Tuesday 4 August 2026 - You shall be my people

Tuesday 4 August 2026

Today is Tuesday the 4th of August, the feast of Saint John Vianney, in the 18th week of Ordinary Time. Salt of the Sound sings, ‘O The Deep, Deep Love of Jesus’. Whether it is morning, afternoon or evening, Jesus is with you. He longs to be with you. Perhaps you long for Him too. Allow Him to come close. O the deep, deep love of Jesus Vast, unmeasured, boundless, free Rolling as a mighty ocean In its fullness over me Underneath me, all around me Is the current of thy love Leading onward, leading homeward To thy glorious rest above O the deep, deep love of Jesus Spread his praise from shore to shore How he loves us, ever loves us Changes never, nevermore How he watches o'er his loved ones Died to call them all his own How for them he's interceding Watching o'er them from the throne O the deep, deep love of Jesus 'Tis a heav'n of heav'ns to me And it lifts me up to glory For it lifts me up to thee Today’s reading is from the Prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah 30:1-2, 12-15, 18-22 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Write in a book all the words that I have spoken to you. For thus says the Lord: Your hurt is incurable, your wound is grievous. There is no one to uphold your cause, no medicine for your wound, no healing for you. All your lovers have forgotten you; they care nothing for you; for I have dealt you the blow of an enemy, the punishment of a merciless foe, because your guilt is great, because your sins are so numerous. Why do you cry out over your hurt? Your pain is incurable. Because your guilt is great, because your sins are so numerous, I have done these things to you. Thus says the Lord: I am going to restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob, and have compassion on his dwellings; the city shall be rebuilt upon its mound, and the citadel set on its rightful site. Out of them shall come thanksgiving, and the sound of merrymakers. I will make them many, and they shall not be few; I will make them honoured, and they shall not be disdained. Their children shall be as of old, their congregation shall be established before me; and I will punish all who oppress them. Their prince shall be one of their own, their ruler shall come from their midst; I will bring him near, and he shall approach me, for who would otherwise dare to approach me? says the Lord. And you shall be my people, and I will be your God. Like an honest friend after a disagreement, when God speaks through the prophets, the first words can sound harsh. But they give way to a deeper desire—the desire to heal and to restore. At times, we too can feel that parts of our lives are beyond healing, too painful, too complicated. As you begin this prayer, bring those places before God. What feels beyond his reach? Gently place it in his hands. God does not give up on us, or on our struggles. He looks on us with compassion. He longs to restore us to the fullness of his love. As you continue in prayer, imagine God looking at you. A gaze that sees your fragility… and also sees the good planted deep within you. Stay with that gaze for a moment. The eyes of God are not harsh or condemning, but full of mercy. As you listen to this passage again, notice what stirs in you. Even if some words feel challenging, stay open. Where might you be invited to change, or to trust more deeply in what God can transform within you? Jeremiah 30:1-2, 12-15, 18-22 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Write in a book all the words that I have spoken to you. For thus says the Lord: Your hurt is incurable, your wound is grievous. There is no one to uphold your cause, no medicine for your wound, no healing for you. All your lovers have forgotten you; they care nothing for you; for I have dealt you the blow of an enemy, the punishment of a merciless foe, because your guilt is great, because your sins are so numerous. Why do you cry out over your hurt? Your pain is incurable. Because your guilt is great, because your sins are so numerous, I have done these things to you. Thus says the Lord: I am going to restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob, and have compassion on his dwellings; the city shall be rebuilt upon its mound, and the citadel set on its rightful site. Out of them shall come thanksgiving, and the sound of merrymakers. I will make them many, and they shall not be few; I will make them honoured, and they shall not be disdained. Their children shall be as of old, their congregation shall be established before me; and I will punish all who oppress them. Their prince shall be one of their own, their ruler shall come from their midst; I will bring him near, and he shall approach me, for who would otherwise dare to approach me? says the Lord. And you shall be my people, and I will be your God. Finally, hold on to the promise of healing and restoration. God speaks it to his people - and to you. Now, speak to him as you would to a friend. Tell him what is in your heart. And thank him for all that he has given you, and for the ways he is leading you to grow more freely and more faithfully in him. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be World without end Amen