Daily Readings - Thu Aug 14 2025
Joshua
7And the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses.8Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: 'When you reach the edge of the Jordan's waters, go and stand in the river.'"9Joshua said to the Israelites, "Come here and listen to the words of the LORD your God.10This is how you will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly drive out before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites and Jebusites.11See, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth will go into the Jordan ahead of you.13And as soon as the priests who carry the ark of the LORD -the Lord of all the earth-set foot in the Jordan, its waters flowing downstream will be cut off and stand up in a heap."14So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them.15Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water's edge,16the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea ) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho.17The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground.
Matthew
21Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"22Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.23"Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.24As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.25Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.26"The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.'27The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.28"But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.29"His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'30"But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.31When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.32"Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to.33Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?'34In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.35"This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."
1When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of trust, obedience, and forgiveness. In the first reading from Joshua, we witness a pivotal moment in the history of God’s people as they prepare to cross the Jordan River into the Promised Land. The Lord assures Joshua that He will be with him just as He was with Moses, and He instructs the priests to stand in the river, trusting that the waters will part. This miraculous event is a testament to God’s power and faithfulness, reminding the Israelites—and us—that He is always present, even in moments of uncertainty.
In the Gospel, Jesus teaches Peter and the disciples about the boundless nature of forgiveness. Peter asks how many times he should forgive his brother, and Jesus responds with the parable of the unforgiving servant. The servant who is forgiven a great debt but then refuses to forgive a smaller debt is condemned for his lack of compassion. Jesus makes it clear that forgiveness is not optional; it is a fundamental aspect of life in the kingdom of God. Just as God has shown us mercy, we must show mercy to others.
These readings are deeply connected. Both call us to trust in God’s providence and to live out that trust in our relationships with others. Crossing the Jordan required the Israelites to step into the unknown, trusting that God would provide a way. Similarly, forgiving others, especially when it is difficult, requires us to trust that God’s mercy is sufficient and that His grace will transform us. As we navigate the challenges of daily life, let us remember that God is always with us, guiding us and empowering us to live as people of faith and compassion. May we, like Joshua, trust in His presence, and may we, like the forgiven servant, extend mercy to those around us.