Pastor's Message

 17th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Sunday Readings

FIRST READING (1Kings 3.35-12)

At Gebeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask what I should give you.” And Solomon said “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you; and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today.

“And now, O Lord my God, you have made you servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this, your great people?”

Responsorial Psalm: Lord, how I love your law. Ps 119

Second Reading (Romans 8.28-30)

Brothers and sisters: We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those whom God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

And those whom God predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Gospel according to Matthew 13.44-52

Jesus spoke to the crowds: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value he went and sold all that he had and bought it.

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad.

“So it will be at the end of the age. The Angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them int o the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

“Have you understood all this?” They answered, “Yes” And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.” †

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