosing the Twelve, he assumes that the group is known to the reader. The earliest New Testament text to speak of it is 1 Cor 15:5. The number probably is meant to recall the twelve tribes of Israel and implies Jesus’ authority to call all Israel into the kingdom. While Luke (Luke 6:13) and probably Mark (Mark 4:10, 34) distinguish between the Twelve and a larger group also termed disciples, Matthew tends to identify the disciples and the Twelve. Authority . . . every illness: activities the same as those of Jesus; see Matthew 4:23; Matthew 9:35; 10:8. The Twelve also share in his proclamation of the kingdom (Matthew 10:7). But although he teaches (Matthew 4:23; 7:28; 9:35), they do not. Their commission to teach comes only after Jesus’ resurrection, after they have been fully instructed by him (Matthew 28:20). [8-11] The Twelve have received their own call and mission through God’s gift, and the benefits they confer are likewise to be given freely. They are not to take with them money, provisions, or unnecessary clothing; their lodging and food will be provided by those who receive them. [13] The greeting of peace is conceived of not merely as a salutation but as an effective word. If it finds no worthy recipient, it will return to the speaker. [14] Shake the dust from your feet: this gesture indicates a complete disassociation from such unbelievers.

Dear Lord God, thank You, I praise You for Your glory and mercy, that in spite of my weak sinfulness You would continue to touch my life and bless me so by allowing me to see Your hand in my daily walk. I know I have just begun and have far to go, but with Your help I will walk one step at a time in the now with You seeking to focus on and stay connected to You Lord God. And while I stand convicted by the Spirit for this weak and sinful nature, I know that as long as You are with me the work continues and that with each step my reflection is less like me and more like You. For as the Palmist proclaims today, ‘the greatness of human beings consists in God’s choosing them as a special people and their faithful response.’ Therefore never let me be fooled by myself again, for I now realize that any good that I do, anything that is achieved is because of You. And it is through my Lord Jesus Christ via the Holy Spirit that I will find the knowledge and wisdom that I seek, all else is like me branches of this vine. O Lord God that You would continue to bless me indeed and enlarge my territory that Your hand would be with me to keep me from evil and from causing pain. This I ask in Jesus name, Amen.

There is no repentance for the angels after their fall, just as there is no repentance for men after death. — St. John Damascene, De fide orthodoxa. 2, 4

Genesis 41:55-57; 42:5-7, 17-24

55 When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread; and Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, "Go to Joseph; what he says to you, do." 56 So when the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. 57 Moreover, all the earth came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.

5 Thus the sons of Israel came to buy among the others who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan. 6 Now Joseph was governor over the land; he it was who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came, and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground. 7 Joseph saw his brothers, and knew them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke roughly to them. "Where do you come from?" he said. They said, "From the land of Canaan, to buy food." 17 And he put them all together in prison for three days. 18 On the third day Joseph said to them, "Do this and you will live, for I fear God: 19 if you are honest men, let one of your brothers remain confined in your prison, and let the rest go and carry grain for the famine of your households, 20 and bring your youngest brother to me; so your words will be verified, and you shall not die." And they did so. 21 Then they said to one another, "In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he besought us and we would not listen; therefore is this distress come upon us." 22 And Reuben answered them, "Did I not tell you not to sin against the lad? But you would not listen. So now there comes a reckoning for his blood." 23 They did not know that Joseph understood them, for there was an interpreter between them. 24 Then he turned away from them and wept; and he returned to them and spoke to them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes.

Psalm 33:2-3, 10-11, 18-19

2 Praise the LORD with the lyre, make melody to him with the harp of ten strings! 3 Sing to him a new song, play skilfully on the strings, with loud shouts. 10 The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nought; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. 11 The counsel of the LORD stands for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. 18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, 19 that he may deliver their soul from death, and keep them alive in famine.

Bible Study: [Psalm 33] A hymn in which the just are invited (Psalm 33:1-3) to praise God, who by a mere word (Psalm 33:4-5) created the three-tiered universe of the heavens, the cosmic waters, and the earth (Psalm 33:6-9). Human words, in contrast, effect nothing (Psalm 33:10-11). The greatness of human beings consists in God’s choosing them as a special people and their faithful response (Psalm 33:12-22).

Matthew 10:1-7

1 And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every infirmity. 2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zeb’edee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. 5 These twelve Jesus sent out, charging them, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, 6 but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And preach as you go, saying, `The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’

Bible Study: [10:1-11:1] After an introductory narrative (Matthew 10:1-4), the second of the discourses of the gospel. It deals with the mission now to be undertaken by the disciples (Matthew 10:5-15), but the perspective broadens and includes the missionary activity of the church between the time of the resurrection and the parousia. 2 His twelve disciples: although, unlike Mark (Mark 3:13-14) and Luke (Luke 6:12-16), Matthew has no story of Jesus’ choosing the Twelve, he assumes that the group is known to the reader. The earliest New Testament text to speak of it is 1 Cor 15:5. The number probably is meant to recall the twelve tribes of Israel and implies Jesus’ authority to call all Israel into the kingdom. While Luke (Luke 6:13) and probably Mark (Mark 4:10, 34) distinguish between the Twelve and a larger group also termed disciples, Matthew tends to identify the disciples and the Twelve. Authority . . . every illness: activities the same as those of Jesus; see Matthew 4:23; Matthew 9:35; 10:8. The Twelve also share in his proclamation of the kingdom (Matthew 10:7). But although he teaches (Matthew 4:23; 7:28; 9:35), they do not. Their commission to teach comes only after Jesus’ resurrection, after they have been fully instructed by him (Matthew 28:20).  [2-4] Here, for the only time in Matthew, the Twelve are designated apostles. The word "apostle" means "one who is sent," and therefore fits the situation here described. In the Pauline letters, the place where the term occurs most frequently in the New Testament, it means primarily one who has seen the risen Lord and has been commissioned to proclaim the resurrection. With slight variants in Luke and Acts, the names of those who belong to this group are the same in the four lists given in the New Testament (see the note on Matthew 9:9). Cananean: this represents an Aramaic word meaning "zealot." The meaning of that designation is unclear (see the note on Luke 6:15).  [5-6] Like Jesus (Matthew 15:24), the Twelve are sent only to Israel. This saying may reflect an original Jewish Christian refusal of the mission to the Gentiles, but for Matthew it expresses rather the limitation that Jesus himself observed during his ministry.

Dear Lord God, how blessed I am to realize it is Your hand at work with and in me; and even though I stumble I find comfort waits me when take Your hand and lift myself up asking myself – did I trip over myself or was that You protecting me from myself. O Lord God how the journey within is so different with You by my side. O how I pray You will deliver me from myself, to do Your will, to fulfill Your purpose by staying in the now with You focused on who we are together and what we can do. Looking neither right nor left, and leaving behind what is of no value to what we do. O Lord God, how I pray that You will bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, and that Your hand will be with me to keep me from evil and from causing pain. And that me and my family we always serve You. Amen

God is seen by those who have the capacity to see him, provided that they keep the eyes of their mind open. All have eyes, but some have eyes that are shrouded in darkness, unable to see the light of the sun. Because the blind cannot see it, it does not follow that the sun does not shine. The blind must trace the cause back to themselves and their eyes. In the same way, you have eyes in your mind that are shrouded in darkness because of your sins and evil deeds. No one who has sin within him can see God. If you understand this, and live in purity and holiness and justice, you may see God.

— Saint Theophilus of Antioch

Genesis 28:10-22

10 Jacob left Beer-sheba, and went toward Haran. 11 And he came to a certain place, and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep. 12 And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! 13 And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, "I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your descendants; 14 and your descendants shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and by you and your descendants shall all the families of the earth bless themselves. 15 Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done that of which I have spoken to you." 16 Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the LORD is in this place; and I did not know it." 17 And he was afraid, and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." 18 So Jacob rose early in the morning, and he took the stone which he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. 19 He called the name of that place Bethel; but the name of the city was Luz at the first. 20 Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, 21 so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God, 22 and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house; and of all that thou givest me I will give the tenth to thee."

Bible Study: [11] Shrine: literally "place," often used specifically of a sacred site. Here the place was Bethel (Genesis 28:19), a sacred site as early as the time of Abraham (Genesis 12:8). [12] Stairway: in Hebrew, sullam, traditionally but inaccurately translated as "ladder." The corresponding verb, salal, means "to heap up" something, such as dirt for a highway or ramp. The imagery in Jacob’s dream is derived from the Babylonian ziggurat or temple tower, "with its top in the sky" (Genesis 11:4), and with brick steps leading up to a small temple at the top. [17] This: the stone Jacob used as a headrest; cf Genesis 28:22. That: the stairway Jacob saw in his dream. [18] Memorial stone: in Hebrew, masseba, a stone which might vary in shape and size, set upright and usually intended for some religious purpose. Since the custom of erecting such "sacred pillars" in Palestine went back to its pre-Israelite period, their pagan associations were often retained; therefore, later Israelite religion forbade their erection (Lev 26:1; Deut 16:22) and ordered the destruction of those that were associated with paganism (Exodus 34:31; Deut 12:3). [19] Bethel: i.e., "house of God"; the reference is to the abode of God in Genesis 28:17.

Psalm 91:1-4, 14-15

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, who abides in the shadow of the Almighty, 2 will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust." 3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence; 4 he will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler. 14 Because he cleaves to me in love, I will deliver him; I will protect him, because he knows my name. 15 When he calls to me, I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will rescue him and honor him.

Bible Study: [Psalm 91] A prayer of someone who has taken refuge in the security of the temple (Psalm 91:1-2). The psalmist is confident that God’s presence will protect the people in every dangerous situation (Psalm 91:3-13). The final verses are an oracle of salvation promising salvation to those who trust in God (Psalm 91:14-16).

Matthew 9:18-26

18 While he was thus speaking to them, behold, a ruler came in and knelt before him, saying, "My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live." 19 And Jesus rose and followed him, with his disciples. 20 And behold, a woman who had suffered from a hemorrhage for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment; 21 for she said to herself, "If I only touch his garment, I shall be made well." 22 Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, "Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well." And instantly the woman was made well. 23 And when Jesus came to the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players, and the crowd making a tumult, 24 he said, "Depart; for the girl is not dead but sleeping." And they laughed at him. 25 But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 26 And the report of this went through all that district.

Bible Study: [18-34] In this third group of miracles, the first (Matthew 9:18-26) is clearly dependent on Mark (Mark 5:21-43). Though it tells of two miracles, the cure of the woman had already been included within the story of the raising of the official’s daughter, so that the two were probably regarded as a single unit. The other miracles seem to have been derived from Mark and Q respectively, though there Matthew’s own editing is much more evident.  [18] Official: literally, "ruler." Mark calls him "one of the synagogue officials" (Mark 5:22). My daughter has just died: Matthew heightens the Marcan "my daughter is at the point of death" (Mark 5:23).  [20] Tassel: possibly "fringe." The Mosaic law prescribed that tassels be worn on the corners of one’s garment as a reminder to keep the commandments (see Numbers 15:37-39; Deut 22:12).  [24] Sleeping: sleep is a biblical metaphor for death (see Psalm 87:6 LXX; Daniel 12:2; 1 Thes 5:10). Jesus’ statement is not a denial of the child’s real death, but an assurance that she will be roused from her sleep of death.