Thursday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Today's Mass Readings

We have been following the journey of the Hebrew people under the leadership of Moses throughout these last several weeks. Today, our attention shifts to the next hero of the people, namely, Joshua. Our first reading for today comes from the book of Joshua. It is Joshua, not Moses, who leads the Hebrew people to the promised land. In yesterday’s first reading, we heard of Moses’ death and the people’s mourning for him. But, let’s be honest, the last few weeks have shown us that the Israelites were not always so appreciative of his leadership. They often grumbled against him and God, even defying his directions and leadership. Yet it would be hard for Joshua to follow in Moses’ footsteps. It is for this reason that the Lord provides a dramatic miracle in today’s first reading; God wants the people to know that He is with Joshua, as he was with Moses.

Under Moses’ direction, the Red Sea was parted. Under Joshua’s direction, the Jordan River is parted. In today’s excerpt, the Ark of the Covenant – God in the midst of the people – is what causes the miracle. Again, God can make things happen, providing for his people. Indeed, in every impossible situation, the way out is only through God.

The gospel passage from Matthew, meanwhile, is a well-known one where Jesus tells a parable in order to convey the importance of forgiveness. When we examine this parable, we find that God is the forgiving king, moved with compassion for our sinfulness. When we think of the Hebrew people that we have been following these past weeks, for example, we see them messing up over and over again, only to be given another chance, forgiven, again and again. God could allow them to flounder, but instead, He parts the Jordan River and leads them into the promised land. Even when the people forsake their end of the covenant, God remembers the covenant forever.

Jesus is the personification of God remembering his covenant. He comes to us, human and divine, to be one of us in order to save us; he is an even more tangible presence than the Ark of the Covenant featured in the first reading. Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection are the supreme indication of God being moved with compassion, ready to forgive our sins.

But Jesus’ concern in today’s gospel passage is that we human beings do not forgive each other, as we are forgiven by God. Out of love for us, God sent his own Son. But rather than accept this in gratitude, benevolently sharing his love with others, we tend to hold grudges and continue along paths of sin. There may even be situations in our lives where we feel as though we can never move forward, even though we would like to do so.

The Israelite people could see the promised land, right across the Jordan River. But they did not insist on finding their own way over. Instead, they relied on God to provide the path for them. When we find ourselves in difficult situations, especially those where we feel unable to forgive, we might remember that God first forgave us. This empowers us, enabling us to love and forgive others, even when it seems an impossible task.

Today, take some time to think about where you need forgiveness in your life. Instead of giving up on the situation as impossible, turn to God for guidance. You might also seek out the sacrament of reconciliation, which is a great way to encounter God’s forgiveness. Let us cross the Jordan River with Jesus (the new Joshua), who makes all things possible.

- Maria Morrow