💖 HOMILY - AUGUST 14 💖

First Reading - Joshua 3:7-11,13-17 

Gospel - Matthew 18:21-19:1

Life is full of crossings. We move from one stage to another, from one challenge to the next, often facing barriers that seem impossible to pass. Sometimes those barriers are external—circumstances, hardships, unexpected changes. Other times they are within us—unforgiveness, resentment, or fear. Today’s readings invite us to see that with God, every obstacle can become a crossing, and every crossing is an opportunity for grace. But just as we receive God’s mercy, we are called to extend it to others without limit.

In the first reading, Israel stands at the edge of the Jordan River, facing what looks like an impassable barrier. Yet God shows His power by stopping the waters and leading His people across on dry ground. This is more than a miracle—it is a sign of His unfailing presence, guiding His people into the promise He has prepared for them.

In the Gospel, Peter asks Jesus how many times he must forgive, suggesting seven as a generous number. But Jesus shatters the boundaries of human calculation: “Not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” In other words, our forgiveness should reflect the limitless mercy of God. Just as He makes a way for us through the waters of our sin, we are called to make a way for others through the gift of our mercy.

Dear friends, the same God who removes the rivers before us calls us to remove the walls within us. The Christian life is about receiving God’s grace and becoming a channel of that grace for others. Forgiveness may not change the past, but it opens the future—a future where love is stronger than hurt and mercy greater than sin.

So today, whatever “Jordan River” stands before you—whether a personal trial or a broken relationship—trust that God can make a way. And as you cross over, be ready to help someone else cross theirs. That is how we walk together toward the Promised Land.