Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection August 12, 2025
Tuesday – 19th Week in Ordinary Time
12th August 2025 (Tuesday)
Psalter: Week 3
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Deuteronomy 31:1-8
Moses continued to speak these words to all Israel. And he said to them, “I am 120 years old today. I am no longer able to go out and come in. The Lord has said to me, ‘You shall not go over this Jordan.’ The Lord your God himself will go over before you. He will destroy these nations before you, so that you shall dispossess them, and Joshua will go over at your head, as the Lord has spoken. And the Lord will do to them as he did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land, when he destroyed them. And the Lord will give them over to you, and you shall do to them according to the whole commandment that I have commanded you. Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, “Be strong and courageous, for you shall go with this people into the land that the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall put them in possession of it. It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
Deuteronomy 32:3-4ab, 7, 8, 9 and 12 R.(9a)
R/. The Lord’s portion is his people
Gospel Acclamation
V/. Alleluia
R/. Alleluia
V/. Take my yoke upon you, says the Lord, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart
R/. Alleluia
Gospel: Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14
At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me. “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
Daily Gospel Reflection
Tuesday – 19th Week in Ordinary Time
Main Point: The perspective and the ways of God are always in contrast to the mere human ways. If we belong to God, we must be attuned to God
1. There is always a great desire and search for greatness. But the world has a false concept and means of greatness. This greatness is mostly measured in terms of ability and abundance. It is mostly in terms of physical, material, intellectual, and social power and competence. Thus, strength, money, possessions, power, position, influence, skill, tact, and success are seen as the signs of greatness.
2. Accordingly, greatness is often equated with being superior to others, being placed higher and better than others, and being able to dominate and dictate over others. This is wrong. Jesus proposes before us a different kind of greatness.
3. It is not the greatness of the big and the powerful, but the greatness of the children. He affirms emphatically unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
4. Jesus also clarifies what this child-likeness is. It is essentially being humble. A good child is not puffed up, does not put on airs, and does not act arrogantly. A child is aware of its smallness and littleness, be it in age or experience or maturity or efficiency.
5. Jesus also draws our attention to another characteristic of being a child. It is the fragility, and vulnerability to be easily influenced and led astray. Therefore, this childlike greatness also includes our receiving children.
6. It means that we do not despise people on the basis of external yards of greatness. We accept and treat all with respect. We also take care of those who are weak and liable to go astray.
My Practice: Often, there is a strong tendency to become great in a worldly way and also to associate with the big and great people. But the Lord calls us to be humble and to associate with the small and the weak
