Hosea – Chapter 3

Old Testament5 Verses

1And the Lord said to me: Go yet again, and love a woman beloved of her friend, and an adulteress: as the Lord loveth the children of Israel, and they look to strange gods, and love the husks of the grapes.

2And I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for a core of barley, and for half a core of barley.

3And I said to her: Thou shalt wait for me many days: thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt be no man's, and I also will wait for thee.

4For the children of Israel shall sit many days without king, and without prince, and without sacrifice, and without altar, and without ephod, and without theraphim.

5And after this the children of Israel shall return and shall seek the Lord, their God, and David, their king: and they shall fear the Lord, and his goodness, in the last days.

Reflection for Today

The message of Hosea Chapter 3 unfolds within the broader narrative of God's faithful love despite Israel's unfaithfulness. Catholic theology, drawing on Hosea's marriage symbolizes God's covenant love (CIC 1611), sees in this chapter a call to deeper faith. The principle that God's love is steadfast and merciful guides our interpretation.

The Church Fathers, including St. Augustine, St. Jerome, and St. John Chrysostom, devoted themselves to explaining Scripture for the faithful. Their insights, preserved in the Church's Tradition, continue to illuminate our reading. The Catechism reminds us that "the Church has always venerated the divine Scriptures as she venerated the Body of the Lord" (CIC 103).

As you engage with this chapter, bring your questions, struggles, and hopes to the text. God's Word addresses the whole person—mind, heart, and will. Through the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, we receive the grace to live what we read. May this chapter strengthen your faith and deepen your love for Christ and His Church.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

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