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Tuesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 : Jeremiah 14:17-22

Let my eyes stream with tears
day and night, without rest,
Over the great destruction which overwhelms
the virgin daughter of my people,
over her incurable wound.
If I walk out into the field,
look! those slain by the sword;
If I enter the city,
look! those consumed by hunger.
Even the prophet and the priest
forage in a land they know not.

Have you cast Judah off completely?
Is Zion loathsome to you?
Why have you struck us a blow
that cannot be healed?
We wait for peace, to no avail;
for a time of healing, but terror comes instead.
We recognize, O LORD, our wickedness,
the guilt of our fathers;
that we have sinned against you.
For your name’s sake spurn us not,
disgrace not the throne of your glory;
remember your covenant with us, and break it not.
Among the nations’ idols is there any that gives rain?
Or can the mere heavens send showers?
Is it not you alone, O LORD,
our God, to whom we look?
You alone have done all these things.

Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 79:8, 9, 11 and 13

R. (9) For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.
Remember not against us the iniquities of the past;
may your compassion quickly come to us,
for we are brought very low.
R. For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.
Help us, O God our savior,
because of the glory of your name;
Deliver us and pardon our sins
for your name’s sake.
R. For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.
Let the prisoners’ sighing come before you;
with your great power free those doomed to death.
Then we, your people and the sheep of your pasture,
will give thanks to you forever;
through all generations we will declare your praise.
R. For the glory of your name, O Lord, deliver us.

Alleluia

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
The seed is the word of God, Christ is the sower;
all who come to him will live for ever.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel : Matthew 13:36-43

Jesus dismissed the crowds and went into the house.
His disciples approached him and said,
“Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
He said in reply, “He who sows good seed is the Son of Man,
the field is the world, the good seed the children of the Kingdom.
The weeds are the children of the Evil One,
and the enemy who sows them is the Devil.
The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
Just as weeds are collected and burned up with fire,
so will it be at the end of the age.
The Son of Man will send his angels,
and they will collect out of his Kingdom
all who cause others to sin and all evildoers.
They will throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
Then the righteous will shine like the sun
in the Kingdom of their Father.
Whoever has ears ought to hear.”

Message from the Readings

Today’s readings proclaim a deeply consoling truth:
Even in seasons of suffering, confusion, or spiritual dryness—God remains our only source of mercy, healing, and hope. And He promises that faithfulness will one day shine with eternal glory.
• Jeremiah shows us how to pray honestly in times of pain.
• The psalm reminds us that God’s mercy outweighs our failures.
• Jesus assures us that God sees everything clearly and will bring justice in His time.
The message is clear: Cry out to God. Trust His mercy. Remain faithful. His Kingdom will reveal the full glory of your perseverance.

 Reflection for the Day

Jeremiah’s lament is raw and real. He describes a nation wounded— tears on every face, suffering in every home, confusion in every heart.
Yet in the midst of this pain, Jeremiah does something powerful:
He turns to God—not away from Him.
He does not pretend. He does not hide. He does not minimize the suffering.
He simply prays:
“We look to You, for You alone can do all things.”
This is the prayer of a heart that knows where true hope lies.
The psalm echoes this cry: “Help us, O God our Savior… remember Your compassion.” The psalmist does not rely on human strength or past achievements. He relies on God’s mercy—because mercy is God’s specialty.
Then Jesus explains the Parable of the Weeds. The world is a field where good and evil grow side by side. We often wonder why God allows this. Why does He not uproot evil immediately? Why does suffering persist?
Jesus answers: Because God sees the whole picture. Because His timing is perfect. Because uprooting too soon may harm the wheat. Because justice will come—fully, finally, beautifully.
And when it does, Jesus says:
“The righteous will shine like the sun.”
Your faithfulness— your quiet sacrifices, your perseverance, your trust in God— will one day radiate with heavenly brilliance.
Today’s readings invite us to three movements:

1. Bring your pain honestly to God.
   He welcomes your tears, your questions, your fears.
2. Trust His mercy more than your mistakes.
   God remembers compassion, not condemnation.
3. Stay faithful in the field.
   God sees your perseverance, and He will make you shine.
   Let today be a day of honest prayer, deep trust, and renewed hope.

Prayer for Today

Merciful Father, I bring You my wounds, my worries, and my weariness.
Look upon me with compassion and heal what is broken within me.
Strengthen my faith as I grow in Your field, and help me trust Your timing even when I do not understand.
May Your mercy sustain me today, and may Your light shine through my life until the day I shine with You in Your Kingdom.
Amen.