FIRST READING
“All the people gathered about Jeremiah in the house of the Lord. ”
A reading from the Book of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 26:1 – 9)
In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from the Lord, “Thus says the Lord: Stand in the court of the Lord’s house, and speak to all the cities of Judah which come to worship in the house of the Lord all the words that I command you to speak to them; do not hold back a word. It may be they will listen, and every one turn from his evil way, that I may repent of the evil which I intend to do to them because of their evil doings. You shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord: If you will not listen to me, to walk in my law which I have set before you, and to heed the words of my servants the prophets whom I send to you urgently, though you have not heeded, then I will make this house like Shiloh, and I will make this city a curse for all the nations of the earth. ”’ The priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord. And when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, then the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold of him, saying, “You shall die! Why have you prophesied in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, without inhabitant’?” And all the people gathered about Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 69:5.8- 10. 14 (R. 1 4c)
R/. In your great mercy, answer me, O Lord.
More numerous than the hairs on my head
are those who hate me without cause.
Many are those who attack we, enemies with lies.
What I have never stolen, how can I restore? R.
It is for you that I suffer taunts,
that shame has covered my face.
To my own kin I have become an outcast,
a stranger to the children of my mother.
Zeal for your house consumes me,
and taunts against you fall on me. R.
But I pray to you, O LORD,
for a time of your favour.
In your great mercy, answer me, O God,
with your salvation that never fails. R.
ALLELUIA 1 Peter l: 25
Alleluia. The word of the Lord abides for ever; that word is the good news which was preached to you. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
“Is not this the carpenter’s son? Where then did this man get all this? ”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Matthew13:54-58)
At that time: Coming to his own country, Jesus taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these, mighty works? Is not this the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brethren James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all this?” And they took offence at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honour except in his own country and in his own house.” And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Today’s Reflection
The Lord commanded Jeremiah to proclaim his message of conversion to the people of Israel without compromise. God threatened to punish them for their wickedness if they did not repent. This makes repentance a precondition for God’s unrelenting forgiveness of sinners. We are all sinners but if we recognize God’s forgiving love and turn away from our sins, we will certainly be forgiven and be renewed in his love.