Daily readings

Sunday, August 16, 2026

20th Sunday of Ordinary Time. Ordinary Time. A clean reading layout for church, prayer, or preparation.

Celebration20th Sunday of Ordinary Time

TypeSunday

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.

On-site scripture text: Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition. 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.

1

First Reading

Isaiah 56:1, 6-7

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.

1Thus says the Lord$1 Keep you judgment, and do righteousness: for my salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed.

6And the children of the stranger that adhere to the Lord, to worship him, and to love his name, to be his servants: every one that keepeth the sabbath from profaning it, and that holdeth fast my covenant:

7I will bring them into my holy mount, and will make them joyful in my house of prayer: their holocausts, and their victims shall please me upon my altar: for my house shall be called the house of prayer, for all nations.

2

Psalm

Psalm 67:2-3, 5, 6, 8

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.

2May God have mercy on us, and bless us: may he cause the light of his face to shine upon us, and may he have mercy on us.

3That we may know your way upon earth: your salvation in all nations.

5Let the nations be glad and rejoice: for you judgest the people with righteousness, and directest the nations upon earth.

6Let the people, OH God, confess to you: let all the people give praise to you:

8may God bless us: and all the ends of the earth fear him.

3

Second Reading

Romans 11:13-15, 29-32

How to read it

This reading often teaches Christians how to live with steadiness, charity, and faith. Look for one clear encouragement or warning you can carry into the day.

13For I say to you, Gentiles: as long indeed as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I will honour my ministry,

14If, by any means, I may provoke to emulation them who are my flesh, and may save some of them.

15For if the loss of them be the reconciliation of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?

29For the gifts and the calling of God are without repentance.

30For as you also in times past did not believe God, but now have obtained mercy, through their unbelief;

31So these also now have not believed, for your mercy, that they also may obtain mercy.

32For God has concluded all in unbelief, that he may have mercy on all.

4

Gospel

Matthew 15:21-28

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.

21And Jesus went from from there, and retired into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.

22And look a woman of Canaan who came out of those coasts, crying out, said to him: Have mercy on me, OH Lord, you son of David: my daughter is grieviously troubled by the devil.

23Who answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying: Send her away, for she cries after us:

24And he answering, said: I was not sent but to the sheep that are lost of the people of Israel.

25But she came and adored him, saying: Lord, help me.

26Who answering, said: It is not good to take the bread of the children, and to cast it to the dogs.

27But she said: Yea, Lord; for the whelps also eat of the crumbs that fall from the table of their masters.

28Then Jesus answering, said to her: OH woman, great is your faith: be it done to you as you will: and her daughter was cured from that hour.

Source note

This page uses the Catholic Readings API for the day's references and liturgical celebration data, while the on-site scripture text is rendered from the public-domain Douay-Rheims Bible distributed through the Open Bibles project.