August 17, 2025 Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Daily Readings: Jeremiah 38:4-6, 8-10; Hebrews 12:1-4; Luke 12:49-53
Prophets in Israel’s history were God’s chosen messengers, often called seers, visionaries, or even whistleblowers. They brought God’s message with courage, exposed injustice, and stood for truth, even at the cost of rejection and persecution. This reality remains true today, making Jesus’ call to take courage in the face of trials ever relevant.
In the First Reading (Jeremiah 38), the prophet is falsely accused of treason and thrown into a waterless cistern by order of King Zedekiah. Yet, help comes from an unlikely ally Ebed-me,lech, an Ethiopian eunuch in the king’s service, who pleads for Jeremiah’s release. Jeremiah’s message of repentance and surrender to the Babylonians was unpopular, but he stayed faithful to God’s mission.
The Responsorial Psalm echoes Jeremiah’s experience. The psalmist, seemingly trapped in a pit of misery, cries out to the Lord, who hears and rescues him. In gratitude, he sings a new song of praise, encouraging others to place their trust in God, his protector and helper.
The Second Reading (Hebrews 12) urges the persecuted Church to persevere, drawing strength from the “great cloud of witnesses” and from Jesus, “the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.” Unlike Jeremiah, Jesus faced his passion without earthly rescue. His death on the Cross, despised and criminal in the eyes of many, was embraced as God’s plan for salvation.
In the Gospel (Luke 12), Jesus speaks of bringing “fire to the earth”, symbolizing the transformative power of his mission and the light of the Holy Spirit. He warns that loyalty to him will cause division, even within families, because choosing Christ often means rejecting worldly values. His “baptism” refers to his passion and death, a mission only he could fulfill. True peace, the peace Jesus offers, is peace with God, with others, and with oneself.
Call to Action: A choice for Jesus is a choice against the values of the world. Such a decision requires courage, perseverance, and the grace of God. Let us turn to prayer, seeking the strength to stand with Christ, even when it brings trials and division.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
Latest News
