Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection August 14, 2025
Thursday – 19th Week in Ordinary Time
14th August 2025 (Thursday)
Psalter: Week 3
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Joshua 3:7-10a, 11, 13-17
In those days: The Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. And as for you, command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, ‘When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.’” And Joshua said to the people of Israel, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God.” And Joshua said, “Here is how you shall know that the living God is among you and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites. Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is passing over before you into the Jordan. And when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing, and the waters coming down from above shall stand in one heap.” So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest), the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down towards the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho. Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan.
Psalm 114:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
R/. Alleluia
Gospel Acclamation
V/. Alleluia
R/. Alleluia
V/. Let your face shine forth on your servant, and teach me your decrees
R/. Alleluia
Gospel: Matthew 18:21-19:1
At that time: Peter came up and said to Jesus, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven. Therefore the kingdom of heaven maybe compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” Now when Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from Galilee and entered the region of Judea beyond the Jordan.
Daily Gospel Reflection
Thursday – 19th Week in Ordinary Time
Main Point: When the Lord is with us, we will be able to walk through the troubled waters, and we will be understanding and magnanimous toward others
1. “How many times should I forgive the other?” This is a question posed by Peter in the gospel of Matthew 18. 21f. He is certainly extra generous as he pushes the upper limit to forgive from 3 times in the Jewish tradition to 7 times. Already it is a big stride. But Jesus makes it very clear: “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven”.
2. This implies that forgiveness has no limits. The questions, such as how many times? How can I forgive such a huge wrong? How can I forgive such an undeserving fellow? How can I forgive when the other takes it for granted? et cetera should not disturb us much.
3. The issue is not about the quantity of the wrong or the worth of the recipient. The point is about the willingness and readiness, the extent of forgiveness from the part of those who forgive. There are no conditions or limits, or measures in forgiving.
4. In fact, we need not claim extra credit for forgiving. This does not mean that we are taking away the merit of forgiving. We are certainly aware of how difficult and demanding it is to forgive someone who did us so much harm. It is also difficult, especially in a world which exalts a culture of unforgiveness and retaliation.
5. However, there is no choice. We are bound to forgive. The reason is, we receive so much forgiveness from God and others. As the psalmist says in Psalm 130, “If only you should mark our guilt, Lord, who will survive? But with you is found forgiveness”. This does not mean that we do it out of force or compulsion or fear.
6. Rather, our forgiving should proceed from a genuine sense of gratitude for receiving it unlimitedly, and therefore a deep sense of responsibility for giving it unlimitedly. Besides, forgiving others also becomes a condition for experiencing God’s own forgiveness, because only those who forgive others will be able to receive and enjoy the grace of God’s forgiveness.
7. There is beautiful imagery for forgiveness in the first reading from Joshua 3. 7-17. Forgiveness is like the ark of the covenant of the Lord. Those who bore it could pass on dry ground through the waters of Jordan. Similarly, those who bear the spirit of forgiveness will carry with them God’s own presence and will be able to walk through difficult paths.
My Practice: The promise of God to Joshua continues forever: I will be with you. He never fails to accompany us through His ark of the covenant, and that is His mercy to us and our mercy to others
