FIRST READING
“Like the clay in the potter ’s hand, so are you in my hand. ”
A reading from the Book of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 18: I -6)
The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do. Then the word of the Lone came to me: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? says the Loan. Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.”
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm146:1b-2.3-4.5-6ab (R. 5a)
R/. Blessed is he who is helped by Jacob’s God.
Or: Alleluia.
My soul, give praise to the Lord;
I will praise the Lord all my life,
sing praise to my God while I live. R.
Put no trust in princes,
in mortal man who cannot save.
Take their breath, they return to the earth,
and their plans that day come to nothing. R.
Blessed is he who is helped by Jacob’s God;
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
who made the heavens and the earth,
the seas and all they contain. R.
ALLELUIA See Acts 15:14b
Alleluia. Open our hearts, O Lord, that we may give heed to the words of your Son. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
“They sorted the good into vessels but threw away the bad.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Matthew13:47-53)
At that time: Jesus said to the crowds, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net which was thrown into the sea and gathered fish of every kind; when it was full, men drew it ashore and sat down and sorted the good into vessels but threw away the bad. So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous, and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and quashing of teeth. “Have you understood all this?” They said to him, “Yes.” And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.” And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Today’s Reflection
God continues to assure the people of Israel of his unfailing love and fidelity. He did everything possible to win their trust. He is like the potter and they are the clay. He is always prepared to give them the shape that will conform them to his will, even though with great difficulty. He does the same to us and to all those who believe and trust in him, especially when we are prepared to change our ways.