Saint Ignatius Loyola, Priest 


Jeremiah 26:1-9 

Psalm 68(69):5,8-10,14

Matthew 13:54-58




Recognizing God's Presence


In today’s gospel passage, the people of Nazareth may recall the young Jesus, the one who grew up among them, who was lost for three days and found by his parents in the Temple and who worked in a carpenter’s shop. Their difficulty in recognizing that the preacher and healer is the same Jesus may stem from biased memories, making them less receptive to perceiving God's presence in Jesus. From today's readings, we learn that remembering the good that results from God's work in our lives through others can foster appreciation and gratitude. Conversely, focusing only on ordinary moments and overlooking God's hand in daily life may hinder our ability to recognize and accept divine blessings when they arrive. Reflecting on our lives, we often see instances where God has touched us in ways that draw us closer to Him. Such remembrance involves a sense of the divine and can be a pathway to holiness. It is indeed a blessing from God.




This serves as a reminder, as conveyed to the Israelites by Jeremiah in today’s first reading, not to forget God's law, which embodies His will for their salvation. An open mind towards God's commandments allows us to be attentive to His ongoing actions in our lives. If our recollections are limited to ordinary life events, we risk missing the presence, blessings, and guidance of God—not only in past experiences but also in the present and future. The people of Israel struggled to see that God was among them in the person of Jesus. 



Let us take some time today to reflect on how God has touched our lives, especially when we come before His presence, surrounded by various events and people. Remember that all we are and all we do are for the glory of God. Let us worship in his temple and may he, in turn, make us his temples. In his great love may he answer our prayers and draw us nearer to Him. Amen. 


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