Mass Readings for August 18, 2023

Joshua 24:1-13
Psalms 136:1-3,16-18,21-22,24
Matthew 19:3-12

Joshua 24:1-13
(1) Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, for their heads, for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God. (2) Joshua said to all the people, “Yahweh says, the God of Israel, ‘Your fathers lived of old time beyond the River, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nahor: and they served other gods. (3) I took your father Abraham from beyond the River, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his offspring, and gave him Isaac. (4) I gave to Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave to Esau Mount Seir, to possess it. Jacob and his children went down into Egypt. (5) “‘I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did among them: and afterward I brought you out. (6) I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and you came to the sea. The Egyptians pursued your fathers with chariots and with horsemen to the Red Sea. (7) When they cried out to Yahweh, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea on them, and covered them; and your eyes saw what I did in Egypt. You lived in the wilderness many days. (8) “‘I brought you into the land of the Amorites, that lived beyond the Jordan. They fought with you, and I gave them into your hand. You possessed their land, and I destroyed them from before you. (9) Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel. He sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you, (10) but I would not listen to Balaam; therefore he blessed you still. So I delivered you out of his hand. (11) “‘You went over the Jordan, and came to Jericho. The men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Girgashite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite; and I delivered them into your hand. (12) I sent the hornet before you, which drove them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; not with your sword, nor with your bow. (13) I gave you a land whereon you had not labored, and cities which you didn’t build, and you live in them. You eat of vineyards and olive groves which you didn’t plant.’

Psalms 136:1-3,16-18,21-22,24
(1) Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good; for his loving kindness endures forever. (2) Give thanks to the God of gods; for his loving kindness endures forever. (3) Give thanks to the Lord of lords; for his loving kindness endures forever: (16) To him who led his people through the wilderness; for his loving kindness endures forever: (17) To him who struck great kings; for his loving kindness endures forever; (18) And killed mighty kings; for his loving kindness endures forever: (21) And gave their land as an inheritance; for his loving kindness endures forever; (22) Even a heritage to Israel his servant; for his loving kindness endures forever: (24) And has delivered us from our adversaries; for his loving kindness endures forever:

Matthew 19:3-12
(3) Pharisees came to him, testing him, and saying, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?” (4) He answered, “Haven’t you read that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female, (5) and said, ‘For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall be joined to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh?’ (6) So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, don’t let man tear apart.” (7) They asked him, “Why then did Moses command us to give her a bill of divorce, and divorce her?” (8) He said to them, “Moses, because of the hardness of your hearts, allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it has not been so. (9) I tell you that whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery; and he who marries her when she is divorced commits adultery.” (10) His disciples said to him, “If this is the case of the man with his wife, it is not expedient to marry.” (11) But he said to them, “Not all men can receive this saying, but those to whom it is given. (12) For there are eunuchs who were born that way from their mother’s womb, and there are eunuchs who were made eunuchs by men; and there are eunuchs who made themselves eunuchs for the Kingdom of Heaven’s sake. He who is able to receive it, let him receive it.”