Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection July 26, 2024
Sixteenth Week of Ordinary Time
26th July 2024 (Friday)
Psalter: Week 4
Reading of the Day
First Reading: Jeremiah 3:14-17
Return, O faithless children, declares the Lord; for I am your master; I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Sion. And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. And when you have multiplied and been fruitful in the land, in those days, declares the Lord, they shall no more say, “The ark of the covenant of the Lord.” It shall not come to mind or be remembered or missed; it shall not be made again. At that time Jerusalem shall be called the throne of the Lord, and all nations shall gather to it, to the presence of the Lord in Jerusalem, and they shall no more stubbornly follow their own evil heart.
Jeremiah 31:10, 11-12ab, 13 (R. see 10d)
R/. The Lord will keep us, as a shepherd keeps his flock.
Gospel Acclamation
V/. Alleluia
R/. Alleluia
V/. Blessed are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.
R/. Alleluia.
Gospel : Matthew 13:18-23
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
Daily Gospel Reflection
Friday – Sixteenth Week of Ordinary Time
Guidelines: The domination of evil and the subordination of good often may lead us to desperation. This situation may shake our faith and our hope as well. But let us not lose heart or hope
1. 26 July is the commemoration of Sts Ann and Joachim, the parents of our sweetest Mother Mary and the grandparents of Jesus. Many religious women congregations hold Ann as their patron and thus this day is a big celebration for them.
2. Today it is not only a religious function of patronal celebration. Rather it is a celebration of every parent and grandparent as Ann and Joachim are the patron saints of grandparents. Accordingly, their greatness lies in their quality of parenting Mary. If Mary, apart from her divine motherhood, could become an icon of virtue, grown in the fear of God and goodness toward others, a large credit goes to her parents. They themselves were models of devotion and kindness.
3. Today we can draw lessons for the present-day parents and parenting from the example of Ann and Joachim and in the light of the readings of the day. Though the context of the first reading is a context of desolation and distress of the people, it can also very well indicate the mental situation of many parents and grandparents.
4. They have every reason to weep and lament. Their tears do not cease and they are shattered with a great wound, with a very grievous blow. It is because the weeds of evil seem to dominate and choke the growth of the good seeds. Often children and youth experience this suffocation of the good.
5. We hear in the gospel that the enemy quietly goes in the night and plants the weeds amidst the seeds. In the same way, often in modern society, the growth and the spread of evil is also very subtle in disguised forms and justified excuses.
6. In such a context of wild growth of the weeds, Sts Ann and Joachim show us the right type of response and reaction. When their children are surrounded by the force and influence of weeds, what a sound parenting should do and how to react? There can be different ways of action. We can become angry, annoyed, agitated, and violent. We may be so disappointed and dissipated and distressed.
7. We may be frightened and live in constant tension, anxiety, confusion, and uncertainty. We may lose interest, give up our due effort and trouble and become indifferent. We may also begin to blame and criticize others. We may also blame God that He is not bothered and not acting in our favour. We may blame God saying that He has no sense of social justice and responsibility.
8. But good parenting does not fall into any of these approaches. Instead, it takes the approach of God. As soon as the weeds come up, He is not in a hurry to remove all weeds. He waits patiently till the harvest time. He continues to offer us so many opportunities so that we realize and repent over our sinfulness. As in the first reading, we need to acknowledge our wickedness. We need to plead for God’s mercy: “do not spurn us … do not dishonor your throne … do not break your covenant with us”, and “set our hope on Him”.
9. With this deep trust in God’s ways, we shall also assume personal responsibility. It is our duty to identify the weeds, to diligently cultivate and care for the good seeds, and to eradicate from time to time the weeds in us and also the weeds in and around us.
Practice: Problems in life do not get solved by violence or unhealthy criticism. In the face of precarious and pernicious situations, we need to be immensely patient and honestly self-responsible
