July 1
Tuesday

13th Week in Ordinary Time
Bl. Junipero Serra
 

First Reading: Am 3:1-8; 4:11-12

Hear this word which Yahweh speaks against you, people of Israel, against the whole family which he brought up from the land of Egypt.
"Only you have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will call you to account for all your wrongdoings."
Do two walk together unless they have agreed?
Does a lion roar in the forest when it has no prey? Does a young lion growl in its den unless it has seized something?
Does a bird get caught in a snare if the snare has not been baited?
Does a tiger spring up from the ground unless it has caught something?
If a trumpet sounds in a city, will the people not be frightened?
If disaster strikes a city, has not Yahweh caused it? Yet Yahweh does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants, the prophets. If the lion roars, who will not be afraid? If Yahweh speaks, who will not prophesy?
"I overthrew you, a divine punishment, as happened to Sodom and Gomorrah; you were like a brand snatched from the blaze, yet you never returned to me," says Yahweh.
"Therefore I will deal with you in my own way, Israel, and since I will do this to you, prepare, Israel, to meet your God!"
 

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 5:4b-6a, 6b-7, 8
Lead me into your justice, Lord.
 

Second Reading: Mt 8:23-27

Jesus got into the boat and his disciples followed him. Without warning a fierce storm hit the lake, with waves sweeping the boat. But Jesus was asleep.
They woke him and cried, "Lord save us! We are lost!" But Jesus answered, "Why are you so afraid, you of little faith?" Then he stood up and ordered the wind and sea; and it became completely calm.
The people were astonished. They said, "What kind of man is he? Even the winds and the sea obey him."

Gospel Reading: Mt 8:23-27
 

The shepherds came hurriedly and found Mary and Joseph with the baby lying in the manger. On seeing this they related what they had been told about the child, and all were astonished on hearing the shepherds.
As for Mary, she treasured all these messages and continually pondered over them.
The shepherds then returned giving glory and praise to God for all they had heard and seen, just as the angels had told them.
On the eighth day the circumcision of the baby had to be performed; he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.
 

Commentary
The image of the boat being tossed and turned by the winds and rain is very much an image of the Church. The Church is the refuge from the storm, without which we would perish. And even though the boat may be rocked by world events or even by scandal from within, we know that the Lord Jesus is within the boat, and that He will make sure that none be lost, for He desires that all be saved.
May we stay on board the ship of faith that is the Church. With the Lord as its captain, is there any doubt that we will reach the heavenly harbor?
 

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July 2
Wednesday

13th Week in Ordinary Time
 

First Reading: Am 5:14-15, 21-24

Seek good and shun evil, that you may live. Then Yahweh, the God of hosts, as you have claimed, will be with you.
Hate wickedness and love virtue, and let justice prevail in the courts; perhaps Yahweh, the God of hosts, will take pity on the remnant of Joseph.
I hate, I reject your feasts, I take no pleasure when you assemble to offer me your burnt offerings. Your cereal offerings, I will not accept! Your offerings of fattened beasts, I will not look upon!
Away with the noise of your chanting, away with your strumming on harps. But let justice run its course like water, and righteousness be like an ever-flowing river.
 

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 50:7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13, 16bc-17
To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
 

Gospel Reading: Mt 8:28-34

When Jesus reached Gadara on the other side, he was met by two demoniacs who came out from the tombs. They were so fierce that no one dared to pass that way. Suddenly they shouted, "What do you want with us, you, Son of God? Have you come to torture us before the time?"
At some distance away there was a large herd of pigs feeding. So the demons begged him, "If you drive us out, send us into that herd of pigs."
Jesus ordered them, "Go." So they left and went into the pigs. The whole herd rushed down the cliff into the lake and drowned.
The men in charge of them ran off to the town, where they told the whole story, also what had happened to the men possessed with the demons. Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their area.
 

Commentary
In this disturbing story, Jesus threatens the status quo of the town of Gadara. His impressive miracle upsets the routine and the livelihood of the place, and they beg Him to leave.
It has been said that Jesus comes both to comfort the afflicted and to afflict the comfortable. We might resist a particular teaching of Jesus because it will demand too great a change of us. We might be the comfortable ones who are afflicted by the challenging words of Jesus. May God's grace help us to open ourselves more and more each day to the will of God.

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July 3
Thursday

13th Week in Ordinary Time
Thomas

First Reading: Eph 2:19-22

Now you are no longer strangers or guests, but fellow citizens of the holy people: you are of?the household of God. You are the house whose foundations are the apostles and prophets, and whose cornerstone is Christ Jesus. In him the whole structure is joined together and rises to be a holy temple in the Lord. In him you too are being built to become the spiritual sanctuary of God.

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 117:1bc, 2
Go out to all the world and tell the Good News.
 

Gospel Reading: Jn 20:24-29

Thomas, the Twin, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he replied, "Until I have seen in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe."
Eight days later, the disciples were inside again and Thomas was with them. Despite the locked doors Jesus came and stood in their midst and said, "Peace be with you." Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands; stretch out your hand and put it into my side. Resist no longer and be a believer."
Thomas then said, "You are my Lord and my God." Jesus replied, "You believe because you see me, don't you? Happy are those who have not seen and believe."

Commentary
Though at first he doubted, St. Thomas would be convinced by the presence of the Risen Lord. His words would become ours as we behold the Lord Jesus in the Holy Eucharist and exclaim, in faith, "My Lord and my God!"
The presence of the Lord in the Holy Eucharist is indeed one of peace, one that gives comfort to our souls and renews our strength to serve Him. We are truly blessed, for though our eyes have never seen Him, the gift of faith affords us access to His holy presence.

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July 4
Friday

13th Week in Ordinary Time
Elizabeth of Portugal

First Reading: Am 8:4-6, 9-12

Hear this, you who trample on the needy to do away with the weak of the land. You who say, "When will the new moon or the sabbath feast be over that we may open the store and sell our grain? Let us lower the measure and raise the price; let us cheat and tamper with the scales, and even sell the refuse with the whole grain. We will buy up the poor for money and the needy for a pair of sandals."
Yahweh says, "On that day I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight.
"I will turn your festivals into mourning and all your singing into wailing. Everyone will mourn, covered with sackcloth and every head will be shaved. I will make them mourn as for an only son and bring their day to a bitter end."
Yahweh says, "Days are coming when I will send famine upon the land, not hunger for bread or thirst for water, but for hearing the word of Yahweh.
"Men will stagger from sea to sea, wander to and fro, from north to east, searching for the word of Yahweh, but they will not find it."

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 119:2, 10, 20, 30, 40, 131
One does not live by bread alone,
but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
 

Gospel Reading: Mt 9:9-13
 

As Jesus moved on, he saw a man named Matthew at his seat in the customhouse, and he said to him, "Follow me." And Matthew got up and followed him. Now it happened, while Jesus was at table in Matthew's house, many tax collectors and other sinners joined Jesus and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this they said to his disciples, "Why is it that your master eats with those sinners and tax collectors?"
When Jesus heard this he said, "Healthy people do not need a doctor, but sick people do. Go and find out what this means: What I want is mercy, not sacrifice. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners."

Commentary
Jesus' invitation struck St. Matthew to the core, and caused within him a change that not even his closest friends could have ever predicted. From a world filled with trickery and greed, St. Matthew emerged as one who would call other people to a life of integrity and simplicity of life, following in the footsteps of the Lord Jesus, who became poor so that we might become incredibly wealthy.
May we, like St. Matthew, be wise enough to respond generously to the Lord's life-changing invitation to follow Him along the path of everlasting life.

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July 5
Saturday

13th Week in Ordinary Time
Anthony Mary Zaccaria

First Reading: Am 9:11-15

"On that day I shall restore the fallen hut of David and wall up its breaches and raise its ruined walls and so build it as in days of old.
"They shall conquer the remnant of Edom and the neighboring nations upon which my name has been called." Thus says Yahweh, the one who will do this.
Yahweh says also, "The days are coming when the plowman will overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes overtake the sower. The mountains shall drip sweet wine and all the hills shall melt.
"I shall bring back the exiles of my people Israel; they will rebuild the desolate cities and dwell in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will have orchards and eat their fruit. ?I shall plant them in their own country and they shall never again be rooted up from the land which I have given them," says Yahweh your God.
 

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 85:9ab and 10, 11-12, 13-14
The Lord speaks of peace to his people.

Gospel Reading: Mt 9:14-17
 

The disciples of John came to him with the question, "How is it that we and the Pharisees fast on many occasions, but not your disciples?"
Jesus answered them, "How can you expect wedding guests to mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? Time will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, then they will fast.
"No one patches an old coat with a piece of unshrunken cloth, for the patch will shrink and tear an even bigger hole in the coat. Besides you don't put new wine in old wineskins. If you do, the wineskins will burst and the wine be spilt. No, you put new wine in fresh skins; then both are preserved."

Commentary
Just as fresh wine requires new wineskins, so does the Good News of Jesus require the right kind of vessels. Through the Sacrament of Baptism, we are remade. We are, in fact, reborn so as to be made capable of containing the fullness of grace that God intends for us.
May we always be conscious of the great gift that God gives to us through baptism, the sacrament that remits original sin and configures us to the Lord Jesus, thus giving us access to the "new wine" of the Kingdom of God.

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July 6
Sunday

14th Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading: Zec 9:9-10

Thus says the Lord: Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion!
Shout for joy, daughter of Jerusalem!
For your king is coming, just and victorious,
humble and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
No more chariots in Ephraim,
no more horses in Jerusalem,
for he will do away with them.
The warrior's bow shall be broken when he dictates peace
to the nations.
He will reign from sea to sea,
and from the River to the ends of the earth.

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 145:1-2, 8-9, 10-11, 13-14
I will praise your name for ever, my King and my God.
 

Second Reading: Rom 8:9, 11-13
 

Brothers and sisters, your existence is not in the flesh, but in the spirit, because the Spirit of God is within you. If you did not have the Spirit of Christ, you would not belong to him.
And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is within you, He who raised Jesus Christ from among the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies. Yes, he will do it through his Spirit who dwells within you.
Then, brothers, let us leave the flesh and no longer live according to it. If not, we will die. Rather, walking in the Spirit, let us put to death the body's deeds so that we may live.

Gospel Reading: Mt 11:25-30
 

On one occasion Jesus said, "Father, Lord of heaven and earth, I praise you, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to simple people. Yes, Father, this is what pleased you.
"Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
"Come to me, all you who work hard and who carry heavy burdens and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble of heart; and you will find rest. For my yoke is good and my burden is light."

Commentary
What joy these words of Jesus bring to our souls, especially when we are going through difficult times. "Come to me," Jesus says, especially when you are world-weary, anxious or heavily-burdened. "Come to me," Jesus says, and find the peace that this world cannot bring.
Jesus knows the difficulties that we face in this life, and He stands ready to help us to bear these difficult crosses. When we turn to Him in our times of trial we find that the Lord keeps His promises, and that He never leaves His faithful ones disappointed.
 

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July 7
Monday

14th Week in Ordinary Time
 

First Reading: Hos 2:16, 17c-18, 21-22

Thus says Yahweh: So I am going to allure her, lead her once more into the desert, where I can speak to her tenderly.
Then I will give back her vineyards, make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she will answer me as in her youth, as when she came out of the land of Egypt.
On that day, Yahweh says, you will call me my husband, and never again: my Baal.
You will be my spouse forever, betrothed in justice and integrity; we will be united in love and tenderness. I will espouse you in faithfulness and you will come to know Yahweh.
 

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 145:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9
The Lord is gracious and merciful.
 

Gospel Reading: Mt 9:18-26

While Jesus was speaking, an official of the synagogue came up to him, bowed before him and said, "My daughter has just died, but come and place your hands on her, and she will live." Jesus stood up and followed him with his disciples.
Then a woman who had suffered from a severe bleeding for twelve years came up from behind and touched the edge of his cloak. For she thought, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed." Jesus turned, saw her and said, "Courage, my daughter, your faith has saved you." And from that moment the woman was cured.
When Jesus arrived at the official's house and saw the flute players and the excited crowd, he said, "Get out of here! The girl is not dead. She is only sleeping!" And they laughed at him. But once the crowd had been turned out, Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand, and she stood up. The news of this spread through the whole area.
 

Commentary
Just as Jesus reached out His hand and brought the dead girl back to life, so too does He extend his renewing and life-giving touch to those who are dead to sin and suffering the corruption and decay that comes from living too far away from God. Jesus reconciles us poor sinners to the Father by the blood of the cross, and in so doing brings us back to life.
Through His hands, extended upon the cross, we have life and we have it to the full. Those same hands continue to touch us through the sacraments of the Church.

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July 8
Tuesday

14th Week in Ordinary Time

First Reading: Hos 8:4-7, 11-13

Thus says Yahweh: Without my approval they set up kings and without my blessing appointed leaders. With their silver and gold they fashioned idols to their own ruin.
To me, Samaria, your calf is loathsome and my anger blazes against you. How long will you remain defiled? The calf is yours, Israel, a craftsman has made it; it is not God and will be broken into pieces. As they sow the wind, they will reap the whirlwind. Like the erect ear of corn they will bear no grain and produce no flour, or if they do, foreigners will devour it.
Ephraim built many altars but his altars made him more guilty. I wrote out for him the numerous precepts of my Law, but they look on them as coming from foreigners.
They offer sacrifices to me because they are those who eat the meat, but Yahweh does not accept their sacrifices for he is mindful of their sin and remembers their wickedness. They will return to Egypt.

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 115:3-4, 5-6, 7ab-8, 9-10
The house of Israel trusts in the Lord.
 

Gospel Reading: Mt 9:32-38
 

Some people brought to Jesus a man who was dumb because he was possessed by a demon. When the demon was driven out, the dumb man began to speak. The crowds were astonished and said, "Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel." (But the Pharisees said, "He drives away demons with the help of the prince of demons.")
Jesus went around all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom, and he cured every sickness and disease. When he saw the crowds he was moved with pity, for they were harassed and helpless like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is abundant but the workers are only few. Ask the master of the harvest to send workers to gather his harvest."

Commentary
Jesus' heart was stirred to deep pity when He looked upon the vast crowds who longed for relief from their burdens. Some of the sick He would cure physically, but all would go away healed in a deeper way: healed of their cynicism, their despair, their doubt.
Whatever our problem might be, Jesus is the solution. When we draw near to Him we find healing and grace, and we find that our lives take on great significance. The Lord who looked upon those crowds with pity continues to look upon us with love.
 

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July 9
Wednesday

14th Week in Ordinary Time
Augustine Zhao Rong

First Reading: Hos 10:1-3, 7-8, 12

Israel was a spreading vine, rich in fruit. The more his fruit increased, the more altars he built; the more his land prospered, the more he adorned his sacred stones.
Their heart is divided! They shall pay for it. Their altars will be thrown down and their sacred stones broken to pieces.
Now they say, "We have no king (because we have no fear of God) and what good would a king do us?"
As for the king of Samaria, he has been carried off like foam on water.
The idolatrous high places-the sin of Israel-will be destroyed. Thorn and thistle will creep over the altars. Then they will say to the mountains: "Cover us," and to the hills: "Fall on us."
Plow new ground, sow for yourselves justice and reap the harvest of kindness. It is the time to go seeking Yahweh until he comes to rain salvation on you.

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 105:2-3, 4-5, 6-7
Seek always the face of the Lord.
 

Gospel Reading: Mt 10:1-7
 

Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority over the unclean spirits to drive them out and to heal every disease and sickness.
These are the names of the twelve apostles: first Simon, called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew, the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon, the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, the man who would betray him.
Jesus sent these twelve on mission with the instruction: "Do not visit pagan territory and do not enter a Samaritan town. Go instead to the lost sheep of the people of Israel.
"Go and proclaim this message: The kingdom of heaven is near."

Commentary
The apostles charged with the task of proclaiming the Kingdom were not all of the same mold. Some were fishermen and another was a tax collector. Some were learned and others were simple. Some were zealous for political change, others were young and still learning their way.
Jesus called each of the apostles for a reason, just as He has a purpose for calling each of us. In our own way, using the gifts that God has given to us, we all have a unique role to play in the proclamation of the Kingdom of God.

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July 10
Thursday

14th Week in Ordinary Time

First Reading: Hos 11:1-4, 8e-9

I loved Israel when he was a child; out of Egypt I called my son. But the more I have called, the further have they gone from me-sacrificing to the Baals, burning incense to the idols.
Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; yet little did they realize that it was I who cared for them. I led them with cords of human kindness, with leading strings of love, and I became for them as one who eases the yoke upon their neck and stoops down to feed them.
How can I give you up, Ephraim? Can I abandon you like Admah or make you like Zeboiim? My heart is troubled within me and I am moved with compassion. I will not give vent to my great anger; I will not return to destroy Ephraim for I am God and not human. I am the Holy One in your midst and I do not want to come to you in anger.

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 80:2ac and 3b, 15-16
Let us see your face, Lord, and we shall be saved.
 

Gospel Reading: Mt 10:7-15
 

Jesus said to his disciples, "Go and proclaim this message: The kingdom of heaven is near. Heal the sick, bring the dead back to life, cleanse the lepers, and drive out demons. You received this as a gift, so give it as a gift. Do not carry any gold, silver or copper in your purses. Do not carry a traveler's bag, or an extra shirt, or sandals, or walking stick: workers deserve their living.
"When you come to a town or a village, look for a worthy person and stay there until you leave.
"As you enter the house, wish it peace. If the people in the house deserve it, your peace will be on them; if they do not deserve it, your blessing will come back to you.
"And if you are not welcomed and your words are not listened to, leave that house or that town and shake the dust off your feet. I assure you, it will go easier for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than it will for the people of that town."

Commentary
Why were the disciples told not to wear sandals? In the time of Jesus, the roads were sufficiently smooth so that a traveler would not need to wear sandals. But in case a brigand would force a traveler off the road, he would need sandals to protect his feet against the sharp rocks. In commanding them not to wear sandals, Jesus invites His disciples to trust in Him. They are doing His will, and so they have no need to fear. The Lord Himself will be their protection and strength.
So it is today. When we walk along the path of life, we need not fear.

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July 11
Friday

14th Week in Ordinary Time
Benedict

First Reading: Hos 14:2-10

Thus says Yahweh: Return to your God Yahweh, O Israel! Your sins have caused your downfall. Return to Yahweh with humble words. Say to him, "Oh you who show compassion to the fatherless forgive our debt, be appeased. Instead of bulls and sacrifices, accept the praise from our lips. Assyria will not save us: no longer shall we look for horses nor ever again shall we say 'Our gods' to the work of our hands." I will heal their wavering and love them with all my heart for my anger has turned from them.
I shall be like dew to Israel like the lily will he blossom. Like a cedar he will send down his roots; his young shoots will grow and spread. His splendor will be like an olive tree, his fragrance, like a Lebanon cedar. They will dwell in my shade again, they will flourish like the grain, they will blossom like a vine, and their fame will be like Lebanon wine. What would Ephraim do with idols, when it is I who hear and make him prosper?
I am like an evergreen cypress tree; all your fruitfulness comes from me. Who is wise enough to grasp all this? Who is discerning and will understand? Straight are the ways of Yahweh: the just walk in them, but the sinners stumble.

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 147:12-13, 14-15, 19-20
Praise the Lord, Jerusalem.

Gospel Reading: Mt 10:16-23

Jesus said to his disciples, "Look, I send you out like sheep among wolves. You must be clever as snakes and innocent as doves. Be on your guard with respect to people, for they will hand you over to their courts and they will flog you in their synagogues. You will be brought to trial before rulers and kings because of me, and so you may witness to them and the pagans.
"But when you are arrested, do not worry about what you are to say and how you are to say it; when the hour comes, you will be given what you are to say. For it is not you who will speak; but it will be the Spirit of your Father in you.
"Brother will hand over brother to death, and a father his child; children will turn against parents and have them put to death. Everyone will hate you because of me, but whoever stands firm to the end will be saved.
"When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next. For sure, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes."

Commentary
Jesus assures the disciples that they will be protected in time of adversity, and that He would provide for their needs. This did not mean that the followers of Jesus would be spared difficult trials. On the contrary, those who follow Him are guaranteed that they will have to carry the cross.
We have crosses to bear and our lives are sometimes made difficult because of our religious convictions. It is precisely when the road becomes difficult that we know more clearly that the Lord is at our side, always there to give us strength.

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July 12
Saturday

14th Week in Ordinary Time

First Reading: Is 6:1-8

In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted; the train of his robe filled the Temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: two to cover the face, two to cover the feet, and two to fly with.
They were calling to one another:
"Holy, holy, holy is Yahweh Sabaoth.
All the earth is filled with his Glory!"
At the sound of their voices the foundations of the threshold shook and the Temple was filled with smoke. I said, "Poor me! I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips living among a people of unclean lips, and yet I have seen the King, Yahweh Sabaoth."
Then one of the seraphs flew to me; in his hands was a live coal which he had taken with tongs from the altar. He touched my mouth with it and said,
"See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin is forgiven."
Then I heard the voice of the Lord, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" I answered, "Here I am. Send me!"

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 93:1ab, 1cd-2, 5
The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.
 

Gospel Reading: Mt 10:24-33
 

Jesus said to his apostles, "A student is not above his teacher, or a slave above his master. A student should be glad to become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If the head of the family has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of the family! So, do not be afraid of them.
"There is nothing covered that will not be uncovered, and nothing hidden that will not be made known. What I am telling you in the dark, you must speak in the light. What you hear in private, proclaim from the housetops.
"Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but have no power to kill the soul. Rather be afraid of him who can destroy both body and soul in hell. For only a few cents you can buy two sparrows, yet not one sparrow falls to the ground without your Father's consent. As for you, every hair of your head has been counted. So do not be afraid: you are worth much more than many sparrows.
"Whoever acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my Father in heaven. Whoever rejects me before others I will reject before my Father in heaven."

Commentary
Just as the Lord holds dear every one of His beloved creatures, so does He guard and protect those who believe in Him. Each human life is of inestimable value in the sight of the Lord. Every person is special, because every man, woman and child is created in the image and likeness of God.
We must remember this, especially on those days when we are discouraged about the present or anxious about the future. The Lord believes in us and stands ready to answer our every prayer. Be not afraid!

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July 13
Sunday

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading: Is 55:10-11

Thus says the Lord:
As the rain and the snow come down
from the heavens and do not return
till they have watered the earth,
making it yield seed for the sower
and food for others to eat,
so is my word that goes forth out of my mouth:
it will not return to me idle,
but it shall accomplish my will,
the purpose for which it has been sent.
 

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 65:10, 11, 12-13, 14
The seed that falls on good ground will yield a fruitful harvest.
 

Second Reading: Rom 8:18-23

Brothers and sisters: "I consider that the suffering of our present life cannot be compared with the Glory that will be revealed and given to us. All creation is eagerly expecting the birth in glory of the children of God. For if now the created world was unable to attain its purpose, this did not come from itself, but from the one who subjected it. But it is not without hope; for even the created world will be freed from this fate of death and share the freedom and glory of the children of God.
We know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pangs of birth. Not creation alone, but even ourselves, although the Spirit was given to us as a foretaste of what we are to receive, we groan in our innermost being, eagerly awaiting the day when God will give us full rights and rescue our bodies as well.

Gospel Reading: Mt 13:1-23
 

Jesus left the house and sat down by the lakeside. As many people gathered around him, he got in a boat. There he sat while the whole crowd stood on the shore, and he spoke to them in parables about many things.
Jesus said, "The sower went out to sow and, as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground where there was little soil, and the seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was not deep. ?But as soon the sun rose the plants were scorched and withered because they had no roots. Again other seeds fell among thistles; and the thistles grew and choked the plants. Still other seeds fell on good soil and produced a crop; some produced a hundredfold, others sixty and others thirty. If you have ears, then hear!"
Then his disciples came to him with the question, "Why do you speak to them in parables?"
Jesus answered, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but not to these people. For the one who has, will be given more and he will have in abundance. But the one who does not have will be deprived of even what he has. That is why I speak to them in parables, because they look and do not see; they hear, but they do not listen or understand.
In them the words of the prophet Isaiah are fulfilled: Much as you hear, you do not understand; much as you see, you do not perceive.
For the heart of this people has grown dull. Their ears hardly hear and their eyes dare not see. If they were to see with their eyes, hear with their ears and understand with their heart, they would turn back and I would heal them.
But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears, because they hear.
For I tell you that many prophets and upright people would have longed to see the things you see, but they did not, and to hear the things you hear, but they did not hear it.
Now listen to the parable of the sower.
When a person hears the message of the Kingdom but without taking it to himself, the devil comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed that fell along the footpath.
The seed that fell on rocky ground stands for the one who hears the word and accepts it at once with joy.?But such a person has no roots. No sooner is he harassed or persecuted because of the word, than he gives up.
The seed that fell among the thistles is the one who hears the word, but then the worries of this life and the love of money choke the word, and it does not bear fruit.
As for the seed that fell on good soil it is the one who hears the word and understands it; this bears fruit and produces a hundred, or sixty, or thirty times more."
 

Commentary
The seed is the Word of God, and the good soil is the heart and mind of the person who is disposed to accepting that Word. Soil needs to be plowed before the seed is sown, and so too do our hearts and minds need to be opened up before the Word of God can take root within us.
The daily discipline of reading the Word of God and praying over it is a most excellent way of preparing the soil for God's Word to take root. With an open heart and mind, there is nothing preventing God's Word from producing within you even a hundredfold!
 

July 14
Monday

15th Week in Ordinary Time
Camillus de Lellis / Bl. Kateri Tekakwitha

First Reading: Is 1:10-17

Hear the warning of Yahweh, rulers of Sodom. Listen to the word of God, people of Gomorrah. "What do I care," says Yahweh "for your endless sacrifices? I am fed up with your burnt offerings, and the fat of your bulls. The blood of fatlings, and lambs and he-goats I abhor.
"When you come before me and trample on my courts, who asked you to visit me? I am fed up with your oblations. I grow sick with your incense. Your New Moons, Sabbaths and meetings, evil with holy assemblies, I can no longer bear.
"I hate your New Moons and appointed feasts they burden me. When you stretch out your hands I will close my eyes; the more you pray, the more I refuse to listen, for your hands are bloody.
"Wash and make yourselves clean. Remove from my sight the evil of your deeds. Put an end to your wickedness and learn to do good. Seek justice and keep in line the abusers; give the fatherless their rights and defend the widow."

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 50:8-9, 16bc-17, 21 and 23
To the upright I will show the saving power of God.

Gospel Reading: Mt 10:34-11:1
 

Jesus said to his apostles, "Do not think that I have come to establish peace on earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father and daughter against her mother; a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. Each one will have as enemies those of one's own family.
"Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take up his cross and come after me is not worthy of me. One who wants to benefit from his life will lose it; one who loses his life for my sake will find it.
"Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes him who sent me. The one who welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive the reward of a prophet; the one who welcomes a just man because he is a just man will receive the reward of a just man. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones, because he is a disciple of mine, I assure you, he will not go unrewarded."
When Jesus had finished giving his twelve disciples these instructions, he went on from there to teach and to proclaim his message in their towns.
 

Commentary
When we commit ourselves to following in the footsteps of Jesus we place our lives entirely at His disposal. Still, when we make a commitment to the Lord, He makes a commitment to us.
Those who strive to do the will of the Lord each and every day have no need to fear, for the Lord will take good care of those who trust in Him. This we have on good authority, for the Lord Himself has said so, and He is absolutely reliable and entirely trustworthy. May we never cease placing our trust in Him.

July 15
Tuesday

15th Week in Ordinary Time
Bonaventure

First Reading: Is 7:1-9

When Ahaz son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, was king of Judah, King Rezin of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah, king of Israel, laid siege to Jerusalem but they were unable to capture it.
When the news reached the house of David, "Aram's troops are encamped in Ephraim," the heart of the king and the hearts of the people trembled as the trees of the forest tremble before the wind.
Yahweh then said to Isaiah: "Go with your son A-remnant-will-return, and meet Ahaz at the end of the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the road to the Washerman's Field.
Say to him,
Stay calm and fear not; do not lose courage before these two stumps of smoldering fire brands-the fierce anger of Rezin the Aramean and the blazing fury of the son of Remaliah. You know that Aram, Ephraim and Remaliah's son have plotted against Judah, saying: Let us invade and scare it, let us seize it and put the son of Tabeel king over it. But the Lord Yahweh says:
It shall not be so, it shall not come to pass. For Damascus is only the head of Aram and Rezin the lord of Damascus. Samaria is only the head of Ephraim and Remaliah's son is only the lord of Samaria. Within fifty-six years, Ephraim will be shattered and will no longer be a people. But if you do not stand firm in faith, you, too, will not stand at all.

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 48:2-3a, 3b-4, 5-6, 7-8
God upholds his city for ever.
 

Gospel Reading: Mt 11:20-24
 

Jesus began to denounce the cities in which he had performed most of his miracles, because the people there did not change their ways, "Alas for you Chorazin and Bethsaida! If the miracles worked in you had taken place in Tyre and Sidon, the people there would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I assure you, for Tyre and Sidon it will be more bearable on the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? You will be thrown down to the place of the dead! For if the miracles which were performed in you had taken place in Sodom, it would still be there today! But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you."
 

Commentary
Jesus did not perform miracles so as to draw attention to Himself, but to inspire others to genuine conversion of heart. In the same way, the gift of faith is given to us not so that we will be self-satisfied, but so that we might be inspired to live lives of generous self-giving. Jesus is in our lives not for our own comfort, but so as to inspire us to acts of service, charity and mercy.
May we never be found lacking in our efforts to serve the Lord. For in doing so, we are responding to His goodness to us.

July 16
Wednesday

15th Week in Ordinary Time
Our Lady of Mount Carmel

First Reading: Is 10:5-7, 13b-16

Thus says Yahweh: Woe to Assyria, the rod of my anger, the staff of my fury! Against a godless nation I send him, against a people who provoke my wrath I dispatch him, to plunder and pillage, to tread them down like mud in the streets. But the mind of his king is far from this, his heart harbors other thoughts; what he wants is to destroy, to make an end of all nations.
For the king says: "By my own strength I have done this and by my own wisdom, for I am clever. I have moved the frontiers of peoples, I have plundered treasures, I have brought inhabitants down to the dust, I have toppled kings from their thrones.
"As one reaches into a nest, so my hands have reached into nations' wealth. As one gathers deserted eggs, so have I gathered the riches of the earth. No one flapped a wing or opened its mouth to chirp a protest." Does the axe claim more credit than the man who wields it? Does the saw magnify itself more than the one who uses it? This would be like a rod wielding the man who lifts it up; will those not made of wood, be controlled by the cudgel? Therefore the Lord, Yahweh Sabaoth, is ready to send a wasting sickness upon the king's sturdy warriors.
Beneath his plenty, a flame will burn like a consuming fire.

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 94:5-6, 7-8, 9-10, 14-15
The Lord will not abandon his people.
 

Gospel Reading: Mt 11:25-27
 

On one occasion Jesus said, "Father, Lord of heaven and earth, I praise you, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to simple people. Yes, Father, this is what pleased you.
"Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him."
 

Commentary
One does not need to be a genius in order to be wise, for when one knows the Lord, one knows everything. Conversely, though a person might go to school for many years and master many subjects, if that person does not know the Lord he is terribly ignorant.
Knowing the Lord comes from spending time with Him: reading the Sacred Scriptures, experiencing Him through the Sacraments, and abiding with Him in the quiet prayer of the heart. We come to know Him as well in the faces of the poor whom we serve. When we know Jesus, what more is there to know?

July 17
Thursday

15th Week in Ordinary Time

First Reading: Is 26:7-9, 12, 16-19

Let the righteous walk in righteousness. You make smooth the path of the just, and we only seek the way of your laws, O Yahweh.
Your name and your memory are the desire of our hearts. My soul yearns for you in the night; for you my spirit keeps vigil.
When your judgments come to earth, the world's inhabitants learn to be upright.
Yahweh, please give us peace; for all that we accomplish is your work.
For they sought you in distress, they cried out to you in the time of their punishment.
As a woman in travail moans and writhes in pain, so are we now in your presence.
We conceived, we had labor pains, but we gave birth to the wind. We have not brought salvation to the land; the inhabitants of a new world have not been born.
Your dead will live! Their corpses will rise! Awake and sing, you who lie in the dust!
Let your dew fall, O Lord, like a dew of light, and the earth will throw out her dead.
 

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 102:13-14ab and 15, 16-18, 19-21
From heaven the Lord looks down on the earth.

Gospel Reading: Mt 11:28-30

Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who work hard and who carry heavy burdens and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble of heart; and you will find rest. For my yoke is good and my burden is light."
 

Commentary
The yoke of which Jesus speaks is a leather harness that would fasten around the neck of an animal. A good yoke is one that fits the animal in a secure yet comfortable manner. In our case, the Word of God is the yoke that is custom made for the human person. God's commandments are not burdensome, but fit the human person perfectly.
When we follow the teachings of Jesus we are connected to a yoke that allows us to do our very best for the sake of the Kingdom, all in a manner that fits our human nature with absolute perfection.

July 18
Friday

15th Week in Ordinary Time

First Reading: Is 38:1-6, 21-22, 7-8

In those days Hezekiah fell mortally ill and the prophet Isaiah, son of Amoz, went to him with a message from Yahweh, "Put your house in order for you shall die; you shall not live."
Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to Yahweh, "Ah Yahweh! Remember how I have walked before you in truth and wholeheartedly, and done what is good in your sight." And Hezekiah wept bitterly.
Then the word of Yahweh came to Isaiah, "Go and tell Hezekiah what Yahweh, the God of his father David, says: I have heard your prayer and I have seen your tears. See! I am adding fifteen years to your life and I will save you and this city from the power of the king of Assyria. I will defend it for my sake and for the sake of David my servant."
Isaiah then said, "Bring a fig cake to rub on the ulcer and let Hezekiah be cured!"
Hezekiah asked, "What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the Lord?"
Isaiah answered, "This shall be for you a sign from Yahweh, that he will do what he has promised. See! I shall make the shadow descending on the stairway of Ahaz go back ten steps." So the sunlight went back the ten steps it had covered on the stairway.

Responsorial Psalm:
Is 38:10, 11, 12abcd, 16
You saved my life, O Lord; I shall not die.
 

Gospel Reading: Mt 12:1-8
 

It happened that Jesus walked through the wheat fields on a sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and began to pick some heads of wheat and crush them to eat the grain. When the Pharisees noticed this, they said to Jesus, "Look at your disciples; they are doing what is prohibited on the sabbath!"
Jesus answered, "Have you not read what David did when he and his men were hungry? He went into the house of God, and they ate the bread offered to God, although neither he nor his men had the right to eat it, but only the priests. And have you not read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the Temple break the Sabbath rest, yet they are not guilty?
"I tell you, there is greater than the Temple here. If you really knew the meaning of the words: It is mercy I want, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the innocent.
"Besides the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."
 

Commentary
Rather than an animal offered in sacrifice at the Temple, the Lord desires above all things an obedient and humble heart. This is the gift of great value that we can offer to the Lord of the universe. After all, if the Lord wanted more animals He would make them! But the gift of mercy, the gift of our loving dedication comes from our free will, and is a sacrifice that is most pleasing in the sight of the Lord.
This day, may we look for opportunities to perform the corporal and spiritual work of mercy.

July 19
Saturday

15th Week in Ordinary Time

First Reading: Mic 2:1-5

Woe to those who plot wickedness and plan evil even on their beds! When morning comes they do it, as soon as it is within their reach.
If they covet fields, they seize them. Do they like houses? They take them. They seize the owner and his household, both the man and his property.
This is why Yahweh speaks, "I am plotting evil against this whole brood, from which your necks cannot escape. No more shall you walk with head held high for it will be an evil time."
On that day they will sing a taunting song against you and a bitter lamentation will be heard, "We have been stripped of our property in our homeland. Who will free us from the wicked who allots our fields." Truly, no one will be found in the assembly of Yahweh to keep a field for you.
 

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 10:1-2, 3-4, 7-8, 14
Do not forget the poor, O Lord!
 

Gospel Reading: Mt 12:14-21
 

The Pharisees went out and made plans to get rid of Jesus. As he was aware of the plot, he went away from that place. Many people followed him and he cured all who were sick. Then he gave them strict orders not to make him known.
In this way Isaiah's prophecy was fulfilled:
"Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one I love, and with whom I am pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him and he will announce my judgment to the nations.
"He will not argue or shout, nor will his voice be heard in the streets. The bruised reed he will not crush, nor snuff out the smoldering wick. He will persist until justice is made victorious and in him all the nations will put their hope."

Commentary
Long before the birth of Jesus, Isaiah the prophet foretold the coming of a suffering servant, one who would give his life as a ransom for the many, one by whose stripes we would be healed. Jesus is the perfect fulfillment of this prophecy, for He takes upon His own shoulders the weight of our sinfulness, all because of His incredibly powerful love for each of us.
Let us give thanks always for the great gift the Lord gives us, the gift of His very life, the means by which we find healing and grace.

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July 20
Sunday

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading: Wis 12:13,16-19

There is no other god besides you, one who cares for everyone, who could ask you to justify your judgments.
Your strength is the source of your justice and because you are the Lord of all, you can be merciful to everyone.
To those who doubt your sovereign power you show your strength and you confound the insolence of those who ignore it. But you, the Lord of strength, judge with prudence and govern us with great patience, because you are able to do anything at the time you want.
In this way you have taught your people that a righteous person must love his human fellows; you have also given your people cause for hope by prompting them to repent of their sin.

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16
Lord, you are good and forgiving.
 

Second Reading: Rom 8:26-27
 

Brothers and sisters, we are weak, but the Spirit comes to help us. How to ask? And what shall we ask for? We do not know, but the spirit intercedes for us without words, as if with groans. And He who sees inner secrets knows the desires of the Spirit, for he asks for the holy ones what is pleasing to God.

Gospel Reading: Mt 13:24-43
 

Jesus told them another parable, "The kingdom of heaven can be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everyone was asleep, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and left.
"When the plants sprouted and produced grain, the weeds also appeared. Then the servants of the owner came to him and said: 'Sir, was it not good seed that you sowed in your field? Where did the weeds come from?'
"He answered them: 'This is the work of an enemy.' They asked him: 'Do you want us to go and pull up the weeds?' He told them: 'No, when you pull up the weeds, you might uproot the wheat with them. Let them just grow together until harvest; and at harvest time I will say to the workers: Pull up the weeds first, tie them in bundles and burn them; then gather the wheat into my barn."
Jesus put another parable before them, "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, that a man took and sowed in his field.
"It is smaller than all other seeds, but once it has fully grown, it is bigger than any garden plant; like a tree, the birds come and rest in its branches."
He told them another parable, "The kingdom of heaven is like the yeast that a woman took and buried in three measures of flour until the whole mass of dough began to rise."
Jesus taught all this to the crowds by means of parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. So what the Prophet had said was fulfilled: I will speak in parables. I will proclaim things kept secret since the beginning of the world.
Then he sent the crowds away and went into the house. And his disciples came to him saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field." Jesus answered them, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world; the good seed are the people of the Kingdom; the weeds are those who follow the evil one. The enemy who sows them is the devil; the harvest is the end of time and the workers are the angels.
"Just as the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so will it be at the end of time. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom all that is scandalous and all who do evil. And these will be thrown in the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the just will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. If you have ears, then hear.

Commentary
Sometimes we can worry about why sinful people seem to get away with their flagrant disobedience to God's law. Why do the sinful prosper so?
This age-old question is answered simply by the Lord, who tells us that this is not ours to worry about. God is the judge, and like the harvester He will gather the good grain into His barns, but the weeds will be thrown into the fire.
Let us be content to walk in the way of the Lord, and to leave the judging of others to the One who sees and knows all.

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July 21
Monday

16th Week in Ordinary Time
Lawrence of Brindisi

First Reading: Mic 6:1-4, 6-8

Listen to what Yahweh said to me, "Stand up, let the mountains hear your claim, and the hills listen to your plea."
Hear, O mountains, Yahweh's complaint! Foundations of the earth, pay attention! For Yahweh has a case against his people, and will argue it with Israel.
"O my people, what have I done to you? In what way have I been a burden to you? Answer me. I brought you out of Egypt; I rescued you from the land of bondage; I sent Moses, Aaron and Miriam to lead you.
"What shall I bring when I come to Yahweh and bow down before God the most high? Shall I come with burnt offerings, with sacrifices of yearling calves? Will Yahweh be pleased with thousands of rams, with an overabundance of oil libations? Should I offer my firstborn for my sins, the fruit of my body for my wrongdoing?
"You have been told, O man, what is good and what Yahweh requires of you: to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God."

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 50:5-6, 8-9, 16bc-17, 21 and 23
To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
 

Gospel Reading: Mt 12:38-42

Some teachers of the Law and some Pharisees spoke up, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from you." Jesus answered them, "An evil and unfaithful people want a sign, but no sign will be given them except the sign of the prophet Jonah. In the same way that Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of the monster fish, so will the Son of Man spend three days and three nights in the depths of the earth.
"At the judgment, the people of Niniveh will rise with this generation and condemn it, because they reformed their lives at the preaching of Jonah, and here there is greater than Jonah. At the judgment, the Queen of the South will stand up and condemn you. She came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and here there is greater than Solomon."

Commentary
The miracles that Jesus performed were powerful and convincing. Giving sight to the blind and giving mobility to the lame would be compelling signs that would help many to come to faith. Yet these signs pale in comparison with His rising from the dead on the third day. The resurrection of Jesus is the preeminent sign of His power over all things, including sin and death.
May we be wise enough to recognize the purpose of Jesus' resurrection, namely, so that we might have life and have it in abundance, today and in the heaven that is without end.
 

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July 22
Tuesday

16th Week in Ordinary Time
Mary Magdalene

First Reading: 2 Cor 5:14-17

Indeed the love of Christ holds us and we realize that if he died for all, all have died. He died for all so that those who live may live no longer for themselves, but for him who died and rose again for them. And so from now on, we do not regard anyone from a human point of view; and even if we once knew Christ personally, we should now regard him in another way.
For that same reason, the one who is in Christ is a new creature. For him the old things have passed away; a new world has come.

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 63:2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9
My soul is thirsting for you, O Lord my God.
 

Gospel Reading: Jn 20:1-2, 11-18
 

Now, on the first day after the Sabbath, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning, while it was still dark and she saw that the stone blocking the tomb had been moved away. She ran to Peter and the other disciple whom Jesus loved. And she said to them, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb and we don't know where they have laid him."
Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she bent down to look inside; she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head, and the other at the feet. They said, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She answered, "Because they have taken my Lord and I don't know where they have put him."
As she said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not recognize him. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?" She thought it was the gardener and answered him, "Lord, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and remove him."
Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him, "Rabboni"-which means, Master. Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to me; you see I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them: I am ascending to my Father, who is your Father, to my God, who is your God."
So Mary of Magdala went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord, and this is what he said to me."
 

Commentary
Mary of Magdala, the first witness to the resurrection, cannot contain her joy upon seeing the Lord. She runs to tell others what she has seen and heard, and most of all she testifies to the One whom she has experienced so vividly in the garden.
Just as in the Garden of Eden the human race experienced sin and death, now on this first day of the week the human race experiences God's victory over those two powers. How could Mary of Magdala, and how can we possibly contain the joy of the resurrection? The Lord is risen, yes He is truly risen!
 

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July 23
Wednesday

16th Week in Ordinary Time
Bridget of Sweden

First Reading: Jer 1:1, 4-10

These are the words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, one of the priests at Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin.
A word of Yahweh came to me, "Even before I formed you in the womb I have known you; even before you were born I had set you apart, and appointed you a prophet to the nations!"
I said, "Ah, Lord Yahweh! I do not know how to speak; I am still young!"
But Yahweh replied, "Do not say; 'I am still young', for now you will go whatever be the mission I am entrusting to you, and you will speak of whatever I command you to say. Do not be afraid of them, for I will be with you to protect you-it is Yahweh who speaks!"
Then Yahweh stretched out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me,
"Now I have put my words in your mouth. See! Today I give you authority over nations and over kingdoms to uproot and to pull down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant."
 

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 71:1-2, 3-4a, 5-6ab, 15 and 17
I will sing of your salvation.

Gospel Reading: Mt 13:1-9
 

Jesus left the house and sat down by the lakeside. As many people gathered around him, he got in a boat. There he sat while the whole crowd stood on the shore, and he spoke to them in parables about many things.
Jesus said, "The sower went out to sow and, as he sowed, some seeds fell along the path and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground where there was little soil, and the seeds sprouted quickly because the soil was not deep. But as soon the sun rose the plants were scorched and withered because they had no roots. Again other seeds fell among thistles; and the thistles grew and choked the plants. Still other seeds fell on good soil and produced a crop; some produced a hundredfold, others sixty and others thirty. If you have ears, then hear!"
 

Commentary
Jesus again uses the powerful image of the seed. Only when the seed takes root, and only when protected against the thistles can the seed produce in abundance.
We do well to prepare the soil for the Word of God by our daily reading of the Holy Bible, and so too do we allow the Word to grow to maturity when we safeguard our soul from the deadly influences of the world. Rejecting Satan and all of his empty promises is critical if the Word of God is to bear fruit within us.

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July 24
Thursday

16th Week in Ordinary Time
Sharbel Makhluf

First Reading: Jer 2:1-3, 7-8, 12-13

A word of Yahweh came to me, "Go and shout this in the hearing of Jerusalem. This is Yahweh's word: I remember your kindness as a youth, the love of your bridal days, when you followed me in the wilderness, through a land not sown. Israel was holy to Yahweh, the first-fruits of his harvest.
"All who ate of it had to pay and misfortune fell on them-it is Yahweh who speaks. I brought you to a fertile land to eat of the choicest fruit. As soon as you came you defiled my land and dishonored my heritage! The priests did not ask, 'Where is Yahweh?'
"The masters of my teaching did not know me; the pastors of my people betrayed me; the prophets followed worthless idols and spoke in the name of Baal.
"Be aghast at that, O heavens! Shudder, be utterly appalled-it is Yahweh who speaks-for my people have done two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, to dig for themselves leaking cisterns that hold no water!"

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 36:6-7ab, 8-9, 10-11
With you is the fountain of life, O Lord.
 

Gospel Reading: Mt 13:10-17

Jesus' disciples came to him with the question, "Why do you speak to them in parables?"
Jesus answered, "To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but not to these people. For the one who has, will be given more and he will have in abundance. But the one who does not have will be deprived of even what he has. That is why I speak to them in parables, because they look and do not see; they hear, but they do not listen or understand.
"In them the words of the prophet Isaiah are fulfilled: Much as you hear, you do not understand; much as you see, you do not perceive.
"For the heart of this people has grown dull. Their ears hardly hear and their eyes dare not see. If they were to see with their eyes, hear with their ears and understand with their heart, they would turn back and I would heal them.
"But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears, because they hear.
"For I tell you that many prophets and upright people would have longed to see the things you see, but they did not, and to hear the things you hear, but they did not hear it."

Commentary
The gift of wisdom, given by the Holy Spirit, enables us to see the world as it really is, charged with the grandeur of God. The eyes of faith enable us to perceive miracles in the intricacies of the created world and to marvel in awe and wonder at the ways in which God makes His presence known to us. Faith is a tremendous gift, a gift more precious than silver or gold.
Just as we count it a blessing to have blessed with the gift of faith, so may we consider it a privilege to pass that faith on to others in word and in deed.

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July 25
Friday

16th Week in Ordinary Time
James

First Reading: 2 Cor 4:7-15

However, we carry this treasure in vessels of clay, so that this all-surpassing power may not be seen as ours but as God's. Trials of every sort come to us, but we are not discouraged. We are left without answer, but do not despair; persecuted but not abandoned, knocked down but not crushed. At any moment we carry in our person the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in us. For we, the living, are given up continually to death for the sake of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may appear in our mortal existence. And as death is at work in us, life comes to you.
We have received the same spirit of faith referred to in Scripture that says: I believed and so I spoke. We also believe and so we speak. We know that He who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and bring us, with you, into his presence. Finally, everything is for your good, so that grace will come more abundantly upon you and great will be the thanksgiving for the glory of God.
 

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 126:1bc-2ab, 2cd-3, 4-5, 6
Those who sow in tears, shall reap with shouts of joy.
 

Gospel Reading: Mt 20:20-28
 

The mother of James and John came to Jesus with her sons, and she knelt down to ask a favor. Jesus said to her, "What do you want?" And she answered, "Here you have my two sons. Grant that they may sit, one at your right and one at your left, when you are in your kingdom."
Jesus said to the brothers, "You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am about to drink?" They answered, "We can." Jesus replied, "You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right or at my left is not for me to grant. That will be for those for whom the Father has prepared it."
The other ten heard all this and were angry with the two brothers. Then Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that the rulers of the nations act as tyrants, and the powerful oppress them. It shall not be so among you; whoever wants to be more important in your group shall make himself your servant. And if you want to be first, make yourself the servant of all. Be like the Son of Man who has come, not to be served but to serve and to give his life to redeem many."
 

Commentary
Greatness in this life consists not in having, but in giving. A person can amass a vast fortune in material possessions but still not find fulfillment or satisfaction in life. True happiness lies in preoccupation with self, but with care and concern for others.
The rich man cannot be truly wealthy unless he gives his possessions away, and we cannot be at all significant unless we are willing to give our lives away in loving service to God and neighbor. Jesus sets the standard for us by giving everything he has to give so that we might have life.

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July 26
Saturday

16th Week in Ordinary Time
Joachim and Ann

First Reading: Sir 44:1, 10-15

Let us now glorify illustrious men, the ancestors of our people.
But now consider the godly men whose good deeds have not been forgotten. Those who came after them benefited from the rich legacy they left; their race remained faithful to the Covenant, their children followed their example. Their family will endure forever and never will its glory be tarnished. Their bodies were buried in peace but their memory lives through generations. People will speak of their wisdom and the assembly will celebrate their praise.
 

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 132:11, 13-14, 17-18
God will give him the throne of David, his father.
 

Gospel Reading: Mt 13:16-17
 

Jesus said to his disciples, "But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears, because they hear.
"For I tell you that many prophets and upright people would have longed to see the things you see, but they did not, and to hear the things you hear, but they did not hear it."
 

Commentary
Saints Joachim and Ann were blessed to be the parents of our Blessed Mother and the grandparents of our Lord. They experienced in their home the outpouring of God's grace and favor.
Our kinship with the Holy Family is more than biological. By grace we are adopted sons and daughters of God. The blood of the Lord has made us so, and we are forever grateful. May this privileged relationship with Jesus always be our greatest treasure, and may we never be neglectful of our close relationship with Him, nor with our brothers and sisters in the Lord.

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July 27
Sunday

17th Sunday in Ordinary Time

First Reading: 1 K 3:5, 7-12

Yahweh appeared to Solomon in a dream and said, "Ask what you want me to give you."
Solomon answered, "O Yahweh my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a young boy who does not know how to undertake anything. Meantime, your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen-a people so great that they can neither be numbered nor counted.
"Give me, therefore, an understanding mind in governing your people that I may discern between good and evil. For who is able to govern this multitude of people of yours?"
Yahweh was pleased that Solomon had made this request. And he told him, "Because you have requested this rather than long life or wealth or even vengeance on your enemies; indeed, because you have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, I shall grant you your request. I now give you a wise and discerning mind such as no one has had before you nor anyone after you shall ever have."

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 119:57, 72, 76-77, 127-128, 129-130
Lord, I love your commands.

Second Reading: Rom 8:28-30
 

Brothers and sisters, we know that in everything God works for the good of those who love him, whom he has called according to his plan. Those whom he knew beforehand, he has also predestined to be like his Son, similar to him, so that he may be the Firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And so, those whom God predestined he called, and those whom he called he makes righteous, and to those whom he makes righteous he will give his Glory.

Gospel Reading: Mt 13:44-52
 

Jesus said to the crowds, "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. The one who finds it buries it again; and so happy is he, that he goes and sells everything he has, in order to buy that field.
"Again the kingdom of heaven is like a trader who is looking for fine pearls. Once he has found a pearl of exceptional quality, he goes away, sells everything he has and buys it.
"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a big fishing net let down into the sea, in which every kind of fish has been caught. When the net is full, it is dragged ashore. Then they sit down and gather the good fish in buckets, but throw the worthless ones away. That is how it will be at the end of time; the angels will go out to separate the wicked from the just and throw them into the blazing furnace, where they will weep and gnash their teeth."
Jesus asked, "Have you understood all these things?" "Yes," they answered. So he said to them, "You will see that every teacher of the Law who becomes a disciple of the Kingdom is like a householder who can produce from his store things both new and old."

Commentary
How we rejoice at material prosperity, and how we find ourselves worked into a fury when we lose even a minimal amount of money. If only we could be so conscientious about our heavenly spiritual treasury, a treasury that is built up with virtue and diminished in vice.
True and lasting treasure is much more valuable than any price tag could express. We are truly wise when we recognize the vast fortune that awaits those who put their trust in the Lord, strive to do His will and follow in His ways.
 

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July 28
Monday

17th Week in Ordinary Time

First Reading: Jer 13:1-11

This is what Yahweh said to me:?"Go! Buy yourself a linen belt and put it around your waist; do not put it in water." So I bought the belt as Yahweh ordered and put it around my waist.
The word of Yahweh came to me a?second time, "Take the belt you bought, the one you put around your waist, and go to the torrent Perah; hide it there in a hole in the rock." I went and hid it as Yahweh instructed me.
After many days Yahweh said to me, "Go to the torrent Perah and get the belt I ordered you to hide there." I went to the torrent and dug up the belt but it was ruined and good for nothing, and Yahweh said to me, "In this way I will destroy the pride and great glory of Judah, this wicked people who refuse to heed what I say, this stubborn people who go after other gods to serve and worship them. And they shall become like this belt which is now good for nothing.
For just as a belt is to be bound around a man's waist so was the people of Israel and Judah bound to me-it is Yahweh who speaks-to be my people, my glory and my honor; but they would not listen.
 

Responsorial Psalm:
Dt 32:18-19, 20-21
You have forgotten God who gave you birth.

Gospel Reading: Mt 13:31-35
 

Jesus put another parable before the people, "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, that a man took and sowed in his field.
"It is smaller than all other seeds, but once it has fully grown, it is bigger than any garden plant; like a tree, the birds come and rest in its branches."
He told them another parable, "The kingdom of heaven is like the yeast that a woman took and buried in three measures of flour until the whole mass of dough began to rise."
Jesus taught all this to the crowds by means of parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. So what the Prophet had said was fulfilled: I will speak in parables. I will proclaim things kept secret since the beginning of the world.

Commentary
Though they may seem insignificant, great things result from the smallest acts of kindness toward a neighbor. A smile, an encouraging word, a courtesy or a favor are rays of light in a world that is otherwise very dark. Expressions of faith however halting can be the means by which others are drawn closer to the Lord, to His Church and to the Sacraments.
A little bit of yeast makes all the difference in the world for the loaf of bread. So does a little bit of faith in the life of someone who would otherwise be in the depths of despair.

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July 29
Tuesday

17th Week in Ordinary Time
Martha

First Reading: Jer 14:17-22

This you will say to them: Let my eyes shed tears night and day without ceasing! For with a great wound has the virgin daughter of my people been wounded, a most grievous wound.
If I go into the country, I see those slain by the sword. If I enter the city I see the ravages of famine. For the prophet and the priest did not understand what was happening in the land.
Have you then rejected Judah forever? Do you abhor Zion? Why have you wounded us and left us with no hope of recovery?
We hoped for salvation but received nothing good; we waited for healing, but terror came!
Yahweh, we know our wickedness and that of our ancestors, and the times we have sinned against you.
For your name's sake do not despise us; do not dishonor the throne of your glory. Remember us. Do not break your covenant with us!
Among the worthless idols of the nations, are there any who can bring rain, or make the skies send showers?
Only in you, Yahweh our God, do we hope, for it is you who do all this.

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 79:8, 9, 11 and 13
For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.
 

Gospel Reading: Mt 13:36-43
 

Jesus sent the crowds away and went into the house. And his disciples came to him saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field." He answered them, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world; the good seed are the people of the Kingdom; the weeds are those who follow the evil one. The enemy who sows them is the devil; the harvest is the end of time and the workers are the angels.
"Just as the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so will it be at the end of time. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom all that is scandalous and all who do evil. And these will be thrown in the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the just will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. If you have ears, then hear."

Commentary
A farmer cannot force the harvest. Plants blossom and bear fruit in due season and there is nothing that the farmer can do to hasten the process.
In the same way, the fulfillment of God's plan, the harvest of the good from the bad, will occur in due time, according to a schedule that is known only to God. Ours is to be patient, especially with the stubborn weeds that grow along side of the good grain. The weeds, the followers of the evil one, will receive their just reward, all in God's good time.

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July 30
Wednesday

17th Week in Ordinary Time
Peter Chrysologus

First Reading: Jer 15:10, 16-21

Woe is me, Mother, why did you bring me to the light? A man of dissension throughout the land! I owe them nothing, neither do they owe me, yet they all curse me!
I devoured your words when they came. They were my happiness and I felt full of joy when you made your Name rest on me. Never did I associate with worldly people, amusing myself with scoffers! When your hand was upon me I stood apart and you filled me with your anger.
Why is there no end to my sorrow or healing for my wound? Why do you deceive me, and why does my spring suddenly dry up? Then Yahweh spoke to me, "If you return I will take you back and you will serve me again. Draw the gold from the dross and you will be as my own mouth. You must draw them to you and not go over to them. I will make you a fortress and a wall of bronze facing them; if they fight against you they will not overcome you; I am with you to free you and save you. I will redeem you from the wicked and free you from the hands of tyrants."
 

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 59:2-3, 4, 10-11, 17, 18
God is my refuge on the day of distress.
 

Gospel Reading: Mt 13:44-46

Jesus said to the crowds, "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. The one who finds it buries it again; and so happy is he, that he goes and sells everything he has, in order to buy that field.
"Again the kingdom of heaven is like a trader who is looking for fine pearls. Once he has found a pearl of exceptional quality, he goes away, sells everything he has and buys it."
 

Commentary
The merchant who found the pearl of great price was simply going about his daily business of buying and selling. In the course of his ordinary life he discovered something truly valuable, something that was indeed life-changing.
Do we expect to find God in the extraordinary, hidden to all except those who climb a high, distant mountain? Or do we look for God where He said He could be found: in the faces of the poor and in the breaking of the Bread. Having found the great treasure of the Lord's presence, may we learn to prefer nothing else but His love and His grace.

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July 31
Thursday

17th Week in Ordinary Time
Ignatius of Loyola

First Reading: Jer 18:1-6

This is the word of Yahweh that came to Jeremiah: "Go down to the potter's house and there you will hear what I have to say."
So I went to the potter's house and found him working at the wheel. But the pot he was working on was spoiled in his hands, so he reworked it all over again into another pot that suits his desire.
Meanwhile Yahweh sent me his word, "People of Israel, can I not do with you what this potter does? As clay in the potter's hand so are you in my hands."

Responsorial Psalm:
Ps 146:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6ab
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.
 

Gospel Reading: Mt 13:47-53

Jesus said to the crowds, "The kingdom of heaven is like a big fishing net let down into the sea, in which every kind of fish has been caught. When the net is full, it is dragged ashore. Then they sit down and gather the good fish in buckets, but throw the worthless ones away. That is how it will be at the end of time; the angels will go out to separate the wicked from the just and throw them into the blazing furnace, where they will weep and gnash their teeth."
Jesus asked, "Have you understood all these things?" "Yes," they answered. So he said to them, "You will see that every teacher of the Law who becomes a disciple of the Kingdom is like a householder who can produce from his store things both new and old."
When Jesus had finished these parables, he left the place.
 

Commentary
Being steeped in the wisdom of the Lord is a life-long process, a process that is helped considerably by the daily reading of His Holy Word. Taking time with this Bible Diary will cultivate within you the ability to draw from the infinite storehouse of the Lord's wisdom.
Through the inevitable twists and turns of this life, may your study of the Holy Bible grant you strength and consolation in all situations. Being able to draw forth from memory specific words of the Bible is the great blessing of one who studies and learns God's Holy Word.

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