Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Also Read: Mass Readings for 28 June 2026
First Reading: Second Kings 4: 8-11, 14-16
She said to her husband, “Look, I am sure that this man who regularly passes our way is a holy man of God. Let us make a small roof chamber with walls, and put there for him a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp, so that he can stay there whenever he comes to us.” (9-10)
The pious Shunammite woman was enlightened to recognize the Prophet, Elisha. She provides for him, and the Lord blesses her through the Prophet. Let us ask the Lord that we, too, may be inspired to recognize the prophet/s around us! Let us provide for them without ulterior motives. The Lord knows our deeds and hearts and provides for our every need. In Jesus’ name, Amen!
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 89: 2-3, 16-19
I declare that your steadfast love is established forever; your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens. You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to my servant David. (2-3)
Alleluia, Amen.
Second Reading: Romans 6: 3-4, 8-11
But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. (8-11)
St. Paul’s catechesis today teaches us that we are to live as though we are dead to sin! Even when we falter, we must not despair but dust ourselves off and get back in the saddle. We know that Christ Jesus lives. We know that the living God, Bread from heaven, comes down to us daily at the Holy Eucharist. Our souls are nourished when we receive him in our hearts.
Let us thank the Lord for the mystery of this faith. The more we receive him in our hearts and engrave his words in our minds, the more we will be enlightened like the Shunemite lady. Alleluia, Amen.
Alleluia: First Peter 2: 9
Alleluia, Alleluia!! But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, so that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Alleluia!
Gospel: Matthew 10: 37-42
“Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple—truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.” (40-42)
Generosity plays a great part in the rules of living, as explained here by Christ Jesus himself. The Shunammite Lady leads the way for us! How do we recognize the Holy One of God? How can we be generous to the saints? Why should we be generous even when no one is watching? – Because God watches over us always! Should we only perform acts of charity for the sake of the rewards only? As we reflect on these questions, we will find the pathway to Christian living.
In Jesus’ name, Amen!
Leave a Reply