13 August 2025 (Wednesday) / Wednesday of week 19 in Ordinary Time or Saints Pontian, Pope, and Hippolytus, Priest, Martyrs / Ordinary Weekday/ Saint Pontian, Pope, Martyr, and Saint Hippolytus, Priest, Martyr

13 August 2025 (Wednesday)

Wednesday of week 19 in Ordinary Time or Saints Pontian, Pope, and Hippolytus, Priest, Martyrs.

Ordinary Weekday/ Saint Pontian, Pope, Martyr, and Saint Hippolytus, Priest, Martyr.

Readings from the Bible of the Roman Catholic Church:

First Reading: Deuteronomy 34: 1-12

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 66: 1-3a, 5 and 8, 16-17

Alleluia: Second Corinthians 5: 19

Gospel: Matthew 18: 15-20

First Reading : Deuteronomy 34:1‐12

Leaving the plains of Moab, Moses went up Mount Nebo, the peak of Pisgah opposite Jericho, and the Lord showed him the whole land; Gilead as far as Dan, all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, the Negeb, and the stretch of the Valley of Jericho, city of palm trees, as far as Zoar. The Lord said to him, ‘This is the land I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying: I will give it to your descendants. I have let you see it with your own eyes, but you shall not cross into it.’ There in the land of Moab, Moses the servant of the Lord died as the Lord decreed; he buried him in the valley, in the land of Moab, opposite Beth‐peor; but to this day no one has ever found his grave. Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, his eye undimmed, his vigour unimpaired. The sons of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab for thirty days. The days of weeping for the mourning rites of Moses came to an end. Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him. It was he that the sons of Israel obeyed, carrying out the order that the Lord had given to Moses. Since then, never has there been such a prophet in Israel as Moses, the man the Lord knew face to face. What signs and wonders the Lord caused him to perform in the land of Egypt against Pharaoh and all his servants and his whole land! How mighty the hand and great the fear that Moses wielded in the sight of all Israel!

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 66: 1-3a, 5 and 8, 16-17

R. (20a, 10b) Blessed be God who filled my soul with fire!

1 Unto the end, a canticle of a psalm of the resurrection. Shout with joy to God, all the earth,

2 Sing ye a psalm to his name; give glory to his praise.

3a Say unto God, How terrible are thy works, O Lord!

R. Blessed be God who filled my soul with fire!

5 Come and see the works of God; who is terrible in his counsels over the sons of men.

8 O bless our God, ye Gentiles: and make the voice of his praise to be heard.

R. Blessed be God who filled my soul with fire!

16 Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will tell you what great things he hath done for my soul.

17 I cried to him with my mouth: and I extolled him with my tongue.

R. Blessed be God who filled my soul with fire!

Alleluia: Second Corinthians 5: 19

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

19 God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

(18. It is all God's work; he reconciled us to himself through Christ and he gave us the ministry of reconciliation.

19. I mean, God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not holding anyone's faults against them, but entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

20. So we are ambassadors for Christ; it is as though God were urging you through us, and in the name of Christ we appeal to you to be reconciled to God).

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel : Matthew 18:15‐20

Jesus said to his disciples: ‘If your brother does something wrong, go and have it out with him alone, between your two selves. If he listens to you, you have won back your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you: the evidence of two or three witnesses is required to sustain any charge. But if he refuses to listen to these, report it to the community; and if he refuses to listen to the community, treat him like a pagan or a tax collector. ‘I tell you solemnly, whatever you bind on earth shall be considered bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth shall be considered loosed in heaven. ‘I tell you solemnly once again, if two of you on earth agree to ask anything at all, it will be granted to you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them.’

For our reflection today:

Today the Gospel speaks to us about fraternal correction  (cf. Mt  18:15-20), which is one of the highest expressions of love, and also one of the most demanding, because it is not easy to correct others. When a brother in faith wrongs you, then you, without rancour, help him, correct him: help by correcting. Unfortunately, however, often the first thing that is created around those who make a mistake is gossip, in which everyone comes to know the mistake, complete with details, apart from the person concerned! Instead, Jesus teaches us to behave in a different way. This is what he says today: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone ” (v. 15). Speak to him about it “face to face”, speak about it fairly, to help him understand where he has erred. And do this for his own good, overcoming embarrassment and finding true courage, which is not to slander, but to say things to his face with meekness and gentleness. And if he still does not understand? Then, Jesus says, involve the community. But here too, let us be clear: this does not mean to pillory a person, putting him to shame publicly, but rather to unite everyone’s efforts to help him change. (Pope Francis, Angelus, 10 September 2023)

Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,

Most High Servant,

Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love (Blessed  and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)