Readings: Wednesday of the Seventeenth Week in Ordinary Time

First Reading: Jer 15:10, 16 – 21

    Woe to me, mother, that you gave me birth!
    a man of strife and contention to all the land!
    I neither borrow nor lend,
    yet all curse me.
    When I found your words, I devoured them;
    they became my joy and the happiness of my heart,
    Because I bore your name,
    O LORD, God of hosts.
    I did not sit celebrating
    in the circle of merrymakers;
    Under the weight of your hand I sat alone
    because you filled me with indignation.
    Why is my pain continuous,
    my wound incurable, refusing to be healed?
    You have indeed become for me a treacherous brook,
    whose waters do not abide!
    Thus the LORD answered me:
    If you repent, so that I restore you,
    in my presence you shall stand;
    If you bring forth the precious without the vile,
    you shall be my mouthpiece.
    Then it shall be they who turn to you,
    and you shall not turn to them;
    And I will make you toward this people
    a solid wall of brass.
    Though they fight against you,
    they shall not prevail,
    For I am with you,
    to deliver and rescue you, says the LORD.
    I will free you from the hand of the wicked,
    and rescue you from the grasp of the violent.

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 59:2 –3, 4, 10–11, 17, 18

    R./ God is my refuge on the day of distress.

    Rescue me from my enemies, O my God;
    from my adversaries defend me.
    Rescue me from evildoers;
    from bloodthirsty men save me.
    R./ God is my refuge on the day of distress.

    For behold, they lie in wait for my life;
    mighty men come together against me,
    Not for any offense or sin of mine, O LORD.
    R./ God is my refuge on the day of distress.

    O my strength! for you I watch;
    for you, O God, are my stronghold,
    As for my God, may his mercy go before me;
    may he show me the fall of my foes.
    R./ God is my refuge on the day of distress.

    But I will sing of your strength
    and revel at dawn in your mercy;
    You have been my stronghold,
    my refuge in the day of distress.
    R./ God is my refuge on the day of distress.

    O my strength! your praise will I sing;
    for you, O God, are my stronghold,
    my merciful God!
    R./ God is my refuge on the day of distress.

Gospel Reading: Matthew 13:44-46

Jesus said to his disciples:
"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.
Again, the Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant
searching for fine pearls.
When he finds a pearl of great price,
he goes and sells all that he has and buys it."