Do you want an understanding heart and to distinguish right from wrong? Are you living for Heaven or things of this world?

July 26, 2026

Do you want an understanding heart and to distinguish right from wrong? Are you living for Heaven or things of this world?

Do you want an understanding heart and to distinguish right from wrong? Is getting into Heaven more important to you than things of this world? Do you want to live a long life? To be rich? Lord, I love your commands. I think God wants us to be obedient. To follow God's rules, to be like Jesus and love all people. We need to live for Heaven in Spirit and not for things of this world. We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. God has a purpose for us here! Today many live godless lives. They do not bring their children up knowing Jesus, they live for becoming rich, living for things of this world. We forget about what our priorities should be. To live for God, to serve Him and His people, to love all and make getting into Heaven our number one priority. We need to ask ourselves this each day, are we doing this? Heaven cannot be bought by things we have in this world! Getting into Heaven has to be our number one priority, and to get in is not about having a lot of money or material goods, it is about living your life like the example God gave us in Jesus, to follow Him! to reflect, forgive, imitate, and love like Him! We need to work on our faith. We need to repent of our sins and turn from iniquities. We need to love like Jesus! Today we live in a world that has turned into so many haters. They forget about living like Jesus! We cannot buy our way into Heaven, we need to earn it by how we live, are you living like Jesus? Loving like Jesus? Where is your heart? Where are your real treasures, are they here on Earth or in Heaven?

Seventeenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Lectionary: 109

Reading 1

1 Kings 3:5, 7-12

The LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night.
God said, "Ask something of me and I will give it to you."
Solomon answered:
"O LORD, my God, you have made me, your servant, king
to succeed my father David;
but I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act.
I serve you in the midst of the people whom you have chosen,
a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted.
Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart
to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong.
For who is able to govern this vast people of yours?"

The LORD was pleased that Solomon made this request.
So God said to him:
"Because you have asked for this—
not for a long life for yourself,
nor for riches,
nor for the life of your enemies,
but for understanding so that you may know what is right—
I do as you requested.
I give you a heart so wise and understanding
that there has never been anyone like you up to now,
and after you there will come no one to equal you."

Responsorial Psalm

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

R. (97a) Lord, I love your commands.
I have said, O LORD, that my part
is to keep your words.
The law of your mouth is to me more precious
than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
Let your kindness comfort me
according to your promise to your servants.
Let your compassion come to me that I may live,
for your law is my delight.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
For I love your commands
more than gold, however fine.
For in all your precepts I go forward;
every false way I hate.
R. Lord, I love your commands.
Wonderful are your decrees;
therefore I observe them.
The revelation of your words sheds light,
giving understanding to the simple.
R. Lord, I love your commands.

Reading 2

Romans 8:28-30

Brothers and sisters:
We know that all things work for good for those who love God,
who are called according to his purpose.
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.
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.
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:
"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.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea,
which collects fish of every kind.
When it is full they haul it ashore
and sit down to put what is good into buckets.
What is bad they throw away.
Thus it will be at the end of the age.
The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous
and throw them into the fiery furnace,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.

"Do you understand all these things?"
They answered, "Yes."
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."