Memorial of Saint Maximilian Kolbe, Priest and Martyr

Reading 1 and//www.usccb.org/bible/joshua/24and1 JOS 24and1-13 Joshua gathered together all the tribes of Israel at Shechem,summoning their elders, their leaders,their judges and their officers.When they stood in ranks before God, Joshua addressed all the peopleand Thus says the LORD, the God of IsraelandIn times past your fathers, down to Terah,father of Abraham and Nahor,dwelt beyond the River and served other gods.But I brought your father Abraham from the region beyond the Riverand led him through the entire land of Canaan.I made his descendants numerous, and gave him Isaac.To Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau.To Esau I assigned the mountain region of Seir in which to settle,while Jacob and his children went down to Egypt. Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and smote Egypt with the prodigieswhich I wrought in her midst.Afterward I led you out of Egypt, and when you reached the sea,the Egyptians pursued your fathers to the Red Seawith chariots and horsemen.Because they cried out to the LORD,he put darkness between your people and the Egyptians,upon whom he brought the sea so that it engulfed them.After you witnessed what I did to Egypt,and dwelt a long time in the desert,I brought you into the land of the Amoriteswho lived east of the Jordan.They fought against you, but I delivered them into your power.You took possession of their land, and I destroyed them,the two kings of the Amorites, before you.Then Balak, son of Zippor, king of Moab,prepared to war against Israel.He summoned Balaam, son of Beor, to curse youbut I would not listen to Balaam.On the contrary, he had to bless you, and I saved you from him.Once you crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho,the men of Jericho fought against you,but I delivered them also into your power.And I sent the hornets ahead of you that drove them(the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites,Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites and Jebusites)out of your way it was not your sword or your bow. I gave you a land that you had not tilledand cities that you had not built, to dwell inyou have eaten of vineyards and olive groveswhich you did not plant.” Responsorial Psalm and//www.usccb.org/bible/psalms/136and1 PS 136and1-3, 16-18, 21-22 AND 24 R.His mercy endures forever.Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,for his mercy endures foreverGive thanks to the God of gods,for his mercy endures foreverGive thanks to the LORD of lords,for his mercy endures forever.R.His mercy endures forever.Who led his people through the wilderness,for his mercy endures foreverWho smote great kings,for his mercy endures foreverAnd slew powerful kings,for his mercy endures forever.R.His mercy endures forever.And made their land a heritage,for his mercy endures foreverThe heritage of Israel his servant,for his mercy endures foreverAnd freed us from our foes,for his mercy endures forever.R.His mercy endures forever. Alleluia and//www.usccb.org/bible/1thessalonians/2:13 SEE 1 THESS 2:13 R.Alleluia, alleluia.Receive the word of God, not as the word of men,but, as it truly is, the word of God.R.Alleluia, alleluia. Gospel and//www.usccb.org/bible/matthew/19:3 MT 19:3-12 Some Pharisees approached Jesus, and tested him, saying, Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause whatever?”He said in reply, Have you not read that from the beginningthe Creatormade them male and femaleand said,For this reason a man shall leave his father and motherand be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh?So they are no longer two, but one flesh.Therefore, what God has joined together, man must not separate.”They said to him, Then why did Moses commandthat the man give the woman a bill of divorce and dismiss her?”He said to them, Because of the hardness of your heartsMoses allowed you to divorce your wives,but from the beginning it was not so.I say to you, whoever divorces his wife(unless the marriage is unlawful)and marries another commits adultery.”His disciples said to him, If that is the case of a man with his wife,it is better not to marry.”He answered, Not all can accept this word,but only those to whom that is granted.Some are incapable of marriage because they were born sosome, because they were made so by otherssome, because they have renounced marriagefor the sake of the Kingdom of heaven.Whoever can accept this ought to accept it.”