Add to favorites Wednesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1 : Amos 5:14-15, 21-24
Seek good and not evil,
that you may live;
Then truly will the LORD, the God of hosts,
be with you as you claim!
Hate evil and love good,
and let justice prevail at the gate;
Then it may be that the LORD, the God of hosts,
will have pity on the remnant of Joseph.I hate, I spurn your feasts, says the LORD,
I take no pleasure in your solemnities;
Your cereal offerings I will not accept,
nor consider your stall-fed peace offerings.
Away with your noisy songs!
I will not listen to the melodies of your harps.
But if you would offer me burnt offerings,
then let justice surge like water,
and goodness like an unfailing stream.
Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 50:7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13, 16bc-17
R. (23b) To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“Hear, my people, and I will speak;
Israel, I will testify against you;
God, your God, am I.”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you,
for your burnt offerings are before me always.
I take from your house no bullock,
no goats out of your fold.”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“For mine are all the animals of the forests,
beasts by the thousand on my mountains.
I know all the birds of the air,
and whatever stirs in the plains, belongs to me.”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“If I were hungry, I should not tell you,
for mine are the world and its fullness.
Do I eat the flesh of strong bulls,
or is the blood of goats my drink?”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
“Why do you recite my statutes,
and profess my covenant with your mouth,
Though you hate discipline
and cast my words behind you?”
R. To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
Alleluia : James 1:18
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The Father willed to give us birth by the word of truth
that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel : Matthew 8:28-34
When Jesus came to the territory of the Gadarenes,
two demoniacs who were coming from the tombs met him.
They were so savage that no one could travel by that road.
They cried out, “What have you to do with us, Son of God?
Have you come here to torment us before the appointed time?”
Some distance away a herd of many swine was feeding.
The demons pleaded with him,
“If you drive us out, send us into the herd of swine.”
And he said to them, “Go then!”
They came out and entered the swine,
and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea
where they drowned.
The swineherds ran away,
and when they came to the town they reported everything,
including what had happened to the demoniacs.
Thereupon the whole town came out to meet Jesus,
and when they saw him they begged him to leave their district.
Message from the Readings
Today’s readings confront us with a powerful truth:
God desires authentic hearts, not hollow worship.
God desires justice, not performance.
God desires transformation, not appearances.
Amos warns Israel that religious ceremonies mean nothing if justice is ignored.
The psalm echoes this: God owns everything—He wants our hearts, not our offerings.
In the Gospel, Jesus brings liberation, yet the people reject Him because His presence disrupts their comfort.
The message is clear:
True faith is lived in justice, mercy, and openness to God’s transforming power.
Reflection for the Day
Amos speaks with a fire that still burns today. God is not impressed by rituals, songs, or offerings when they are disconnected from a life of justice. He wants worship that flows from a heart aligned with His own—a heart that defends the poor, speaks truth, and chooses goodness even when it costs something.
Psalm 50 deepens this challenge. God reminds His people that He does not need sacrifices. What He desires is a life that honors Him—a life of integrity, humility, and obedience.
Then the Gospel gives us a startling scene:
Jesus frees two men from demonic oppression—an act of pure mercy and power.
But instead of rejoicing, the townspeople beg Him to leave.
Why?
Because His presence disrupts their comfort.
Because His power challenges their normal.
Because transformation is often uncomfortable.
And here lies the question for us today:
Do we welcome Jesus even when He challenges us?
Even when He calls us to change?
Even when His truth disrupts our routines?
God desires hearts that are open—open to justice, open to mercy, open to transformation.
Let justice flow.
Let goodness rise.
Let Christ enter—even when it stretches us.
Prayer for Today
Lord God,
purify my heart and make my worship sincere.
Help me seek good, love justice, and walk humbly with You.
Give me the courage to welcome Your transforming presence,
even when it challenges my comfort or expectations.
Let my life reflect Your mercy,
and may justice flow through me like a living stream.
Amen.
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