Daily readings

Thursday, August 13, 2026

Saints Pontian, Pope and Hippolytus, Priest, Martyrs. Ordinary Time. Read the day's readings in one place for prayer, preparation, or quiet reflection.

CelebrationSaints Pontian, Pope and Hippolytus, Priest, Martyrs

TypeOptional Memorial

SeasonOrdinary Time

Year2026 archive

The Roman Catholic readings for this date are shown below on-site. Use plain reading mode if you want clearer modern wording, or switch back to the original Douay-Rheims wording at any time.

Reading mode

Plain mode helps modern readers follow the text more easily.

The on-site reading text is drawn from public-domain Douay-Rheims sources. Plain mode is a built-in reading aid that modernizes older wording for easier understanding while keeping the same Roman Catholic reading references for the day.

What are the Mass readings for Thursday August 13, 2026?

The Catholic Mass readings for Thursday August 13, 2026 are gathered on this page in their proper order: first reading Ezekiel 12:1-12, psalm Psalm 78:56-57, 58-59, 61-62, no second reading is appointed for this Mass,and Gospel Matthew 18:21–19:1.

What is the Gospel for Thursday August 13, 2026?

The Gospel for Thursday August 13, 2026 is Matthew 18:21–19:1. It appears below with the rest of the day's Catholic readings.

What is the Psalm for Thursday August 13, 2026?

The psalm for Thursday August 13, 2026 is Psalm 78:56-57, 58-59, 61-62. It is included below in the same reading order used at Mass, between the first reading and the Gospel.

Are these the USCCB daily readings for Thursday August 13, 2026?

The same day's Catholic readings are gathered here on-site, with the official readings link available below in the source note.

1

First Reading

Ezekiel 12:1-12

How to approach it

Read this as the first big movement of the day. Notice what God is doing, who is speaking, and what part of the story or teaching should stay with you.

12:1And the word of the Lord came to me, saying:

2Son of Man, you dwellest in the midst of a provoking house: who have eyes to see, and see not: and ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a provoking house.

3You, therefore, O Son of Man, prepare you all necessaries for removing, and remove by day in their sight: and you shall remove out of your place to another place in their sight, if so be they will regard it: for they are a provoking house.

4And you shall bring forth your furniture as the furniture of one that is removing by day in their sight: and you shall go forth in the evening in their presence, as one goes forth that removeth his dwelling.

5Dig you a way through the wall before their eyes: and you shall go forth through it.

6In their sight you shall be carried out upon men's shoulders, you shall be carried out in the dark: you shall cover your face, and shall not see the ground: for I have set you for a sign of things to come to the people of Israel.

7I did therefore as he had commanded me: I brought forth my goods by day, as the goods of one that removeth: and in the evening I digged through the wall with my hand: and I went forth in the dark, and was carried on men's shoulders in their sight.

8And the word of the Lord came to me in the morning, saying:

9Son of Man, has not the people of Israel, the provoking house, said to you: What art you doing?

10Say to them: Thus says the Lord God: This burden concerneth my leader that is in Jerusalem, and all the people of Israel, that are among them.

11Say: I am a sign of things to come to you: as I have done, so shall it be done to them: they shall be removed from their dwellings, and go into captivity.

12And the leader that is in the midst of them, shall be carried on shoulders, he shall go forth in the dark: they shall dig through the wall to bring him out: his face shall be covered, that he may not see the ground with his eyes.

2

Psalm

Psalm 78:56-57, 58-59, 61-62

How to pray it

The psalm is meant to be prayed, not rushed. If the wording feels older, focus on the main movement of the prayer: trust, praise, sorrow, gratitude, or hope.

78:56Yet they tempted, and provoked the most high God: and they kept not his teachings.

57And they turned away, and kept not the covenant: even like their fathers they were turned aside as a crooked bow.

58They provoked him to anger on their hills: and moved him to jealousy with their graven things.

59God heard, and despised them, and he reduced Israel exceedingly as it were to nothing.

61And he rescued their strength into captivity: and their beauty into the hands of the enemy.

62And he shut up his people under the sword: and he despised his gift.

3

Gospel

Matthew 18:21–19:1

What to watch for

The Gospel is the center of the reading set. Pay close attention to what Jesus says, what Jesus does, and what response he is asking for.

18:21Then came Peter to him and said: Lord, how often shall my brother offend against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?

22Jesus says to him: I say not to you, till seven times; but till seventy times seven times.

23Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened to a king, who would take an account of his servants.

24And when he had begun to take the account, one was brought to him, that owed him ten thousand talents.

25And as he had not with what to pay it, his lord commanded that he should be sold, and his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made.

26But that servant falling down, besought him, saying: Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.

27And the lord of that servant being moved with pity, let him go and forgave him the debt.

28But when that servant was gone out, he found one of his fellow servants that owed him an hundred pence: and laying hold of him, throttled him, saying: Pay what you owest.

29And his fellow servant falling down, besought him, saying: Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.

30And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he paid the debt.

31Now his fellow servants seeing what was done, were very much grieved, and they came and told their lord all that was done.

32Then his lord called him; and said to him: You evil servant, I forgave you all the debt, because you besoughtest me:

33Should not you then have had compassion also on your fellow servant, even as I had compassion on you?

34And his lord being angry, rescued him to the torturers until he paid all the debt.

35So also shall my heavenly Father do to you, if you forgive not every one his brother from your hearts.

19:1And it happened when Jesus had ended these words, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judea, beyond Jordan.

How the readings move through Mass today

The Liturgy of the Word normally moves from the first reading to the psalm, then to the second reading when one is appointed, then to the Gospel, and then into the homily. On weekday Masses, the second reading is often omitted, so the Church moves from the psalm directly to the Gospel.

1

First Reading

Ezekiel 12:1-12

The first reading is usually taken from the Old Testament. It prepares the heart to hear how God has been acting through his covenant and promises.

2

Psalm

Psalm 78:56-57, 58-59, 61-62

The psalm is the Church’s prayerful response to the first reading. It helps the congregation answer God’s word with trust, praise, repentance, or hope.

3

Second Reading

Usually omitted today

There is no second reading at many weekday Masses. On days like this, the liturgy moves from the psalm directly to the Gospel.

4

Gospel

Matthew 18:21–19:1

The Gospel is the high point of the Liturgy of the Word. Catholics stand because Christ himself speaks to his people in a special way through the Gospel proclamation.

5

Homily

After the Gospel

The homily follows the Gospel. It should gather the day’s readings together, explain the mystery being celebrated, and help people carry the word of God into ordinary life.

What the homily usually draws together

A Catholic homily usually gathers the first reading, the psalm, and the Gospel into one spiritual movement. It may explain how the Old Testament prepares for Christ, how the apostles witness to the risen Lord, how the psalm teaches the Church to pray, and how the Gospel calls for faith and conversion now.

If you are preparing before Mass, try to carry one sentence, one image, or one invitation from the readings with you. That usually makes the homily easier to follow because you already know what part of God's word has stayed with you.

What about the Prayers of the Faithful for Thursday August 13, 2026?

The Prayers of the Faithful are usually written locally by a parish, diocese, or celebrant, so there is not always one universal text for this exact day. The scriptural readings above are the stable part the whole Church receives, and they usually shape the petitions that follow at Mass.

Source note

The day's references and liturgical celebration data come from the Catholic Readings API, while the on-site scripture text is rendered from public-domain Douay-Rheims sources so the day's readings can be read directly on the page.