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Tuesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Reading 1 : Hosea 8:4-7, 11-13
Thus says the LORD:
They made kings in Israel, but not by my authority;
they established princes, but without my approval.
With their silver and gold they made
idols for themselves, to their own destruction.
Cast away your calf, O Samaria!
my wrath is kindled against them;
How long will they be unable to attain
innocence in Israel?
The work of an artisan,
no god at all,
Destined for the flames—
such is the calf of Samaria!
When they sow the wind,
they shall reap the whirlwind;
The stalk of grain that forms no ear
can yield no flour;
Even if it could,
strangers would swallow it.
When Ephraim made many altars to expiate sin,
his altars became occasions of sin.
Though I write for him my many ordinances,
they are considered as a stranger’s.
Though they offer sacrifice,
immolate flesh and eat it,
the LORD is not pleased with them.
He shall still remember their guilt
and punish their sins;
they shall return to Egypt.
Responsorial Psalm : Psalm 115:3-4, 5-6, 7ab-8, 9-10
R. (9a) The house of Israel trusts in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Our God is in heaven;
whatever he wills, he does.
Their idols are silver and gold,
the handiwork of men.
R. The house of Israel trusts in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
They have mouths but speak not;
they have eyes but see not;
They have ears but hear not;
they have noses but smell not.
R. The house of Israel trusts in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
They have hands but feel not;
they have feet but walk not.
Their makers shall be like them,
everyone that trusts in them.
R. The house of Israel trusts in the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Alleluia : John 10:14
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the good shepherd, says the Lord;
I know my sheep, and mine know me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel : Matthew 9:32-38
A demoniac who could not speak was brought to Jesus,
and when the demon was driven out the mute man spoke.
The crowds were amazed and said,
“Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”
But the Pharisees said,
“He drives out demons by the prince of demons.”
Jesus went around to all the towns and villages,
teaching in their synagogues,
proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom,
and curing every disease and illness.
At the sight of the crowds, his heart was moved with pity for them
because they were troubled and abandoned,
like sheep without a shepherd.
Then he said to his disciples,
“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest
to send out laborers for his harvest.”
Message from the Readings
Today’s readings speak clearly about misplaced trust, spiritual blindness, and the compassion of God who never stops seeking His people.
• Israel’s idols cannot save them — only God can.
• The psalm reminds us that idols are empty, but God is alive and faithful.
• Jesus heals, restores, and looks upon humanity with deep compassion.
The message is clear:
When we place our trust in anything other than God, we end up empty — but when we turn to Him, He restores, heals, and leads us with love.
Reflection for the Day
Hosea’s words are striking:
“They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind.”
It is a poetic way of saying:
When we invest in what is empty, we end up with nothing.
Israel trusted in idols, political alliances, and human strength.
But idols cannot speak.
They cannot save.
They cannot guide.
They only take — never give.
The psalm reinforces this truth.
Idols have mouths but cannot speak, eyes but cannot see, ears but cannot hear.
Yet people still trust in them.
Before we judge Israel, we must ask ourselves:
What idols do we trust today?
• Control
• Success
• Approval
• Comfort
• Money
• Busyness
• Technology
• Our own plans
These things are not evil — but when they become our source of security, they become idols.
In the Gospel, Jesus meets a man who cannot speak because he is bound by darkness.
Jesus restores him with a word.
The crowds rejoice.
But the Pharisees — blinded by pride — reject the miracle.
Two responses to Jesus:
Wonder or resistance.
Openness or hardness.
Faith or fear.
Then we see the heart of Jesus:
He looks at the crowds and sees their hunger, their confusion, their longing.
He sees them as sheep without a shepherd.
And His response is compassion.
Today’s readings invite you to three movements:
Examine your heart for modern idols.
Where are you placing trust that belongs to God?
Let Jesus heal what has been silenced in you.
Fear, shame, doubt — He can restore your voice.
Receive His compassion.
Jesus sees you, knows you, and is moved with love for you.
Let today be a day of returning to the One who alone can save, guide, and restore.
Prayer for Today
Lord God,
free my heart from anything that takes Your place.
Where I have trusted in empty things,
turn me back to You.
Heal what is wounded,
restore what is silent,
and lead me with Your compassion.
Make my heart open to Your voice
and my life a witness of Your faithfulness.
Amen.