This translation is from the New American Bible. The bolded hyperlinks will take you to additional translations of today’s readings, other relevant scriptures, and collections of scriptures addressing related principles. Text highlighted in yellow tells us something about God’s nature or our relationship to Him. Text in green tells us about something God wants us to do. Text in red tells describes what God wants us to avoid. Commentary is in blue.
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.
This reading, like today’s gospel, addresses God’s sovereignty. He has authority over all and can do whatever He pleases with us.
R. (5a) Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob.
Praise the LORD, O my soul; I willpraise 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.
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.
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.
Praise the LORD, O my soul; I willpraise 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.
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.
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.
This psalm also deals with God’s sovereignty, describing how it surpasses all human authority, no matter how impressive/strong those humans seem to be. Other scriptures addressing this dynamic are collected at:
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Open our heart, O Lord, to listen to the words of your Son.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Open our heart, O Lord, to listen to the words of your Son.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
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.
“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.
Everyone, everywhere, is subject to God’s kingship, his sovereign authority.
Some yield to and serve Him, some do not, but all must ultimately account to Him and bear the consequences of how they responded to God.
***
The theme that runs through all of today’s readings is God’s complete sovereignty, His superiority and ultimate authority over all humans and human affairs.
So how do we respond to that? Today’s alleluia verse, gospel, and psalm provide guidance:
- Open our hearts, listen to/for Jesus’ words and instruction, and act on/live by them.
- Rely on God, hope in Him, look to Him for help in all we deal with.
- Do not be overawed or distracted by human authority/activity. God is ultimately in control, so focus on Him. Psalm 37 provides wonderful guidance on this.
- Praise God; this is a particularly powerful response to doubt/fear/discouragement.
like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand
Who made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them
which collects fish of every kind.
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,
Blessedis he whose help is the God of Jacob
Praise the LORD
Praise the LORD
praise the LORD all my life
sing praise to my God while I live
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob
Blessed he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD
sing praise to my God while I live
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob
Blessed he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD
Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob
Open our heart, O Lord, to listen to the words of your Son
been instructed
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Put not your trust in princes, in the sons of men
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