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Daily Readings

Wednesday of the Eighteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Ordinary TimeGreen

Today's Mass Readings
First Reading

Jeremiah 31:1-7

At that time, says the LORD,
I will be the God of all the tribes of Israel,
and they shall be my people.
Thus says the LORD:
The people that escaped the sword
have found favor in the desert.
As Israel comes forward to be given his rest,
the LORD appears to him from afar:
With age-old love I have loved you;
so I have kept my mercy toward you.
Again I will restore you, and you shall be rebuilt,
O virgin Israel;
Carrying your festive tambourines,
you shall go forth dancing with the merrymakers.
Again you shall plant vineyards
on the mountains of Samaria;
those who plant them shall enjoy the fruits.
Yes, a day will come when the watchmen
will call out on Mount Ephraim:
“Rise up, let us go to Zion,
to the LORD, our God.”

For thus says the LORD:
Shout with joy for Jacob,
exult at the head of the nations;
proclaim your praise and say:
The LORD has delivered his people,
the remnant of Israel.

Thanks be to God

Responsorial Psalm
Jeremiah 31:10, 11-12ab, 13
The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.

Verse: Hear the word of the LORD, O nations,
proclaim it on distant isles, and say:
He who scattered Israel, now gathers them together,
he guards them as a shepherd his flock.

Response: The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.

Verse: The LORD shall ransom Jacob,
he shall redeem him from the hand of his conqueror.
Shouting, they shall mount the heights of Zion,
they shall come streaming to the LORD’s blessings.

Response: The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.

Verse: Then the virgins shall make merry and dance,
and young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning into joy.
I will console and gladden them after their sorrows.

Response: The Lord will guard us as a shepherd guards his flock.

Gospel Acclamation
Luke 7:16
Alleluia, alleluia.

Verse: A great prophet has arisen in our midst
and God has visited his people.

Response: Alleluia, alleluia.

The Holy Gospel

Matthew 15:21-28

At that time Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon.
And behold, a Canaanite woman of that district came and called out,
“Have pity on me, Lord, Son of David!
My daughter is tormented by a demon.”
But he did not say a word in answer to her.
His disciples came and asked him,
“Send her away, for she keeps calling out after us.”
He said in reply,
“I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”
But the woman came and did him homage, saying, “Lord, help me.”
He said in reply,
“It is not right to take the food of the children
and throw it to the dogs.”
She said, “Please, Lord, for even the dogs eat the scraps
that fall from the table of their masters.”
Then Jesus said to her in reply,
“O woman, great is your faith!
Let it be done for you as you wish.”
And her daughter was healed from that hour.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ

ReflectionReflection Guide

The Canaanite woman cried out to Jesus, begging Him to heal her daughter. At first, she was met with silence, and even the disciples wanted to send her away. Yet she refused to give up. Her love for her child and her trust in the Lord were greater than her disappointment, and in the end Jesus praised her faith, saying, "O woman, great is your faith!"

Many of us have experienced moments when God seems silent. We pray for healing, guidance, reconciliation, or a solution to a problem, yet the answer does not come as quickly as we hope. Like the Canaanite woman, we may be tempted to lose heart. This Gospel reminds us that faith is not measured by how quickly our prayers are answered but by our willingness to continue trusting even when we do not understand.

The persistence of this mother also reminds us of the power of love. Love gives people the strength to keep praying, keep hoping, and keep believing. The Lord sees every tear, hears every prayer, and knows every burden we carry. May we have the same humility, courage, and perseverance as the Canaanite woman, trusting that God's timing is always guided by wisdom and love.