Daily Readings - Wed Aug 08 2018
Jeremiah
1"In that time, says the Lord, I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people.2Thus says the Lord: "The people who had remained after the sword, found grace in the desert. Israel will go to his rest.3The Lord appeared to me from a distance: "And I have loved you in perpetual charity. Therefore, showing pity, I have drawn you4And I will build you up again. And you shall be built up, O virgin of Israel. Still shall you be adorned with your timbrels, and still shall you go forth to the singing of those who play5Still shall you plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria. The planters will plant, and they will not gather the vintage until the time arrives6For there will be a day on which the guardians on mount Ephraim will cry out: ‘Arise! And let us ascend on Zion to the Lord our God!’ 7For thus says the Lord: "Exult in the joy of Jacob, and neigh before the head of the Gentiles. Shout, and sing, and say: ‘O Lord, save your people, the remnant of Israel!
Matthew
21And departing from there, Jesus withdrew into the areas of Tyre and Sidon22And behold, a woman of Canaan, going out from those parts, cried out, saying to him: "Take pity on me, Lord, Son of David. My daughter is badly afflicted by a demon.23He did not say a word to her. And his disciples, drawing near, petitioned him, saying: "Dismiss her, for she is crying out after us.24And responding, he said, "I was not sent except to the sheep who have fallen away from the house of Israel.25But she approached and adored him, saying, "Lord, help me.26And responding, he said, "It is not good to take the bread of the children and cast it to the dogs.27But she said, "Yes, Lord, but the young dogs also eat from the crumbs that fall from the table of their masters.28Then Jesus, responding, said to her: "O woman, great is your faith. Let it be done for you just as you wish." And her daughter was healed from that very hour
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful messages of hope, restoration, and the boundless reach of God's mercy. The First Reading from Jeremiah speaks to a people in exile, promising them that God's love is eternal and that He will restore them. This passage, written during the Babylonian exile, offers comfort to those suffering, assuring them that God's love endures and that rebuilding is on the horizon. The Gospel from Matthew presents a Canaanite woman whose persistence and faith lead Jesus to heal her daughter, illustrating that God's compassion extends beyond cultural and religious boundaries.
These readings connect through themes of hope and inclusion. Jeremiah's prophecy assures Israel of God's faithfulness, while the Gospel shows Jesus actively demonstrating this faithfulness to those outside the Jewish community. Both highlight that God's love is not confined but is available to all who seek Him with perseverance and faith.
In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to trust in God's eternal love and to approach Him with the same persistence as the Canaanite woman. They remind us to remain steadfast in prayer and to embrace the inclusivity of God's mercy, recognizing that His healing and love are not limited to any one group. The moral lesson here is the power of faith and perseverance, teaching us to trust in God's abundant mercy and to welcome His work in unexpected places and people.