Mass Readings for August 17, 2023

Joshua 3:7-11,13-17
Psalms 114:1-6
Matthew 18:21-19:1

Joshua 3:7-11,13-17
(7) Yahweh said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to magnify you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. (8) You shall command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, saying, ‘When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.’” (9) Joshua said to the children of Israel, “Come here, and hear the words of Yahweh your God.” (10) Joshua said, “By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that he will without fail drive the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Hivite, and the Perizzite, and the Girgashite, and the Amorite, and the Jebusite out from before you. (11) Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth passes over before you into the Jordan. (13) It shall be that when the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of Yahweh, the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, that the waters of the Jordan will be cut off. The waters that come down from above shall stand in one heap.” (14) When the people moved from their tents to pass over the Jordan, the priests who bore the ark of the covenant being before the people, (15) and when those who bore the ark had come to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests who bore the ark had dipped in the edge of the water (for the Jordan overflows all its banks all the time of harvest), (16) the waters which came down from above stood, and rose up in one heap, a great way off, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan; and those that went down toward the sea of the Arabah, even the Salt Sea, were wholly cut off. Then the people passed over near Jericho. (17) The priests who bore the ark of Yahweh’s covenant stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan; and all Israel crossed over on dry ground, until all the nation had passed completely over the Jordan.

Psalms 114:1-6
(1) When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of foreign language; (2) Judah became his sanctuary, Israel his dominion. (3) The sea saw it, and fled. The Jordan was driven back. (4) The mountains skipped like rams, the little hills like lambs. (5) What was it, you sea, that you fled? You Jordan, that you turned back? (6) You mountains, that you skipped like rams; you little hills, like lambs?

Matthew 18:21-19:1
(21) Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Until seven times?” (22) Jesus said to him, “I don’t tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven. (23) Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who wanted to reconcile accounts with his servants. (24) When he had begun to reconcile, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. (25) But because he couldn’t pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, with his wife, his children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. (26) The servant therefore fell down and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you all!’ (27) The lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. (28) “But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, who owed him one hundred denarii, and he grabbed him, and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ (29) “So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will repay you!’ (30) He would not, but went and cast him into prison, until he should pay back that which was due. (31) So when his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry, and came and told their lord all that was done. (32) Then his lord called him in, and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt, because you begged me. (33) Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?’ (34) His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors, until he should pay all that was due to him. (35) So my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don’t each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds.” (1) When Jesus had finished these words, he departed from Galilee, and came into the borders of Judea beyond the Jordan.