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Thursday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1 : Jeremiah 18:1-6
This word came to Jeremiah from the LORD:
Rise up, be off to the potter’s house;
there I will give you my message.
I went down to the potter’s house and there he was,
working at the wheel.
Whenever the object of clay which he was making
turned out badly in his hand,
he tried again,
making of the clay another object of whatever sort he pleased.
Then the word of the LORD came to me:
Can I not do to you, house of Israel,
as this potter has done? says the LORD.
Indeed, like clay in the hand of the potter,
so are you in my hand, house of Israel.
Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 146:1B-2, 3-4, 5-6ab
R. (5a) Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Praise the LORD, O my soul;
I will praise the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God while I live.
R. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Put not your trust in princes,
in the sons of men, in whom there is no salvation.
When his spirit departs he returns to his earth;
on that day his plans perish.
R. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Blessed he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD, his God.
Who made heaven and earth,
the sea and all that is in them.
R. Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Alleluia : Acts 16:14
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Open our heart, O Lord,
to listen to the words of your Son.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel : Matthew 13:47-53
Jesus said to the disciples:
“The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea,
which collects fish of every kind.
When it is full they haul it ashore
and sit down to put what is good into buckets.
What is bad they throw away.
Thus it will be at the end of the age.
The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous
and throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”
“Do you understand all these things?”
They answered, “Yes.”
And he replied,
“Then every scribe who has been instructed in the Kingdom of heaven
is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom
both the new and the old.”
When Jesus finished these parables, he went away from there.
Message from the Readings
Today’s readings proclaim a beautiful and challenging truth:
God strengthens those who struggle, protects those who trust Him, and invites us to treasure His Kingdom above everything else.
• Jeremiah shows us that honest prayer is welcomed by God.
• The psalm reminds us that God is our refuge and strength.
• Jesus teaches that the Kingdom is worth every sacrifice.
The message is clear: God is your strength. His Kingdom is your treasure. Choose Him above all.
Reflection for the Day
Jeremiah’s prayer is deeply human. He feels misunderstood, attacked, and weary. He even questions his calling.
Yet God does not reject his honesty. Instead, He responds with strength:
“I am with you to save and deliver you.” “I will make you a fortified wall of bronze.”
God does not promise an easy life— He promises a strong heart.
The psalmist echoes this truth: “O my strength, for You I watch.” He knows that human protection fails, but God’s protection never does.
Then Jesus gives two short but powerful parables. A man finds a treasure in a field— and joyfully sells everything to buy that field. A merchant finds a pearl of great price— and joyfully sells everything to obtain it.
The Kingdom of Heaven is not a burden. It is a treasure. It is worth everything. It is the one thing that gives meaning to all other things.
Today’s readings invite us to three movements:
- Bring your struggles honestly to God.
He welcomes your pain, your questions, your fears. - Trust His strength and protection.
He is your refuge, your defender, your “fortified wall.” - Treasure His Kingdom above all else.
Let nothing—success, comfort, fear, or distraction—take His place.
Let today be a day of courage, clarity, and renewed commitment to the Kingdom.
Prayer for Today
Lord Jesus, be my strength when I feel weak, my refuge when I feel overwhelmed, and my treasure above all else.
Give me the courage of Jeremiah and the joy of the one who found the pearl.
Help me choose Your Kingdom with my whole heart and trust Your protection in every circumstance.
Amen.
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