19TH WEDNESDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Matthew 18:15-20) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

“If two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father.” (Mt 18:19)

FIRST READING - Dt 34:1-12

"Moses died as the Lord had said; no prophet has arisen in Israel like Moses."

A reading from the Book of Deuteronomy

¹ Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, the peak of Pisgah which faces Jericho, and the Lord showed him all the land—Gilead, and as far as Dan, ² all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, ³ the Negeb, the plain (the valley of Jericho, the City of Palms), and as far as Zoar. ⁴ The Lord then said to him, This is the land about which I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, “I will give it to your descendants.” I have let you see it with your own eyes, but you shall not cross over. ⁵ So there, in the land of Moab, Moses, the servant of the Lord, died as the Lord had said; ⁶ and he was buried in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor; to this day no one knows the place of his burial. ⁷ Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were undimmed and his vigor unabated. ⁸ The Israelites wept for Moses in the plains of Moab for thirty days, till they had completed the period of grief and mourning for Moses.

⁹ Now Joshua, son of Nun, was filled with the spirit of wisdom, since Moses had laid his hands upon him; and so the Israelites gave him their obedience, just as the Lord had commanded Moses.

¹⁰ Since then no prophet has arisen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, ¹¹ in all the signs and wonders the Lord sent him to perform in the land of Egypt against Pharaoh and all his servants and against all his land, ¹² and all the great might and the awesome power that Moses displayed in the sight of all Israel.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Mt 18:15-20

"If he listens to you, you have won over your brother."

✠From the Gospel according to Matthew

¹⁵ “If your brother^[a] sins [against you], go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. ^16 [b]If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that ‘every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ ¹⁷ If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church.^[c] If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector. ^18 [d]Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. ^19 [e]Again, [amen,] I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. ^20 [f]For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

19TH WEDNESDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Matthew 18:15-20)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

Today's Word of God: God the Father invites all humanity to live in charity and love for one another. It is love that will erase the hatred brought by Satan. This love must come from God, for only God's power can overcome the hatred that Satan brings. Through this charity and love, we will lead our brothers and sisters closer to God the Father—by living out His Word daily, through a life of love, meekness, and humility. Without the meekness and humility that come from God's love, we will not be able to overcome Satan’s temptations.

God the Father calls on all humanity to forgive one another by letting go of our own selfish egos, hatred, jealousy, envy, and competition. These things lead us away from God the Father.

God the Father invites people to resist the temptations of Satan. They need His power and strength; they need His love and mercy.

God the Father calls on people to be vigilant against Satan's temptations because they will be the ones to cause division and jealousy among ourselves.

This is what God the Father also calls His children to unite and love one another, to maintain a life of love, to be closely united with God the Father through others.

God the Father invites people to forgive and love one another, to unite their hearts and minds in living together in love, to practice charity through self-denial, to make sacrifices, to be patient, and to forgive and love—so that the power and love of God the Father may remain in us, and we may dispel Satan's temptations from us.

God the Father invites people to be alert to Satan's temptations, to stay close to Him, to pray unceasingly, and to be intimately united with Him. Then His power will help people dispel the evils and temptations of Satan. God the Father does not want people to fall into Satan’s trap, for Satan will use every means to divide us and to prevent us from drawing near to God and being united with Him.

Today's Word of God, God the Father, invites people to awaken to the need for charity and love for one another. Put love above all things through obedience and fear of God the Father, unite closely with Him through prayer, through unity and love for our fellow human beings as ourselves.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

19:00 August 13, 2025 - Prayer of Divine Mercy - The Way to Heaven