Daily Catholic Mass Readings for July 28, 2020
First Reading: Jeremiah 14.17-22
17Therefore thou shalt say this word unto them; Let mine eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease: for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous blow.18If I go forth into the field, then behold the slain with the sword! and if I enter into the city, then behold them that are sick with famine! yea, both the prophet and the priest go about into a land that they know not.19Hast thou utterly rejected Judah? hath thy soul lothed Zion? why hast thou smitten us, and there is no healing for us? we looked for peace, and there is no good; and for the time of healing, and behold trouble!20We acknowledge, O LORD, our wickedness, and the iniquity of our fathers: for we have sinned against thee.21Do not abhor us, for thy name's sake, do not disgrace the throne of thy glory: remember, break not thy covenant with us.22Are there any among the vanities of the Gentiles that can cause rain? or can the heavens give showers? art not thou he, O LORD our God? therefore we will wait upon thee: for thou hast made all these things.
Psalm 79
1O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps.2The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven, the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth.3Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem; and there was none to bury them.4We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us.5How long, LORD? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire?6Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name.7For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place.8O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low.9Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake.10Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? let him be known among the heathen in our sight by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed.11Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die;12And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.13So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.
Gospel: Matthew 13.36-43
36Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.37He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;38The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;39The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.40As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.41The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;42And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.43Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful reflections on suffering, judgment, and the enduring hope of God’s mercy. The first reading from Jeremiah expresses the prophet’s deep sorrow over the affliction of God’s people. Jeremiah laments the suffering of Judah, which he sees as a result of sin, yet he also cries out to God for mercy, acknowledging the people’s failures and pleading for restoration. This passage reminds us that even in the midst of pain and uncertainty, we can turn to God with honesty and trust, confessing our sins and hoping in His faithfulness.
The Gospel reading from Matthew offers a complementary perspective through Jesus’ explanation of the parable of the weeds. Jesus reveals that the world is a field where both good and evil coexist, sown by God and the devil respectively. The separation of the weeds from the wheat will only occur at the end of time, when God’s justice will be fully revealed. This parable teaches us about patience and discernment in our daily lives. Just as the farmer waits for the proper time to separate the wheat from the weeds, we too must trust in God’s plan and timing, even when evil seems to flourish around us.
Together, these readings invite us to reflect on our own relationship with God and the world around us. Jeremiah’s lament encourages us to acknowledge our sins and turn to God with humility, while Jesus’ parable reminds us to trust in His ultimate triumph over evil. In our daily lives, we are called to persevere in faith, knowing that God’s justice and mercy will prevail. Let us strive to be the “good wheat,” rooted in love and integrity, and trust that God will bring His plan to fruition in His time.