First reading Jeremiah 28:1-17

Jeremiah and the lying prophet Hananiah

At the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah in the fifth month of the fourth year, the prophet Hananiah son of Azzur, a Gibeonite, spoke as follows to Jeremiah in the Temple of the Lord in the presence of the priests and of all the people. ‘The Lord, the God of Israel, says this, “I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. In two years’ time I will bring back all the vessels of the Temple of the Lord which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon carried off from this place and took to Babylon. And I will also bring back Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the exiles of Judah who have gone to Babylon – it is the Lord who speaks. Yes, I am going to break the yoke of the king of Babylon.”’
The prophet Jeremiah then replied to the prophet Hananiah in front of the priests and all the people there in the Temple of the Lord. ‘I hope so’ the prophet Jeremiah said. ‘May the Lord do so. May he fulfil the words that you have prophesied and bring the vessels of the Temple of the Lord and all the exiles back to this place from Babylon. Listen carefully, however, to this word that I am now going to say for you and all the people to hear: From remote times, the prophets who preceded you and me prophesied war, famine and plague for many countries and for great kingdoms; but the prophet who prophesies peace can only be recognised as one truly sent by the Lord when his word comes true.’
The prophet Hananiah then took the yoke off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah and broke it. In front of all the people Hananiah then said, ‘The Lord says this, “This is how, two years hence, I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and take it off the necks of all the nations.”’ At this, the prophet Jeremiah went away.
After the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke which he had taken off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah the word of the Lord was addressed to Jeremiah, ‘Go to Hananiah and tell him this, “The Lord says this: You can break wooden yokes? Right, I will make them iron yokes instead! For the Lord Sabaoth, the God of Israel, says this: An iron yoke is what I now lay on the necks of all these nations to subject them to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. They will be subject to him; I have even given him the wild animals.”’
The prophet Jeremiah said to the prophet Hananiah, ‘Listen carefully, Hananiah: the Lord has not sent you; and thanks to you this people are now relying on what is false. Hence – the Lord says this, “I am going to throw you off the face of the earth: you are going to die this year since you have preached apostasy from the Lord.”’
The prophet Hananiah died the same year, in the seventh month.

Responsorial Psalm 118(119):29,43,79-80,95,102

Gospel Matthew 14:22-36

Jesus walks on the water

Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he would send the crowds away. After sending the crowds away he went up into the hills by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, while the boat, by now far out on the lake, was battling with a heavy sea, for there was a head-wind. In the fourth watch of the night he went towards them, walking on the lake, and when the disciples saw him walking on the lake they were terrified. ‘It is a ghost’ they said, and cried out in fear. But at once Jesus called out to them, saying, ‘Courage! It is I! Do not be afraid.’ It was Peter who answered. ‘Lord,’ he said ‘if it is you, tell me to come to you across the water.’ ‘Come’ said Jesus. Then Peter got out of the boat and started walking towards Jesus across the water, but as soon as he felt the force of the wind, he took fright and began to sink. ‘Lord! Save me!’ he cried. Jesus put out his hand at once and held him. ‘Man of little faith,’ he said ‘why did you doubt?’ And as they got into the boat the wind dropped. The men in the boat bowed down before him and said, ‘Truly, you are the Son of God.’
Having made the crossing, they came to land at Gennesaret. When the local people recognised him they spread the news through the whole neighbourhood and took all that were sick to him, begging him just to let them touch the fringe of his cloak. And all those who touched it were completely cured.

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Trust, do not be afraid

Jesus meets His disciples during a storm. He walks on the water and says, “Courage! It is I! Do not be afraid.” Peter trusts Jesus and steps out to walk on the water, but starts to sink when he looks at the wind. Jesus grabs him and calms the storm, and tells him, “Man of little faith, why do you doubt?” It is not to shame him, but to invite him deeper into trust by leaning on His presence, taking the next step with confidence, and believing that, with Him, every storm can be faced without fear.

Trust means meeting Jesus right in our moments of fear. He comes to us, saying, “It is I.” We trust Him enough to move toward Him, even when circumstances seem messy and difficult. When we lose focus and start to feel overwhelmed, He hears our cries for help and lifts us up. The more we practice fixing our eyes on Him, taking small steps forward despite our fears and relying on His support when we falter, the deeper our trust in Him becomes. Jesus is faithful and will never leave us alone to face our storms.

Reflective question:
What does “Courage! It is I! Do not be afraid” mean for the fear I am facing?

Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD

First reading Isaiah 55:1-3

Come and eat

Thus says the Lord:

Oh, come to the water all you who are thirsty;
though you have no money, come!
Buy corn without money, and eat,
and, at no cost, wine and milk.
Why spend money on what is not bread,
your wages on what fails to satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and you will have good things to eat
and rich food to enjoy.
Pay attention, come to me;
listen, and your soul will live.
With you I will make an everlasting covenant
out of the favours promised to David.

Responsorial Psalm 144(145):8-9,15-18

Second reading Romans 8:35,37-39

No created thing can ever come between us and the love of God made visible in Christ

Nothing can come between us and the love of Christ, even if we are troubled or worried, or being persecuted, or lacking food or clothes, or being threatened or even attacked. These are the trials through which we triumph, by the power of him who loved us.
For I am certain of this: neither death nor life, no angel, no prince, nothing that exists, nothing still to come, not any power, or height or depth, nor any created thing, can ever come between us and the love of God made visible in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Gospel Matthew 14:13-21

The feeding of the five thousand

When Jesus received the news of John the Baptist’s death he withdrew by boat to a lonely place where they could be by themselves. But the people heard of this and, leaving the towns, went after him on foot. So as he stepped ashore he saw a large crowd; and he took pity on them and healed their sick.
When evening came, the disciples went to him and said, ‘This is a lonely place, and the time has slipped by; so send the people away, and they can go to the villages to buy themselves some food.’ Jesus replied, ‘There is no need for them to go: give them something to eat yourselves.’ But they answered ‘All we have with us is five loaves and two fish.’ ‘Bring them here to me’ he said. He gave orders that the people were to sit down on the grass; then he took the five loaves and the two fish, raised his eyes to heaven and said the blessing. And breaking the loaves handed them to his disciples who gave them to the crowds. They all ate as much as they wanted, and they collected the scraps remaining; twelve baskets full. Those who ate numbered about five thousand men, to say nothing of women and children.

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Come to God, who never disappoints

In today’s first reading, the prophet Isaiah invites us, saying, “Come to the water, all you who are thirsty; even if you have no money, come!” This invitation is for everyone who feels empty and tired. We can approach God as we are, praying honestly and bringing our hunger to Him, rather than seeking fulfilment in what the world offers. Today, in this time of prayer, let us identify the “thirst” that we keep trying to satisfy on our own and listen to God as He invites us to come to Him and receive what we truly need.

In the gospel, Jesus takes the small offering of five loaves and two fish, looks up to heaven, blesses, breaks and gives it to the crowds, until they are all fed, with baskets of leftovers to spare. This shows us that the generous heart of God the Father is at work through the Son. When we place our “little”, whether it be time, resources, love or talents, into God’s hands, He multiplies it for our good and the good of others. Our trust in Him grows as we remember His past faithfulness, and we choose to rely on His love, which will never let us down.

Reflective question:
What are my “five loaves and two fish” today that I can place in Jesus’ hands?

Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD

First reading Jeremiah 26:11-16,24

‘This man has spoken to us in the name of the Lord’

The priests and prophets addressed the officials and all the people, ‘This man deserves to die, since he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears.’
Jeremiah, however, replied to the people as follows:
‘The Lord himself sent me to say all the things you have heard against this Temple and this city. So now amend your behaviour and actions, listen to the voice of the Lord your God: if you do, he will relent and not bring down on you the disaster he has pronounced against you. For myself, I am as you see in your hands. Do whatever you please or think right with me. But be sure of this, that if you put me to death, you will be bringing innocent blood on yourselves, on this city and on its citizens, since the Lord has truly sent me to you to say all these words in your hearing.’
The officials and all the people then said to the priests and prophets, ‘This man does not deserve to die: he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.’
Jeremiah had a protector in Ahikam son of Shaphan, so he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.

Responsorial Psalm 68(69):15-16,30-31,33-34

In your great love, answer me, O God.

Rescue me from sinking in the mud;
save me from my foes.
Save me from the waters of the deep
lest the waves overwhelm me.
Do not let the deep engulf me
nor death close its mouth on me.

As for me in my poverty and pain
let your help, O God, lift me up.
I will praise God’s name with a song;
I will glorify him with thanksgiving.

The poor when they see it will be glad
and God-seeking hearts will revive;
for the Lord listens to the needy
and does not spurn his servants in their chains.

Gospel Matthew 14:1-12

The beheading of John the Baptist

Herod the tetrarch heard about the reputation of Jesus, and said to his court, ‘This is John the Baptist himself; he has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.’
Now it was Herod who had arrested John, chained him up and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife. For John had told him, ‘It is against the Law for you to have her.’ He had wanted to kill him but was afraid of the people, who regarded John as a prophet. Then, during the celebrations for Herod’s birthday, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company, and so delighted Herod that he promised on oath to give her anything she asked. Prompted by her mother she said, ‘Give me John the Baptist’s head, here, on a dish.’ The king was distressed but, thinking of the oaths he had sworn and of his guests, he ordered it to be given her, and sent and had John beheaded in the prison. The head was brought in on a dish and given to the girl, who took it to her mother. John’s disciples came and took the body and buried it; then they went off to tell Jesus.

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Walking John the Baptist’s path

Today’s gospel invites us to think about the important cost of truth and the dangers of a divided heart. Herod is intrigued by John the Baptist’s, message but is hesitant to make real changes. Unfortunately, his pride and rash promise led to John’s death. John represents integrity and the courage to stand firm, while Herod shows that being merely interested, without true repentance, can lead to harmful actions.

Living out discipleship today means following the example of John the Baptist rather than Herod. We must keep Jesus at the centre of our lives, always remembering the importance of prayer and ensuring that our words match our actions. Jesus invites us to speak the truth with courage and to stand firm in our convictions, calling us to a life of repentance. A true disciple of Jesus will not seek to please people, hold onto grudges or make hasty promises. Instead, we need to allow our words and actions to direct others to Christ rather than shine the spotlight on ourselves.

Reflective question:
What truth must I speak or live so that I can be a living witness pointing others to Christ?

Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD

Jeremiah preaches in the Temple of the Lord and is threatened with death

At the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word was addressed to Jeremiah by the Lord, ‘The Lord says this: Stand in the court of the Temple of the Lord. To all the people of the towns of Judah who come to worship in the Temple of the Lord you must speak all the words I have commanded you to tell them; do not omit one syllable. Perhaps they will listen and each turn from his evil way: if so, I shall relent and not bring the disaster on them which I intended for their misdeeds. Say to them, “The Lord says this: If you will not listen to me by following my Law which I put before you, by paying attention to the words of my servants the prophets whom I send so persistently to you, without your ever listening to them, I will treat this Temple as I treated Shiloh, and make this city a curse for all the nations of the earth.”’
The priests and prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah say these words in the Temple of the Lord. When Jeremiah had finished saying everything that the Lord had ordered him to say to all the people, the priests and prophets seized hold of him and said, ‘You shall die! Why have you made this prophecy in the name of the Lord, “This Temple will be like Shiloh, and this city will be desolate, and uninhabited”?’ And the people were all crowding round Jeremiah in the Temple of the Lord.

Responsorial Psalm 68(69):5,8-10,14

In your great love, answer me, O God.

More numerous than the hairs on my head
are those who hate me without cause.
Those who attack me with lies
are too much for my strength.
How can I restore
what I have never stolen?

It is for you that I suffer taunts,
that shame covers my face,
that I have become a stranger to my brothers,
an alien to my own mother’s sons.
I burn with zeal for your house
and taunts against you fall on me.

This is my prayer to you,
my prayer for your favour.
In your great love, answer me, O God,
with your help that never fails.

Gospel Matthew 13:54-58

A prophet is only despised in his own country

Coming to his home town, Jesus taught the people in their synagogue in such a way that they were astonished and said, ‘Where did the man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers? This is the carpenter’s son, surely? Is not his mother the woman called Mary, and his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Jude? His sisters, too, are they not all here with us? So where did the man get it all?’ And they would not accept him. But Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is only despised in his own country and in his own house’, and he did not work many miracles there because of their lack of faith.

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Be open to God’s presence

In today’s Gospel, Jesus returns to His hometown, goes to the synagogue, and begins to teach. His townspeople are amazed at His wisdom and at the stories of His works. Instead of opening their hearts, they close them because they “know” His family, His background, His childhood. They ask, “This is the carpenter’s son, surely?” and they “would not accept Him”, so “He did not work many miracles there because of their lack of faith.”

Familiarity can blind us. We can grow so used to Jesus, the Scripture, the Eucharist, or the people closest to us that we no longer expect God to speak or act through them. Today, Jesus invites us to recognise His presence in people, events and places, and to welcome Him in the ordinary moments of life. Where there is trust and openness, He can work in us and through us.

Reflective question:
Do I allow familiarity to stop me from recognising Jesus at work in my life and in the circumstances around me?

Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD

First reading Jeremiah 18:1-6

When the clay goes wrong, the potter starts afresh

The word that was addressed to Jeremiah by the Lord, ‘Get up and make your way down to the potter’s house; there I shall let you hear what I have to say.’ So I went down to the potter’s house; and there he was, working at the wheel. And whenever the vessel he was making came out wrong, as happens with the clay handled by potters, he would start afresh and work it into another vessel, as potters do. Then this word of the Lord was addressed to me, ‘House of Israel, can not I do to you what this potter does? – it is the Lord who speaks. Yes, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so you are in mine, House of Israel.’

Responsorial Psalm 145(146):2-6

He is happy who is helped by Jacob’s God.

My soul, give praise to the Lord.
I will praise the Lord all my days,
make music to my God while I live.

Put no trust in princes,
In mortal men in whom there is no help.
Take their breath, they return to clay
and their plans that day come to nothing.

He is happy who is helped by Jacob’s God,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
who alone made heaven and earth,
the seas and all they contain.

Gospel Matthew 13:47-53

The fishermen collect the good fish and throw away those that are no use

Jesus said to the crowds: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea that brings in a haul of all kinds. When it is full, the fishermen haul it ashore; then, sitting down, they collect the good ones in a basket and throw away those that are no use. This is how it will be at the end of time: the angels will appear and separate the wicked from the just to throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.
‘Have you understood all this?’ They said, ‘Yes.’ And he said to them, ‘Well then, every scribe who becomes a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out from his storeroom things both new and old.’
When Jesus had finished these parables he left the district.

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In the Potter’s hands

In the first reading, the prophet Jeremiah watches a potter at work. Whenever the clay in the potter’s hands is spoiled, he patiently reshapes it into another vessel. God then says to Jeremiah, “as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so you are in mine.” This message continues to resonate for us today. Our lives, with all our plans and setbacks, are like clay in God’s hands. He is our potter, lovingly shaping us from what is flawed into something beautiful. We need to let ourselves be softened by trusting in Him, rather than letting pride and fear harden our hearts.

In the Gospel, Jesus describes a net that gathers all kinds of fish, both good and bad. There will be sorting at the end, but until then, both types of fish will be in the same net. The message is that God understands our strengths and weaknesses, recognising both the good and the bad in us. He never gives up on us but patiently works in us. Today, let us be like clay in the Potter’s hands, staying open to be moulded according to His purpose.

Reflective question:
In what area of my life is God inviting me to let Him reshape today?

Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD

Let us love one another, since love comes from God

My dear people,
let us love one another
since love comes from God
and everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.
Anyone who fails to love can never have known God,
because God is love.
God’s love for us was revealed
when God sent into the world his only Son
so that we could have life through him;
this is the love I mean:
not our love for God,
but God’s love for us when he sent his Son
to be the sacrifice that takes our sins away.

My dear people,
since God has loved us so much,
we too should love one another.
No one has ever seen God;
but as long as we love one another
God will live in us
and his love will be complete in us.
We can know that we are living in him
and he is living in us
because he lets us share his Spirit.
We ourselves saw and we testify
that the Father sent his Son
as saviour of the world.
If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God,
God lives in him, and he in God.
We ourselves have known and put our faith in
God’s love towards ourselves.
God is love
and anyone who lives in love lives in God,
and God lives in him.

Responsorial Psalm 33(34):2-11

I will bless the Lord at all times.
or
Taste and see that the Lord is good.

I will bless the Lord at all times,
his praise always on my lips;
in the Lord my soul shall make its boast.
The humble shall hear and be glad.

Glorify the Lord with me.
Together let us praise his name.
I sought the Lord and he answered me;
from all my terrors he set me free.

Look towards him and be radiant;
let your faces not be abashed.
This poor man called, the Lord heard him
and rescued him from all his distress.

The angel of the Lord is encamped
around those who revere him, to rescue them.
Taste and see that the Lord is good.
He is happy who seeks refuge in him.

Revere the Lord, you his saints.
They lack nothing, those who revere him.
Strong lions suffer want and go hungry
but those who seek the Lord lack no blessing.

Gospel John 11:19-27

I am the resurrection and the life

Many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to sympathise with them over their brother. When Martha heard that Jesus had come she went to meet him. Mary remained sitting in the house. Martha said to Jesus, ‘If you had been here, my brother would not have died, but I know that, even now, whatever you ask of God, he will grant you.’ ‘Your brother’ said Jesus to her ‘will rise again.’ Martha said, ‘I know he will rise again at the resurrection on the last day.’ Jesus said:

‘I am the resurrection and the life.
If anyone believes in me, even though he dies he will live,
and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.
Do you believe this?’

‘Yes, Lord,’ she said ‘I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, the one who was to come into this world.’

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Bethany, the house of friendship

In the first reading, St John reminds us that “whoever lives in love lives in God, and God lives in them.” God’s home is not a building, but it is found in relationships. Wherever there is love, God is present. Today, we celebrate the Feast of the three siblings, Martha, Mary and Lazarus. Their home in Bethany is a place where Jesus feels at home due to their love and friendship. If we choose to love, our lives can also become “Bethany,” where Jesus feels at home.

In the Gospel, Jesus goes to Bethany after Lazarus has died. Martha goes out to meet Jesus and expresses her pain and her hope honestly, saying, “If you had been here, my brother would not have died, but I know that, even now, whatever you ask of God, he will grant you.” Despite her grief, she stays in dialogue with Jesus. In that conversation, Jesus reveals Himself by stating, “I am the resurrection and the life.” Like Martha, we can talk to Jesus honestly when we feel disappointed and sad. Jesus always meets us where we are, helping to deepen our faith and guiding us to a mature declaration of “Lord, I believe”, even amid the challenges of our lives.

Reflective question:
How can my life be a place where Jesus is welcomed and loved?

Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD

First reading Jeremiah 14:17-22

We confess our wickedness; you, God, are our hope

The Lord said to me:

Say this word to the people:
‘Tears flood my eyes
night and day, unceasingly,
since a crushing blow falls on the daughter of my people,
a most grievous injury.
If I go into the countryside,
there lie men killed by the sword;
if I go into the city,
I see people sick with hunger;
even prophets and priests
plough the land: they are at their wit’s end.’

‘Have you rejected Judah altogether?
Does your very soul revolt at Zion?
Why have you struck us down without hope of cure?
We were hoping for peace – no good came of it!
For the moment of cure – nothing but terror!
Lord, we do confess our wickedness
and our fathers’ guilt:
we have indeed sinned against you.
For your name’s sake do not reject us,
do not dishonour the throne of your glory.
Remember us; do not break your covenant with us.
Can any of the pagan Nothings make it rain?
Can the heavens produce showers?
No, it is you, Lord.
O our God, you are our hope,
since it is you who do all this.’

Responsorial Psalm 78(79):8-9,11,13

Rescue us, O Lord, for the glory of your name.

Do not hold the guilt of our fathers against us.
Let your compassion hasten to meet us;
we are left in the depths of distress.

O God our saviour, come to our help.
Come for the sake of the glory of your name.
O Lord our God, forgive us our sins;
rescue us for the sake of your name.

Let the groans of the prisoners come before you;
let your strong arm reprieve those condemned to die.
But we, your people, the flock of your pasture,
will give you thanks for ever and ever.
We will tell your praise from age to age.

Gospel Matthew 13:36-43

As the darnel is gathered up and burnt, so it will be at the end of time

Leaving the crowds, Jesus went to the house; and his disciples came to him and said, ‘Explain the parable about the darnel in the field to us.’ He said in reply, ‘The sower of the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world; the good seed is the subjects of the kingdom; the darnel, the subjects of the evil one; the enemy who sowed them, the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; the reapers are the angels. Well then, just as the darnel is gathered up and burnt in the fire, so it will be at the end of time. The Son of Man will send his angels and they will gather out of his kingdom all things that provoke offences and all who do evil, and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth. Then the virtuous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Listen, anyone who has ears!’

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Patient love

In today’s Gospel, Jesus’ disciples ask him to explain the parable about the weeds and the wheat growing together in a field. Jesus explains this to show that God’s love is patient and kind.

Today, we see signs of evil (weeds) growing alongside goodness (wheat) in our hearts, in the Church, in families, and in society. We observe generosity and selfishness, honesty and lies, compassion and indifference. We often wish that all evil would end and love would reign now, and hope that God would remove all weeds once and for all. Jesus reminds us that God is patient. He is not indifferent to the realities in us and around us. He does not rush, as He always gives time for conversion. Today, let us focus on being good seeds in the places where we are, and humbly ask God to help us remove the weeds from our own hearts so that we can grow in love and become signs of His Kingdom in the midst of this wounded world.

Reflective question:
When I see “wheat and weeds” in my own life and in the lives of others, how is God calling me to be patient instead of feeling discouraged?

Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD

First reading Jeremiah 13:1-11

Let this evil people become good for nothing

The Lord said this to me, ‘Go and buy a linen loincloth and put it round your waist. But do not dip it in water.’ And so, as the Lord had ordered, I bought a loincloth and put it round my waist. A second time the word of the Lord was spoken to me, ‘Take the loincloth that you have bought and are wearing round your waist; up! Go to the Euphrates and hide it in a hole in the rock.’ So I went and hid it near the Euphrates as the Lord had ordered me. Many days afterwards the Lord said to me, ‘Get up and go to the Euphrates and fetch the loincloth I ordered you to hide there.’ So I went to the Euphrates, and I searched, and I took the loincloth from the place where I had hidden it. The loincloth was spoilt, good for nothing. Then the word of the Lord was addressed to me, ‘Thus says the Lord: In the same way I will spoil the arrogance of Judah and Jerusalem. This evil people who refuse to listen to my words, who follow the dictates of their own hard hearts, who have followed alien gods, and served them and worshipped them, let them become like this loincloth, good for nothing. For just as a loincloth clings to a man’s waist, so I had intended the whole House of Judah to cling to me – it is the Lord who speaks – to be my people, my glory, my honour and my boast. But they have not listened.’

Responsorial Psalm Deuteronomy 32:18-21

You forget the God who fathered you.

You forget the Rock who begot you,
unmindful now of the God who fathered you.
The Lord has seen this, and in his anger
cast off his sons and his daughters.

‘I shall hide my face from them,’ he says
‘and see what becomes of them.
For they are a deceitful brood,
children with no loyalty in them.

‘They have roused me to jealousy with what is no god,
they have angered me with their beings of nothing;
I, then, will rouse them to jealousy with what is no people,
I will anger them with an empty-headed nation.’

Gospel Matthew 13:31-35

The smallest of all seeds grows into the biggest shrub of all

Jesus put a parable before the crowds: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the biggest shrub of all and becomes a tree so that the birds of the air come and shelter in its branches.’
He told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like the yeast a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour till it was leavened all through.’
In all this Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables; indeed, he would never speak to them except in parables. This was to fulfil the prophecy:

I will speak to you in parables
and expound things hidden since the foundation of the world.

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Mustard seed and yeast

In today’s Gospel, Jesus uses the images of a mustard seed and yeast to explain the Kingdom of God. Both the mustard seed and the yeast start small and hidden, but they have the inner power to grow quietly until they change everything around them. The small mustard seed grows into a large tree, and the yeast makes the dough rise.

In a world that often values big achievements and immediate impact, God chooses to act through small acts, such as unnoticed acts of kindness, quiet service, and simple words of encouragement. In His hands, these ordinary acts carry His life and love. Today, we are invited to collaborate with God, planting seeds of goodness in all that we do and say. We trust that God will make these seeds grow.

Reflective question:
How does Jesus’ parable of the mustard seed and yeast invite me to see that small and ordinary efforts of love matter?

Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD

First reading 1 Kings 3:5,7-12

Solomon chooses the gift of wisdom

The Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream and said, ‘Ask what you would like me to give you.’ Solomon replied, ‘O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in succession to David my father. But I am a very young man, unskilled in leadership. Your servant finds himself in the midst of this people of yours that you have chosen, a people so many its number cannot be counted or reckoned. Give your servant a heart to understand how to discern between good and evil, for who could govern this people of yours that is so great?’ It pleased the Lord that Solomon should have asked for this. ‘Since you have asked for this’ the Lord said ‘and not asked for long life for yourself or riches or the lives of your enemies, but have asked for a discerning judgement for yourself, here and now I do what you ask. I give you a heart wise and shrewd as none before you has had and none will have after you.’

Responsorial Psalm 118(119):57,72,76-77,127-130

Lord, how I love your law!

My part, I have resolved, O Lord,
is to obey your word.
The law from your mouth means more to me
than silver and gold.

Let your love be ready to console me
by your promise to your servant.
Let your love come and I shall live
for your law is my delight.

That is why I love your commands
more than finest gold,
why I rule my life by your precepts,
and hate false ways.

Your will is wonderful indeed;
therefore I obey it.
The unfolding of your word gives light
and teaches the simple.

Second reading Romans 8:28-30

Those he called, he justified

We know that by turning everything to their good, God co-operates with all those who love him, with all those he has called according to his purpose. They are the ones he chose specially long ago and intended to become true images of his Son, so that his Son might be the eldest of many brothers. He called those he intended for this; those he called he justified, and with those he justified he shared his glory.

Gospel Matthew 13:44-52

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.
‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a dragnet cast into the sea that brings in a haul of all kinds. When it is full, the fishermen haul it ashore; then, sitting down, they collect the good ones in a basket and throw away those that are no use. This is how it will be at the end of time: the angels will appear and separate the wicked from the just to throw them into the blazing furnace where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.
‘Have you understood all this?’ They said, ‘Yes.’ And he said to them, ‘Well then, every scribe who becomes a disciple of the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out from his storeroom things both new and old.’

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Treasure

Today’s three readings invite us to reflect on our true treasure and how we live for it. In the first reading taken from the book of Kings, God invites King Solomon to ask for anything. Solomon responds, “Give your servant a heart to understand how to discern between good and evil…” Instead of asking for long life, wealth or victory, Solomon’s true treasure is his desire for wisdom to discern God’s will rather than seeking personal gain. In the second reading from Romans, St Paul states that we are chosen and called to “become true images of His Son.” God’s purpose is to shape and mould us to be like Christ, which is His treasure in us. Today, let us seek God and His wisdom as our true treasure, so that we can become more like Christ.

In the Gospel, Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a hidden treasure in a field and a precious pearl. In the parable, the man and the merchant joyfully sell everything they have to own it. Let us be aware that we have God’s treasure in us. The daily invitation is to rearrange everything else our possessions, time, and plans- around it.

Reflective question:
What can I give up to gain greater awareness of God’s treasure within me and live a life centred around it?

Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD

First reading 2 Corinthians 4:7-15

Such an overwhelming power comes from God and not from us

We are only the earthenware jars that hold this treasure, to make it clear that such an overwhelming power comes from God and not from us. We are in difficulties on all sides, but never cornered; we see no answer to our problems, but never despair; we have been persecuted, but never deserted; knocked down, but never killed; always, wherever we may be, we carry with us in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus, too, may always be seen in our body. Indeed, while we are still alive, we are consigned to our death every day, for the sake of Jesus, so that in our mortal flesh the life of Jesus, too, may be openly shown. So death is at work in us, but life in you.
But as we have the same spirit of faith that is mentioned in scripture – I believed, and therefore I spoke – we too believe and therefore we too speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus to life will raise us with Jesus in our turn, and put us by his side and you with us. You see, all this is for your benefit, so that the more grace is multiplied among people, the more thanksgiving there will be, to the glory of God.

Responsorial Psalm 125(126):1-6

Those who are sowing in tears will sing when they reap.

When the Lord delivered Zion from bondage,
it seemed like a dream.
Then was our mouth filled with laughter,
on our lips there were songs.

The heathens themselves said: ‘What marvels
the Lord worked for them!’
What marvels the Lord worked for us!
Indeed we were glad.

Deliver us, O Lord, from our bondage
as streams in dry land.
Those who are sowing in tears
will sing when they reap.

They go out, they go out, full of tears,
carrying seed for the sowing:
they come back, they come back, full of song,
carrying their sheaves.

Gospel Matthew 20:20-28

‘Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?’

The mother of the sons of Zebedee came to Jesus with her sons to make a request of him, and bowed low; and he said to her, ‘What is it you want?’ She said to him, ‘Promise that these two sons of mine may sit one at your right hand and the other at your left in your kingdom.’ ‘You do not know what you are asking’ Jesus answered. ‘Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?’ They replied, ‘We can.’ ‘Very well,’ he said ‘you shall drink my cup, but as for seats at my right hand and my left, these are not mine to grant; they belong to those to whom they have been allotted by my Father.’
When the other ten heard this they were indignant with the two brothers. But Jesus called them to him and said, ‘You know that among the pagans the rulers lord it over them, and their great men make their authority felt. This is not to happen among you. No; anyone who wants to be great among you must be your servant, and anyone who wants to be first among you must be your slave, just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.’

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Treasure in earthenware

St Paul in the first reading of today states, “We are only the earthenware jars that hold this treasure, to make it clear that such an overwhelming power comes from God and not from us.” We need to recognise that our lives are like fragile earthenware jars – clay pots that are easily chipped and broken. These earthenware jars symbolise our weaknesses, failures, sufferings and limitations. However, this is precisely where God wants His power and love to shine. God does not wait for perfect vessels. He is happy to place the treasure of His life inside our fragility. This way, others can see that the strength and courage in us come from Him, and not from our own willpower or perfection.

In the Gospel, James and John ask Jesus for the places of honour. Jesus responds by saying, “Anyone who wants to be great among you must be your servant.” For Jesus, true greatness is not about power or status, but service. We are called to follow the footsteps of our Master by placing ourselves at the service of others. Let us find contentment in being God’s earthenware, reflecting His presence and love to those around us.

Reflective question:
Today, how can I intentionally choose to serve humbly instead of seeking recognition?

Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD