Mass Reading: Sunday - 19th July 2026

First reading
Wisdom 12:13,16-19
You will grant repentance after sin

There is no god, other than you, who cares for every thing,
to whom you might have to prove that you never judged unjustly.
Your justice has its source in strength,
your sovereignty over all makes you lenient to all.
You show your strength when your sovereign power is questioned
and you expose the insolence of those who know it;
but, disposing of such strength, you are mild in judgement,
you govern us with great lenience,
for you have only to will, and your power is there.
By acting thus you have taught a lesson to your people
how the virtuous man must be kindly to his fellow men,
and you have given your sons the good hope
that after sin you will grant repentance.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 85(86):5-6,9-10,15-16

O Lord, you are good and forgiving.

O Lord, you are good and forgiving,
    full of love to all who call.
Give heed, O Lord, to my prayer
    and attend to the sound of my voice.

O Lord, you are good and forgiving.

All the nations shall come to adore you
    and glorify your name, O Lord:
for you are great and do marvellous deeds,
    you who alone are God.

O Lord, you are good and forgiving.

But you, God of mercy and compassion,
    slow to anger, O Lord,
abounding in love and truth,
    turn and take pity on me.

O Lord, you are good and forgiving.

________

Second reading
Romans 8:26-27
The Spirit himself expresses our plea in a way that could never be put into words

    The Spirit comes to help us in our weakness. For when we cannot choose words in order to pray properly, the Spirit himself expresses our plea in a way that could never be put into words, and God who knows everything in our hearts knows perfectly well what he means, and that the pleas of the saints expressed by the Spirit are according to the mind of God.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
cf.Ep1:17,18

Alleluia, alleluia!

May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
enlighten the eyes of our mind,
so that we can see what hope his call holds for us.

Alleluia!

Or:
Mt11:25

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessed are you, Father, 
Lord of heaven and earth,
for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom
to mere children.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Matthew 13:24-43
Let them both grow till the harvest

    Jesus put another parable before the crowds: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. While everybody was asleep his enemy came, sowed darnel all among the wheat, and made off. When the new wheat sprouted and ripened, the darnel appeared as well. The owner’s servants went to him and said, “Sir, was it not good seed that you sowed in your field? If so, where does the darnel come from?” “Some enemy has done this” he answered. And the servants said, “Do you want us to go and weed it out?” But he said, “No, because when you weed out the darnel you might pull up the wheat with it. Let them both grow till the harvest; and at harvest time I shall say to the reapers: First collect the darnel and tie it in bundles to be burnt, then gather the wheat into my barn.”’

    He put another parable before them: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the biggest shrub of all and becomes a tree so that the birds of the air come and shelter in its branches.’

    He told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like the yeast a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour till it was leavened all through.’

    In all this Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables; indeed, he would never speak to them except in parables. This was to fulfil the prophecy:

I will speak to you in parables
and expound things hidden since the foundation of the world.

    Then, leaving the crowds, he went to the house; and his disciples came to him and said, ‘Explain the parable about the darnel in the field to us.’ He said in reply, ‘The sower of the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world; the good seed is the subjects of the kingdom; the darnel, the subjects of the evil one; the enemy who sowed them, the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; the reapers are the angels. Well then, just as the darnel is gathered up and burnt in the fire, so it will be at the end of time. The Son of Man will send his angels and they will gather out of his kingdom all things that provoke offences and all who do evil, and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth. Then the virtuous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Listen, anyone who has ears!’

The Gospel of the Lord.

 

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 19th July 2026

 

WIS 12:13, 16-19; PS 86:5-6, 9-10, 15-16; ROM 8:26-27; MT 13:24-43 OR 13:24-30

Today’s readings offer both encouragement and challenge for the Christian steward. They remind us of God’s justice and mercy, the guidance of the Holy Spirit, and the often hidden yet powerful growth of God’s Kingdom.

Our first reading from the Book of Wisdom reminds us that God is both all-powerful and infinitely merciful. “Though you are master of might, you judge with clemency.” God’s justice is perfect because it is always joined to His love. As Christian stewards, this is an important reminder. A day will come when each of us will give an account of how we used the gifts God entrusted to us — our time, our talent, and our treasure. We will answer for the role we played in building up His Kingdom and serving His people.

At the same time, we can take comfort in knowing that God judges with mercy. He desires our salvation and continually offers us opportunities to grow closer to Him and to become more faithful disciples.

In our second reading, St. Paul reminds us that we are not left to accomplish this mission on our own. “The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness.” How reassuring those words are. The Holy Spirit dwells within us, guiding us, strengthening us, and interceding for us even when we do not know how to pray as we ought.

Christian stewardship is not merely a human effort. It is a response to God’s grace. The Holy Spirit reveals the unique mission God has entrusted to each of us and provides the wisdom and strength necessary to carry it out. The more we rely on Him, the more fruitful our lives become.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus uses several parables to describe the Kingdom of Heaven. First, He compares it to a field where both wheat and weeds grow together until the harvest. Only then are they separated. It is a sobering reminder that our choices matter and that God, in His justice, will ultimately judge all things.

Yet the Gospel is also filled with hope. Jesus compares the Kingdom to a mustard seed, the smallest of seeds, which grows into a large plant. He compares it to yeast that quietly works its way through the dough until the whole batch is transformed.

These images are especially encouraging for Christian stewards. So often, our efforts can seem small compared to the immense needs around us. The prayers we offer, the ministries we serve in, the sacrifices we make, and the gifts we share may appear insignificant in the moment.

But Jesus assures us that God is at work in ways we cannot always see. He takes our small offerings and uses them to accomplish far more than we could imagine. What seems small in our eyes can bear tremendous fruit in His hands.

God sees every act of generosity, every sacrifice made in love, and every effort to serve Him faithfully. Nothing offered to Him is ever wasted.

In gratitude for all He has given us, let us remain faithful to the mission entrusted to our care. Trusting in the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the power of God at work within us, let us continue building His Kingdom one faithful act of stewardship at a time.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 12th July 2026

First reading
Isaiah 55:10-11
The word that goes out from my mouth does not return to me empty

    Thus says the Lord: ‘As the rain and the snow come down from the heavens and do not return without watering the earth, making it yield and giving growth to provide seed for the sower and bread for the eating, so the word that goes from my mouth does not return to me empty, without carrying out my will and succeeding in what it was sent to do.’

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 64(65):10-14

Some seed fell into rich soil and produced its crop.

You care for the earth, give it water,
    you fill it with riches.
Your river in heaven brims over
    to provide its grain.

Some seed fell into rich soil and produced its crop.

And thus you provide for the earth;
    you drench its furrows;
you level it, soften it with showers;
    you bless its growth.

Some seed fell into rich soil and produced its crop.

You crown the year with your goodness.
    Abundance flows in your steps,
    in the pastures of the wilderness it flows.

Some seed fell into rich soil and produced its crop.

The hills are girded with joy,
    the meadows covered with flocks,
the valleys are decked with wheat.
    They shout for joy, yes, they sing.

Some seed fell into rich soil and produced its crop.

________

Second reading
Romans 8:18-23
The whole creation is eagerly waiting for God to reveal his sons

    I think that what we suffer in this life can never be compared to the glory, as yet unrevealed, which is waiting for us. The whole creation is eagerly waiting for God to reveal his sons. It was not for any fault on the part of creation that it was made unable to attain its purpose, it was made so by God; but creation still retains the hope of being freed, like us, from its slavery to decadence, to enjoy the same freedom and glory as the children of God. From the beginning till now the entire creation, as we know, has been groaning in one great act of giving birth; and not only creation, but all of us who possess the first-fruits of the Spirit, we too groan inwardly as we wait for our bodies to be set free.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
1S3:9,Jn6:68

Alleluia, alleluia!

Speak, Lord, your servant is listening:
you have the message of eternal life.

Alleluia!

Or:

Alleluia, alleluia!

The seed is the word of God, Christ the sower;
whoever finds this seed will remain for ever.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Matthew 13:1-23
A sower went out to sow

    Jesus left the house and sat by the lakeside, but such large crowds gathered round him that he got into a boat and sat there. The people all stood on the beach, and he told them many things in parables.

    He said, ‘Imagine a sower going out to sow. As he sowed, some seeds fell on the edge of the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Others fell on patches of rock where they found little soil and sprang up straight away, because there was no depth of earth; but as soon as the sun came up they were scorched and, not having any roots, they withered away. Others fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Others fell on rich soil and produced their crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Listen, anyone who has ears!’

    Then the disciples went up to him and asked, ‘Why do you talk to them in parables?’ ‘Because’ he replied, ‘the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven are revealed to you, but they are not revealed to them. For anyone who has will be given more, and he will have more than enough; but from anyone who has not, even what he has will be taken away. The reason I talk to them in parables is that they look without seeing and listen without hearing or understanding. So in their case this prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled:

You will listen and listen again, but not understand,

see and see again, but not perceive.

For the heart of this nation has grown coarse,

their ears are dull of hearing, and they have shut their eyes,

for fear they should see with their eyes,

hear with their ears,

understand with their heart,

and be converted

and be healed by me.

    ‘But happy are your eyes because they see, your ears because they hear! I tell you solemnly, many prophets and holy men longed to see what you see, and never saw it; to hear what you hear, and never heard it.

    ‘You, therefore, are to hear the parable of the sower. When anyone hears the word of the kingdom without understanding, the evil one comes and carries off what was sown in his heart: this is the man who received the seed on the edge of the path. The one who received it on patches of rock is the man who hears the word and welcomes it at once with joy. But he has no root in him, he does not last; let some trial come, or some persecution on account of the word, and he falls away at once. The one who received the seed in thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this world and the lure of riches choke the word and so he produces nothing. And the one who received the seed in rich soil is the man who hears the word and understands it; he is the one who yields a harvest and produces now a hundredfold, now sixty, now thirty.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

 

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 12th July 2026

 

IS 55:10-11; PS 65:10-14; ROM 8:18-23; MT 13:1-23 OR 13:1-9

Today’s readings are filled with images that illuminate the stewardship way of life, demonstrating the gradual yet powerful effect this lifestyle has on those who fully embrace it.

In our first reading from Isaiah, the Lord speaks of the gentle but unstoppable power of His Word, comparing it to the rain and snow that water the earth, “making it fertile and fruitful, giving seed to the one who sows and bread to the one who eats.” God reminds us that His Word never returns to Him empty. It always accomplishes His purpose. It gives life, nourishes the soul, and sustains us on our journey of discipleship.

Christian stewards understand the importance of drawing daily nourishment from God’s Word. When we commit ourselves to prayerfully reading and reflecting on Scripture, we can be confident that God is at work within us, slowly transforming our hearts and shaping us into the people He calls us to be.

The image of fertile and fruitful growth in Isaiah prepares us for the well-known Gospel parable that follows. In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus describes a sower scattering seed on different kinds of soil.

Some seed falls on the path and is quickly carried away by birds before it can take root. Some fall on rocky ground where they sprout quickly but cannot survive because their roots are shallow. Other seed falls among thorns that choke the young plants before they can mature.

Finally, some seed falls on rich soil and produces an abundant harvest.

Jesus explains that the seed is the Word of God and that the various soils represent the different ways people receive it. The sower scatters generously, offering the seed to everyone. Yet only a portion of it finds the kind of soil where it can flourish and bear fruit. This is where the stewardship way of life comes in. When we generously offer our time, talent, and treasure in service to God and others, we help cultivate the “good soil” necessary for God’s Word to take root and thrive within us.

Stewardship helps remove the “rocks” of mistrust as we grow in confidence that God will provide for our needs. It clears away the “thorns” of worldly ambition, self-centeredness, and anxiety that can distract us from what matters most. Through prayer, the sacraments, and generous service, the soil of our lives is continually nourished and enriched.

As St. Paul reminds us in today’s second reading, all creation longs for the fullness of what God intends. We, too, await that fulfillment as we strive to live as faithful disciples. The stewardship way of life prepares us for that day by helping us grow steadily in holiness and fruitfulness.

Let us deepen our commitment to this way of life, allowing the Divine Sower to do His work within us. If we remain open to His grace, the Master Gardener will surely produce an abundant harvest through our lives.

Mass Reflection: Sunday - 05th July 2026

 

ZEC 9:9-10; PS 145:1-2, 8-11, 13-14; ROM 8:9, 11-13; MT 11:25-30

The theme of humility is central to our readings today. God Himself is a humble God, so if we wish to follow Him as Christian stewards, we too, must be humble. In fact, humility is key to the stewardship way of life, and to a peaceful and fulfilling life.

Our first reading from Zechariah foretells the unexpected way in which the Lord, the Savior of the world, will arrive. “See, your king shall come to you; a just savior is he, meek and riding on an ass… and he shall proclaim peace to the nations.” It is almost unfathomable that our almighty, all-powerful God would humble Himself to live among us as one of our own, let alone to contemplate the unassuming way in which He arrived — born as a helpless baby, growing up under the care of human parents and finally making his entrance as savior on a lowly colt. Christ has given us a clear and compelling model of humility. We dare not pursue any other path for ourselves if we wish to follow Him.

But this kind of humility goes against our natural, worldly bent which says we must insist on hav-ing our own way, assert our rights at all costs, and put ourselves first so as to get ahead. How can we live the radical way Christ is calling us to live?

As St. Paul tells us in the letter to the Romans, our second reading today, “Brothers and sisters: You are not in the flesh; on the contrary, you are in the spirit.” Because of the gifts of our Baptism and Confirmation, we have a “superpower” right within us — the Holy Spirit — Who gives us every spiritual gift and all the strength we need to follow Christ. We must awaken to the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives, leaning into Him to increase virtue in us, especially this key virtue of humility. Paul reminds us that this is for our own good after all — “For if you live according to the flesh, you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.”

In our Gospel passage from Matthew, Jesus Himself speaks to the Father of the privileged role that humble souls play in God’s plan of salvation. “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to little ones.”

What does it mean to be a “little one”? It means that we acknowledge we don’t have it all figured out, but that we are very much in need of a savior. It means we recognize that all we are and all we have been given is a gift from God. It means we embrace the stewardship way of life.

It is not easy, but deep peace and consolation come with this way of life. Jesus offers these warm and encouraging words to entice us to embrace it. “Come to me all you who labor and are bur-dened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

Let us resolve to follow in the footsteps of our Savior, embracing the humble path of stewardship. It is the path that leads to peace here and now, and ultimately leads us to heaven.

Mass Reading: Sunday - 05th July 2026

First reading
Zechariah 9:9-10
See now, your king comes humbly to you

The Lord says this:

Rejoice heart and soul, daughter of Zion!
Shout with gladness, daughter of Jerusalem!
See now, your king comes to you;
he is victorious, he is triumphant,
humble and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
He will banish chariots from Ephraim
and horses from Jerusalem;
the bow of war will be banished.
He will proclaim peace for the nations.
His empire shall stretch from sea to sea,
from the River to the ends of the earth.

The word of the Lord.

________

Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 144(145):1-2,8-11,13b-14

I will bless your name for ever, O God my King.

I will give you glory, O God my king,
    I will bless your name for ever.
I will bless you day after day
    and praise your name for ever.

I will bless your name for ever, O God my King. 

The Lord is kind and full of compassion,
    slow to anger, abounding in love.
How good is the Lord to all,
    compassionate to all his creatures.

I will bless your name for ever, O God my King. 

All your creatures shall thank you, O Lord,
    and your friends shall repeat their blessing.
They shall speak of the glory of your reign
    and declare your might, O God.

I will bless your name for ever, O God my King. 

The Lord is faithful in all his words
    and loving in all his deeds.
The Lord supports all who fall
    and raises all who are bowed down.

I will bless your name for ever, O God my King.

 

________

Second reading
Romans 8:9,11-13
If by the Spirit you put an end to the misdeeds of the body, you will live

    Your interests are not in the unspiritual, but in the spiritual, since the Spirit of God has made his home in you. In fact, unless you possessed the Spirit of Christ you would not belong to him, and if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, then he who raised Jesus from the dead will give life to your own mortal bodies through his Spirit living in you.

    So then, my brothers, there is no necessity for us to obey our unspiritual selves or to live unspiritual lives. If you do live in that way, you are doomed to die; but if by the Spirit you put an end to the misdeeds of the body you will live.

The word of the Lord.

________

Gospel Acclamation
Mt11:25

Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessed are you, Father, 
Lord of heaven and earth,
for revealing the mysteries of the kingdom
to mere children.

Alleluia!

________

Gospel
Matthew 11:25-30
You have hidden these things from the wise and revealed them to little children

    Jesus exclaimed, ‘I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to mere children. Yes, Father, for that is what it pleased you to do. Everything has been entrusted to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, just as no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

    ‘Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’

The Gospel of the Lord.