Lectionary: 403
Reading 1
Jeremiah 15:10, 16-21
Woe to me, mother, that you gave me birth!
a man of strife and contention to all the land!
I neither borrow nor lend,
yet all curse me.
When I found your words, I devoured them;
they became my joy and the happiness of my heart,
Because I bore your name,
O LORD, God of hosts.
I did not sit celebrating
in the circle of merrymakers;
Under the weight of your hand I sat alone
because you filled me with indignation.
Why is my pain continuous,
my wound incurable, refusing to be healed?
You have indeed become for me a treacherous brook,
whose waters do not abide!
Thus the LORD answered me:
If you repent, so that I restore you,
in my presence you shall stand;
If you bring forth the precious without the vile,
you shall be my mouthpiece.
Then it shall be they who turn to you,
and you shall not turn to them;
And I will make you toward this people
a solid wall of brass.
Though they fight against you,
they shall not prevail,
For I am with you,
to deliver and rescue you, says the LORD.
I will free you from the hand of the wicked,
and rescue you from the grasp of the violent.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 59:2-3, 4, 10-11, 17, 18
R. (17d) God is my refuge on the day of distress.
Rescue me from my enemies, O my God;
from my adversaries defend me.
Rescue me from evildoers;
from bloodthirsty men save me.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
For behold, they lie in wait for my life;
mighty men come together against me,
Not for any offense or sin of mine, O LORD.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
O my strength! for you I watch;
for you, O God, are my stronghold,
As for my God, may his mercy go before me;
may he show me the fall of my foes.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
But I will sing of your strength
and revel at dawn in your mercy;
You have been my stronghold,
my refuge in the day of distress.
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
O my strength! your praise will I sing;
for you, O God, are my stronghold,
my merciful God!
R. God is my refuge on the day of distress.
Gospel
Matthew 13:44-46
Jesus said to his disciples:
“The Kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field,
which a person finds and hides again,
and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant
searching for fine pearls.
When he finds a pearl of great price,
he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.”
REFLECTION
SOURCE: One Bread One Body
THEME: THE BEGINNING, MIDDLE, ANDEND OF GOD'S WORD
"When I found Your words, I devoured them; they became my joy and the happiness of my heart." –Jeremiah 15:16
Many of you reading One Bread, One Body have found God's Word to be the joy and happiness of your hearts. Your initial experience of God's Word has been sweet (see Rv 10:10; Ez 3:3).
Later, you will find that God's Word is not only sweeter than honey (Ps 119:103) but also sharper than a two-edged sword (Heb 4:12). Many people will hate you because the Lord has given you His Word (Jn 17:14). You will feel alone and abandoned (Jer 15:17). You will be in continuous pain and seem incurably wounded (Jer 15:18). You will be tempted to turn away from the Lord and His Word. You may even fall into this temptation and actually turn away from the Lord. However, the Lord promises: "If you repent, so that I restore you, in My presence you shall stand; if you bring forth the precious without the vile, you shall be My mouthpiece" (Jer 15:19).
In the end, if you keep living and proclaiming God's Word, the Lord "will free you from the hand of the wicked, and rescue you from the grasp of the violent" (Jer 15:21). You will have victory through God's Word. "In all this we are more than conquerors because of Him Who has loved us" (Rm 8:37).
Live, love, and share God's Word in joy, suffering, and victory.
PRAYER: Father, may I be willing to die for You, Your truth, and Your love (see Sir 4:28).
PROMISE: "When he found one really valuable pearl, he went back and put up for sale all that he had and bought it." –Mt 13:46
PRAISE: St. Peter taught: "Christ's birth was not necessity, but an expression of omnipotence, a sacrament of piety for the redemption of man."
Be an inspiration, kindly Share.
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