Seventeenth Sunday Homily in Ordinary Time Year A

1st Reading – 1 Kings 3:5, 7-12

⁵ The Lord appeared to Solomon, through a dream in the night, saying, “Request whatever you wish, so that I may give it to you.”

⁷ Solomon answered: “O Lord God, you have caused your servant to reign in place of David, my father. But I am a small child, and I am ignorant of my entrance and departure.

⁸ And me, your servant is in the midst of the people that you have chosen, an immense people, who are not able to be numbered or counted because of their multitude.

⁹ Therefore, give to your servant a teachable heart, so that he may be able to judge your people, and to discern between good and evil. For who will be able to judge this people, your people, who are so many?”

¹⁰ And the word was pleasing before the Lord, that Solomon had requested this kind of thing.

¹¹ And the Lord said to Solomon: “Since you have requested this word, and you have not asked for many days or for wealth for yourself, nor for the lives of your enemies, but instead you have requested for yourself wisdom in order to discern judgment:

¹² behold, I have done for you according to your words, and I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so much so that there has been no one like you before you, nor anyone who will rise up after you.

Responsorial Psalm – Psalms 119:57, 72, 76-77, 127-128, 129-130

R. (97a) Lord, I love your commands.

⁵⁷ I have said, O LORD, that my part
is to keep your words.
⁷² The law of your mouth is to me more precious
than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
R. Lord, I love your commands.

⁷⁶ Let your kindness comfort me
according to your promise to your servants.
⁷⁷ Let your compassion come to me that I may live,
for your law is my delight.
R. Lord, I love your commands.

¹²⁷ For I love your command
more than gold, however fine.
¹²⁸ For in all your precepts I go forward;
every false way I hate.
R. Lord, I love your commands.

¹²⁹ Wonderful are your decrees;
therefore I observe them.
¹³⁰ The revelation of your words sheds light,
giving understanding to the simple.
R. Lord, I love your commands.

2nd Reading – Romans 8:28-30

Brothers and sisters:
²⁸ We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

²⁹ For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, so that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

³⁰ And those he predestined he also called; and those he called he also justified; and those he justified he also glorified.

Alleluia – CF. Matthew 11:25

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
²⁵ Blessed are you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth;
for you have revealed to little ones the mysteries of the kingdom.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel – Matthew 13:44-52

Jesus said to his disciples:
⁴⁴ “The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.

⁴⁵ Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls.

⁴⁶ When he finds a pearl of great price, he goes and sells all that he has and buys it.

⁴⁷ Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind.

⁴⁸ When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away.

⁴⁹ Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous

⁵⁰ and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.

⁵¹ “Do you understand all these things?” They answered, “Yes.”

⁵² 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.”