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Monday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1  : Jeremiah 28:1-17

In the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah,
in the fifth month of the fourth year,
the prophet Hananiah, son of Azzur, from Gibeon,
said to me in the house of the LORD
in the presence of the priests and all the people:
“Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel:
‘I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.
Within two years I will restore to this place
all the vessels of the temple of the LORD which Nebuchadnezzar,
king of Babylon, took away from this place to Babylon.
And I will bring back to this place Jeconiah,
son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah,
and all the exiles of Judah who went to Babylon,’ says the LORD,
‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’”

The prophet Jeremiah answered the prophet Hananiah
in the presence of the priests and all the people assembled
in the house of the LORD, and said:
Amen! thus may the LORD do!
May he fulfill the things you have prophesied
by bringing the vessels of the house of the LORD
and all the exiles back from Babylon to this place!
But now, listen to what I am about to state in your hearing
and the hearing of all the people.
From of old, the prophets who were before you and me prophesied
war, woe, and pestilence against many lands and mighty kingdoms.
But the prophet who prophesies peace
is recognized as truly sent by the LORD
only when his prophetic prediction is fulfilled.

Thereupon the prophet Hananiah took the yoke
from the neck of the prophet Jeremiah and broke it,
and said in the presence of all the people:
“Thus says the LORD: ‘Even so, within two years
I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon,
from off the neck of all the nations.’” At that, the prophet Jeremiah went away.

Some time after the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke
from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah,
The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah:
Go tell Hananiah this:
Thus says the LORD:
By breaking a wooden yoke, you forge an iron yoke!
For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel:
A yoke of iron I will place on the necks
of all these nations serving Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon,
and they shall serve him; even the beasts of the field I give him.

To the prophet Hananiah the prophet Jeremiah said:
Hear this, Hananiah!
The LORD has not sent you,
and you have raised false confidence in this people.
For this, says the LORD, I will dispatch you from the face of the earth;
this very year you shall die,
because you have preached rebellion against the LORD.
That same year, in the seventh month, Hananiah the prophet died.

Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 119:29, 43, 79, 80, 95, 102

R. (68b) Lord, teach me your statutes.
Remove from me the way of falsehood,
and favor me with your law.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
Take not the word of truth from my mouth,
for in your ordinances is my hope.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
Let those turn to me who fear you
and acknowledge your decrees.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
Let my heart be perfect in your statutes,
that I be not put to shame.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
Sinners wait to destroy me,
but I pay heed to your decrees.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
From your ordinances I turn not away,
for you have instructed me.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.

Alleluia : John 1:49b

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Rabbi, you are the Son of God;
you are the King of Israel.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel : Matthew 14:22-36

Jesus made the disciples get into a boat
and precede him to the other side of the sea,
while he dismissed the crowds.
After doing so, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.
When it was evening he was there alone.
Meanwhile the boat, already a few miles offshore,
was being tossed about by the waves, for the wind was against it.
During the fourth watch of the night,
he came toward them, walking on the sea.
When the disciples saw him walking on the sea they were terrified.
“It is a ghost,” they said, and they cried out in fear.
At once Jesus spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Peter said to him in reply,
“Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.”
He said, “Come.”
Peter got out of the boat and began to walk on the water toward Jesus.
But when he saw how strong the wind was he became frightened;
and, beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
Immediately Jesus stretched out his hand and caught him,
and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?”
After they got into the boat, the wind died down.
Those who were in the boat did him homage, saying,
“Truly, you are the Son of God.”

After making the crossing, they came to land at Gennesaret.
When the men of that place recognized him,
they sent word to all the surrounding country.
People brought to him all those who were sick
and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak,
and as many as touched it were healed.

Message from the Readings

Today’s readings proclaim a deeply relevant truth:
False promises may comfort for a moment, but only God’s truth brings real hope—and when we offer Him even the little we have, He multiplies it into abundance.
• Jeremiah teaches discernment: not every “spiritual message” is from God.
• The psalm reminds us to cling to God’s word in seasons of waiting.
• Jesus shows that God can turn scarcity into overflowing grace.
The message is clear: Seek truth. Trust God’s timing. Offer Him your little—He will do the rest.

Reflection for the Day

Jeremiah stands in a difficult place. Hananiah speaks what the people want to hear— quick rescue, easy solutions, instant relief.
But Jeremiah speaks what God actually says— truth that is harder, slower, and more demanding.
This tension still exists today. We often prefer comforting illusions over challenging truth. We want God to fix things instantly, remove every burden, and smooth every path.
But God’s truth is not always easy. It is always good. It is always faithful. It is always leading us toward deeper conversion.
The psalmist captures the heart of a believer who chooses truth over convenience: He waits. He hopes. He clings to God’s word even when answers seem delayed.
Then the Gospel gives us a breathtaking contrast. Where Jeremiah warns against false promises, Jesus reveals true divine generosity.
The disciples have almost nothing— five loaves and two fish. But they bring it to Jesus. They do not hide it. They do not dismiss it. They simply offer it.
And Jesus multiplies it. He feeds thousands. He turns scarcity into abundance.
This is the pattern of grace: We offer our little. God gives His much.
Today’s readings invite us to three movements:

1. Choose truth over comfort.
   Discern God’s voice, even when it challenges you.
2. Persevere in hope.
   Let God’s word sustain you in seasons of waiting.
3. Offer your “five loaves and two fish.”
   Your small gifts become miracles in God’s hands.
   Let today be a day of honesty, trust, and generous surrender.

 Prayer for Today

Lord Jesus, teach me to love Your truth more than easy answers.
Strengthen my heart to wait with hope and cling to Your word in every season.
Take the little I have— my time, my gifts, my faith— and multiply it for Your glory and for the good of others.
Make my life a witness to Your truth, Your compassion, and Your abundance.
Amen.