Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection August 09, 2025
Saturday – 18th Week in Ordinary Time
09th August 2025 (Saturday)
Psalter: Week 2
Readings of the Day
First Reading: Deuteronomy 6:4-13
Moses spoke to the people, saying, Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. “And when the Lord your God brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, togive you with great and good cities that you did not build, and houses full of all good things that you did not fill, and cisterns that you did not dig, and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant and when you eat and are full, then take care lest you forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. It is the Lord your God you shall fear. Him you shall serve and by his name you shall swear.
Psalm 18:2-3a, 3bc-4, 4 and 51ab (R.2)
R/. I love you, Lord, my strength.
Gospel Acclamation
V/. Alleluia
R/. Alleluia
V/. Our Saviour Christ Jesus abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
R/. Alleluia
Gospel: Matthew 17:14-20
At that time: A man came up to Jesus and, kneeling before him, said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he has seizures and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.” And Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.” And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was healed instantly. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’, and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”
Daily Gospel Reflection
Saturday – 18th Week in Ordinary Time
Main Point: The greatness of faith is not in the display of great miracles or favours. But true faith certainly brings inner healing
1. The gospel of the day, Matthew 17. 14-20 focuses on the power of faith. Jesus says, faith is so powerful that it can move even the mountains and nothing will be impossible. To show how great it is, Jesus uses a simple contrast: even a little faith like a mustard seed can move even big mountains.
2. A man with an epileptic son approaches the disciples, but they fail to heal him. And Jesus makes it very clear that it is because of their little faith. True faith certainly heals. Of course, healing need not always be external or physical.
3. But, one thing is sure: when there is genuine faith, inner healing is bound to happen. However, it is not one’s capacity. It is God’s own power mediated and channelled through the limited human beings.
4. Now, what is this true faith? How does it manifest itself? The first reading from Deuteronomy gives us the answer. True faith is nothing but loving God totally and unconditionally.
5. To have faith is to love God with whole heart, whole soul and whole might. There are no portions or concessions in this. Also, it is not space-bound or time-bound. That is, this love should happen every time and everywhere.
6. This love shows itself in deep gratitude and unceasing remembrance of God’s compassion and mercy. It leads to a reverential fear for the Lord and the fervour to serve Him.
My Practice: Many have a wrong idea of faith and its power. They think the more faith can do big things like moving the mountains or obtain big favours, the more it is great and strong. But true faith is humble and loving obedience to God’s commandments.
