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Eighteenth Sunday In Ordinary Time

Reading 1 : Isaiah 55:1-3

Thus says the LORD:
All you who are thirsty,
come to the water!
You who have no money,
come, receive grain and eat;
Come, without paying and without cost,
drink wine and milk!
Why spend your money for what is not bread;
your wages for what fails to satisfy?
Heed me, and you shall eat well,
you shall delight in rich fare.
Come to me heedfully,
listen, that you may have life.
I will renew with you the everlasting covenant,
the benefits assured to David.

Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 145:8-9, 15-16, 17-18

R. (cf. 16) The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.
The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The LORD is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works.
R. The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.
The eyes of all look hopefully to you,
and you give them their food in due season;
you open your hand
and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
R. The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.
The LORD is just in all his ways
and holy in all his works.
The LORD is near to all who call upon him,
to all who call upon him in truth.
R. The hand of the Lord feeds us; he answers all our needs.

Reading 2  : Romans 8:35, 37-39

Brothers and sisters:
What will separate us from the love of Christ?
Will anguish, or distress, or persecution, or famine,
or nakedness, or peril, or the sword?
No, in all these things we conquer overwhelmingly
through him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life,
nor angels, nor principalities,
nor present things, nor future things,
nor powers, nor height, nor depth,
nor any other creature will be able to separate us
from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Alleluia : Matthew 4:4b

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
One does not live on bread alone,
but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel : Matthew 14:13-21

When Jesus heard of the death of John the Baptist,
he withdrew in a boat to a deserted place by himself.
The crowds heard of this and followed him on foot from their towns.
When he disembarked and saw the vast crowd,
his heart was moved with pity for them, and he cured their sick.
When it was evening, the disciples approached him and said,
“This is a deserted place and it is already late;
dismiss the crowds so that they can go to the villages
and buy food for themselves.”
Jesus said to them, “There is no need for them to go away;
give them some food yourselves.”
But they said to him,
“Five loaves and two fish are all we have here.”
Then he said, “Bring them here to me,”
and he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass.
Taking the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven,
he said the blessing, broke the loaves,
and gave them to the disciples,
who in turn gave them to the crowds.
They all ate and were satisfied,
and they picked up the fragments left over—
twelve wicker baskets full.
Those who ate were about five thousand men,
not counting women and children.

 Message from the Readings

Today’s readings proclaim a powerful and timely truth:
Life without God becomes empty, restless, and anxious—but life rooted in Christ becomes meaningful, renewed, and eternally rich.
• Ecclesiastes exposes the futility of chasing earthly success.
• The psalm reminds us that only God can satisfy the human heart.
• Colossians calls us to seek heavenly things.
• Jesus warns against storing treasures that cannot save us.
The message is clear: True wealth is found in God alone. Everything else fades..

Reflection for the Day

Ecclesiastes speaks with brutal honesty: Human effort, achievements, and possessions—when pursued without God—leave the heart empty. We work, we strive, we accumulate… but the soul remains restless.
The psalm gives us the antidote: “Teach us to number our days aright.” In other words— Help us live wisely. Help us see what truly matters. Help us invest our hearts in what lasts.
Paul then lifts our eyes higher: “Seek what is above.” Not the passing pleasures of the world, not the illusions of success, not the temporary comforts that distract us.
Christ renews us. Christ reshapes us. Christ gives us a new identity— one not defined by possessions, achievements, or status.
Finally, Jesus tells the parable of the rich fool. A man builds bigger barns, stores more grain, and congratulates himself. He thinks he has secured his future. But God says:
“You fool, this night your life will be demanded of you.”
The tragedy is not his wealth— but his misplaced trust. He invested in the wrong treasure. He forgot eternity. He forgot God.
Today’s readings invite us to three movements:

1. Examine what you’re chasing.
   Is it lasting? Is it holy? Is it aligned with God?
2. Seek what is above.
   Let Christ shape your desires, priorities, and identity.
3. Become rich in what matters to God.
   Love, mercy, generosity, faith, compassion— these are the treasures that follow us into eternity.
   Let today be a day of clarity, surrender, and renewed purpose.

Prayer for Today

Heavenly Father, teach me to number my days wisely and to seek the treasures that last forever.
Free my heart from empty pursuits and fill me with the desire to live for You alone.
Renew my mind, reshape my priorities, and make me rich in what truly matters to You.
May my life reflect Your wisdom, Your mercy, and Your eternal love.
Amen.