First reading Jeremiah 15:10,16-21
They will not overcome you, because I am with you
‘Woe is me, my mother, for you have borne me
to be a man of strife and of dissension for all the land.
I neither lend nor borrow,
yet all of them curse me.
‘When your words came, I devoured them:
your word was my delight
and the joy of my heart;
for I was called by your name,
Lord, God of Hosts.
I never took pleasure in sitting in scoffers’ company;
with your hand on me I held myself aloof,
since you had filled me with indignation.
Why is my suffering continual,
my wound incurable, refusing to be healed?
Do you mean to be for me a deceptive stream
with inconstant waters?’
To which the Lord replied,
‘If you come back,
I will take you back into my service;
and if you utter noble, not despicable, thoughts,
you shall be as my own mouth.
They will come back to you,
but you must not go back to them.
I will make you
a bronze wall fortified against this people.
They will fight against you
but they will not overcome you,
because I am with you
to save you and to deliver you
– it is the Lord who speaks.
I mean to deliver you from the hands of the wicked
and redeem you from the clutches of the violent.’
Responsorial Psalm 58(59):2-5,10-11,17-18
O God, you have been a refuge in the day of my distress.
Rescue me, God, from my foes;
protect me from those who attack me.
O rescue me from those who do evil
and save me from blood-thirsty men.
O God, you have been a refuge in the day of my distress.
See, they lie in wait for my life;
powerful men band together against me.
For no offence, no sin of mine, Lord,
for no guilt of mine they rush to take their stand.
O God, you have been a refuge in the day of my distress.
O my Strength, it is you to whom I turn,
for you, O God, are my stronghold,
the God who shows me love.
O God, you have been a refuge in the day of my distress.
As for me, I will sing of your strength
and each morning acclaim your love
for you have been my stronghold,
a refuge in the day of my distress.
O God, you have been a refuge in the day of my distress.
O my Strength, it is you to whom I turn,
for you, O God, are my stronghold,
the God who shows me love.
O God, you have been a refuge in the day of my distress.
Gospel Matthew 13:44-46
He sells everything he owns and buys the field
Jesus said to the crowds: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field which someone has found; he hides it again, goes off happy, sells everything he owns and buys the field.
‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls; when he finds one of great value he goes and sells everything he owns and buys it.’
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God, the joy of our hearts
In today’s gospel, Jesus presents us with two parables. In both, the protagonists discover something priceless: the person finding a treasure hidden in a field and the person recognising the priceless pearl. Both then go off in a hurry to sell everything to possess what they have discovered. Today, Jesus invites us to fall in love with God, our treasure and priceless pearl. Only He can give us the fullness of joy, peace, and meaning that we seek in life. We need to learn to let go of all the things that have, over the years, become our treasures instead of God, such as a lifestyle, a habit, etc.
Today, we celebrate the feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit Order. May we follow the example of this amazing saint who found His priceless treasure and joyfully sold everything to dedicate his life to God and His people. In this time of prayer, let us truly recognise God as the treasure that we seek.
Reflective question:
Is God the treasure that I seek?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year B” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD.
