Daily Mass Readings – Wednesday, 11 August 2027

1 Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab upon mount Nebo, to the top of Phasga over against Jericho: and the Lord shewed him all the land of Galaad as far as Dan.

2 And all Nephtali, and the land of Ephraim and Manasses, and all the land of Juda unto the furthermost sea,

3 And the south part, and the breadth of the plain of Jericho the city of palm trees as far as Segor.

4 And the Lord said to him: This is the land, for which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying: I will give it to thy seed. Thou hast seen it with thy eyes, and shalt not pass over to it.

5 And Moses the servant of the Lord died there, in the land of Moab, by the commandment of the Lord:

6 And he buried him in the valley of the land of Moab over against Phogor: and no man hath known of his sepulchre until this present day.

7 Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, neither were his teeth moved.

8 And the children of Israel mourned for him in the plains of Moab thirty days: and the days of their mourning in which they mourned for Moses were ended.

9 And Josue the son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands upon him. And the children of Israel obeyed him, and did as the Lord commanded Moses.

10 And there arose no more a prophet in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face,

11 In all the signs and wonders, which he sent by him, to do in the land of Egypt to Pharao, and to all his servants, and to his whole land,

12 And all the mighty hand, and great miracles, which Moses did before all Israel.

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!

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

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

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

15 But if thy brother shall offend against thee, go, and rebuke him between thee and him alone. If he shall hear thee, thou shalt gain thy brother.

16 And if he will not hear thee, take with thee one or two more: that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may stand.

17 And if he will not hear them: tell the church. And if he will not hear the church, let him be to thee as the heathen and publican.

18 Amen I say to you, whatsoever you shall bind upon earth, shall be bound also in heaven; and whatsoever you shall loose upon earth, shall be loosed also in heaven.

19 Again I say to you, that if two of you shall consent upon earth, concerning any thing whatsoever they shall ask, it shall be done to them by my Father who is in heaven.

20 For where there are two or three gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Moses reaches the promised land and sees it, though he will not enter. His life is fulfilled not by possessing everything he hoped for, but by faithfully serving God and preparing the way for Joshua. The work belongs to the Lord, and it continues through the people he forms and guides. The psalm gives voice to this humble wonder: “Come and hear” what God has done.

That same work of God appears in Christ’s teaching about repairing a wounded relationship. A brother is to be approached privately, with the hope of being gained, not humiliated. If the matter remains unresolved, the community becomes involved—not as a crowd eager to condemn, but as a people entrusted with truth, mercy, and reconciliation. Christ promises to be present where even two or three gather in his name. Our conversations, corrections, and decisions must therefore be made under his gaze. The message of reconciliation entrusted to the Church begins in the way we speak to one another: honestly, patiently, and with the desire to restore communion rather than win an argument.

Lord Jesus, remain in our midst when relationships become strained and words are difficult. Give us courage to speak truth with gentleness, wisdom to listen without defensiveness, and humility to receive correction when we have caused harm. Keep us from gossip, harsh judgment, and the desire to prove ourselves right. Make your Church a faithful instrument of reconciliation, guided by your mercy and truth. When our efforts seem incomplete, teach us to trust that you continue the work beyond what we can see, as you continued your people’s journey after Moses. Gather us in your peace and make our lives a witness to your healing love. Amen.