Restricted by Riches

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to examine how our material wealth concerns may be restricting our ability to know and live in the peace and security of the siblings of Jesus.

Weakness of Wealth

The Reading from the Prophet Ezekiel assesses the “wealth” of the Prince of Tyre.

* [28:1–10] Ezekiel mocks the arrogance of Tyre’s leader, who mistakes the city’s commercial success for evidence of his divinity. At the hands of a foreign army, commissioned by the only God worthy of the name, this leader dies a humiliating, unceremonious death.

* [28:3] Wiser than Daniel: see note on 14:14. (Ezekiel, CHAPTER 28 | USCCB, n.d.)

The response from the Book of Deuteronomy declares the Lord’s honor will be vindicated.

* [32:1–43] The whole song is a poetic sermon, having for its theme the Lord’s benefits to Israel (vv. 1–14) and Israel’s ingratitude and idolatry in turning to the gods of the nations; these sins will be punished by the nations themselves (vv. 15–29); in turn, the foolish pride of the nations will be punished, and the Lord’s honor will be vindicated (vv. 30–43).

* [32:28–35] The reference is to the nations, not to Israel.

* [32:36] Neither bond nor free: an all-inclusive expression; cf. 1 Kgs 14:10; 2 Kgs 9:8. (Deuteronomy, CHAPTER 32 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Matthew declares all who respond to the call of Jesus will be the same in respect to inheriting the benefits of the kingdom.

* [19:23–24] Riches are an obstacle to entering the kingdom that cannot be overcome by human power. The comparison with the impossibility of a camel’s passing through the eye of a needle should not be mitigated by such suppositions as that the eye of a needle means a low or narrow gate. The kingdom of God: as in Mt 12:28; 21:31, 43 instead of Matthew’s usual kingdom of heaven.

* [19:25–26] See note on Mk 10:23–27.

* [19:28] This saying, directed to the Twelve, is from Q; see Lk 22:29–30. The new age: the Greek word here translated “new age” occurs in the New Testament only here and in Ti 3:5. Literally, it means “rebirth” or “regeneration,” and is used in Titus of spiritual rebirth through baptism. Here it means the “rebirth” effected by the coming of the kingdom. Since that coming has various stages (see notes on Mt 3:2; 4:17), the new age could be taken as referring to the time after the resurrection when the Twelve will govern the true Israel, i.e., the church of Jesus. (For “judge” in the sense of “govern,” cf. Jgs 12:8, 9, 11; 15:20; 16:31; Ps 2:10). But since it is connected here with the time when the Son of Man will be seated on his throne of glory, language that Matthew uses in Mt 25:31 for the time of final judgment, it is more likely that what the Twelve are promised is that they will be joined with Jesus then in judging the people of Israel.

* [19:30] Different interpretations have been given to this saying, which comes from Mk 10:31. In view of Matthew’s associating it with the following parable (Mt 20:1–15) and substantially repeating it (in reverse order) at the end of that parable (Mt 20:16), it may be that his meaning is that all who respond to the call of Jesus, at whatever time (first or last), will be the same in respect to inheriting the benefits of the kingdom, which is the gift of God. (Matthew, CHAPTER 19 | USCCB, n.d.)

Greg Dyche reflects on the question of a friend who asks him if Old Testament God and New Testament God are the same. They thought it seemed like the mean God went to therapy and came out the loving Jesus of the Gospels.

I believe that the loving Jesus is God, and He is the same loving God I read in the Old Testament; however, I struggle to see that love in practice at times. So, my logic forces me to question my interpretation. Where is the love for the prince of Tyre? It must be there; God is there.

Where is the love of God for the rich man, for the medium to high income American who is independent and believes they can go it alone? Right there in the story, “For men this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.”

Am I that far from the prince of Tyre? Do I break the first commandment in my heart and think, “I am” independent, worthy, important, somebody? It’s worth considering. (Dyche, 2026)

Don Schwager quotes “Who can enter the kingdom of heaven?” by John Chrysostom, 347-407 A.D.

"What then did Christ say? 'How difficult it will be for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.' He was not criticizing money itself but the wills of those who are taken captive by it. If it will be difficult for the rich, how much more so for the avaricious! For if stinginess with one's own wealth is an impediment to gaining the kingdom, think how much fire is amassed for taking someone else's. But why does he say that it is hard for the rich man to enter the kingdom, to the disciples, who were poor and had nothing? He teaches them not to be ashamed of their poverty and, as it were, gives the reason why he did not allow them to possess anything. After saying it is hard, he also shows them that it is impossible, and not simply impossible but even in an exaggerated way impossible. He shows this from the comparison of the camel and the needle: 'It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.' Hence Christ demonstrates that there is a significant reward for the wealthy who can practice self-denial. He also said that this had to be the work of God, that he might show that great grace is needed for anyone who is going to achieve it." (excerpt from THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, HOMILY 63.2) (Schwager, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that the passage from Ezekiel is a hymn, a lamentation over the prince of Tyre who is a very rich and powerful tyrant. It is a taunt song that is declared before the tragedy befalls. He is not a god but he will be destroyed. One never knows one's fate and must surrender to the will of God. The difficulty for the rich or self-sufficient to enter the Kingdom is like the camel passing through the eye of a needle. Friar Jude recently discovered that no such gate existed in the wall of Jerusalem and that the Gospel refers to a real camel and real eye of a needle. This is an example of typical Aramaic exaggeration .They are their own gods not willing to give up their wealth and power. Those who preach the hospitality of Jesus, like Francis of Assisi, who gave up everything and consequently are able to embrace and celebrate everything. Friar Jude asks us to consider: What is the most important thing in my life? Do we hold on to it? and is it Jesus?

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 19:23-30 comments that riches may cause us to be slower to thank the Lord for his blessings. We may begin to attribute our treasures solely to our own goodness and hard work and forget about God’s provision and his work in forming our character.

In the end, it’s when the “love of money” takes the place of the love of Christ that we get tripped up (1 Timothy 6:10). Money can be a good thing, but a good thing may become an idol, especially when we place our desire for it above our desire for God or when we trust it more than we trust the Lord.

So let’s thank God for all of our blessings. Let’s cast off any “idols” that we might turn to for comfort, hope, or peace. And let’s remember that what may seem impossible for us is always possible for him!

“Jesus, may I put my trust and hope only in you!” (Meditation on Matthew 19:23-30, n.d.)

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, remembers the late Dr. Barbara Holmes (1943–2024), a beloved member of the CAC faculty, who acknowledges the complicated feelings that prophets evoke in their listeners. One of the most important characteristics of prophets is that they are dangerous to the system.

There is a neglected but important aspect of the prophetic call. In Numbers 11:24–29, Moses is exhausted with the people. Basically, God says “Okay, okay, assemble the elders. Look to the community. You were never supposed to do this alone. I told you to do it; I didn’t tell you to do it alone.” How many of us are carrying burdens that are not ours, and are feeling pretty righteous about it? The work of living and dying, raising children, and leading congregations, was never meant to be solitary work. After the elders assemble, Joshua tells Moses that the elders are prophesying, and he says, “Moses, make this stop!” Moses’s reply in Numbers 11:29 is, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that God would put God’s Spirit on them!”

Let’s just sit with that for a minute. Have you ever felt as if God’s Spirit was on you? Although many of the prophets in the Bible are presented as single carriers of God’s word, often there was a community of other prophets that they came from or were associated with. Who is your community?… If you’re called to the prophetic task, and I think in some aspects all of us are—where is your prophetic community that will feed you and support you and guide you and help you? (Rohr, n.d.)

We implore the Spirit to deepen our knowledge and understanding of our Baptismal anointing as priest, prophet, and leader through leading our experience of working in community with the example of the Poverello of Assisi.

References

Deuteronomy, CHAPTER 32 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 18, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/deuteronomy/32? 

Dyche, G. (2026, August 18). Daily Reflection August 18, 2026 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved August 18, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-august-18-2026 

Ezekiel, CHAPTER 28 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 18, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/ezekiel/28?1 

Matthew, CHAPTER 19 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 18, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/19? 

Meditation on Matthew 19:23-30. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved August 18, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/08/18/1649608/ 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Prophets Work in Community. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved August 18, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/prophets-work-in-community/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Who Can Enter the Kingdom of Heaven? Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 18, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Signs of Life Eternal

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today present an attitude of trust in God and the Way we have experienced to bring fullness of life to our journey.

Signs of Fullness of Life

In the Reading from Ezekiel the Prophet presents a Sign for the Exiles.

* [24:17] The bread of mourners: a post-burial meal that mourners shared to comfort one another; cf. 2 Sm 3:35; Jer 16:7. The other gestures mentioned here were also popular mourning customs. Because Ezekiel does not observe any of the mourning customs mentioned, the people are puzzled and ask him to explain.

* [24:22–24] The fall of the city will be so sudden and final that the exiles will have no time to go into mourning. (Ezekiel, CHAPTER 24 | USCCB, n.d.)

The response from Deuteronomy declares false worship brings destruction at the hands of a foreign invader.

* [32:21] “No-god”…“no-people”: worship of the gods of the nations brings destruction at the hands of a foreign invader. A false god cannot sustain or protect (cf. Jer 14:22); and though the nations seem “foolish” (see their characterization in such passages as Ps 114:1; Is 28:11; 33:19), they will prove to be anything but nonentities when the Lord stirs them up against Israel (Is 9:10–12). For the “no-” or “not-” construction, see Hos 1:6, 9; 2:1, 25. (Deuteronomy, CHAPTER 32 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus responds to the question of The Rich Young Man.

* [19:16] Gain eternal life: this is equivalent to “entering into life” (Mt 19:17) and “being saved” (Mt 19:25); the life is that of the new age after the final judgment (see Mt 25:46). It probably is also equivalent here to “entering the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 19:23) or “the kingdom of God” (Mt 19:24), but see notes on Mt 3:2; 4:17; 18:1 for the wider reference of the kingdom in Matthew.

* [19:17] By Matthew’s reformulation of the Marcan question and reply (Mk 10:17–18) Jesus’ repudiation of the term “good” for himself has been softened. Yet the Marcan assertion that “no one is good but God alone” stands, with only unimportant verbal modification.

* [19:18–19] The first five commandments cited are from the Decalogue (see Ex 20:12–16; Dt 5:16–20). Matthew omits Mark’s “you shall not defraud” (Mk 10:19; see Dt 24:14) and adds Lv 19:18. This combination of commandments of the Decalogue with Lv 19:18 is partially the same as Paul’s enumeration of the demands of Christian morality in Rom 13:9.

* [19:20] Young man: in Matthew alone of the synoptics the questioner is said to be a young man; thus the Marcan “from my youth” (Mk 10:20) is omitted.

* [19:21] If you wish to be perfect: to be perfect is demanded of all Christians; see Mt 5:48. In the case of this man, it involves selling his possessions and giving to the poor; only so can he follow Jesus. (Matthew, CHAPTER 19 | USCCB, n.d.)

Barbara Dilly comments that we often forget that amid our despair, God still blesses us, even as he does in our strength. God can give and God can take away, we are reminded. But demonstration of that kind of power is not the true nature of God. Despite our uncertainties, God’s love, and goodness for us is steady and certain.

What does God want from us in return? It seems to me that the lessons for today tell us that what God wants is loyalty, faithfulness, and commitment. God does not want pride in outward displays of religious piety. God does not want our accomplishments or our attempts to demonstrate perfection. God wants us, however poor in spirit we may be. God wants us to engage in his work on this earth. I pray today that we are all confident enough of the promises of treasures in heaven that we can give of ourselves to those in need. (Dilly, 2026)

Don Schwager quotes “Seek the life that endures,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.

"The Lord said to a certain young man, 'If you would enter life, keep the commandments.' He did not say 'If you would have life' but 'If you would enter life,' defining that life as eternal life. Let us first consider then the love of this life. For this life is loved, whatever its quality - and however troubled it is, however wretched, people are afraid to end it. Hence we should see, we should consider, how much eternal life is to be loved, when this miserable life that must at some time be ended is so loved. Consider, brothers, how much that life is to be loved when it is a life you never end. You love this life, where you work so much, run, are busy, pant. In this busy life the obligations can scarcely be counted: sowing, plowing, working new land, sailing, grinding, cooking, weaving. And after all this hard work your life comes to an end. Look at what you suffer in this wretched life that you so love. And do you think that you will always live and never die? Temples, rocks, marbles, all reinforced by iron and lead, still fall. And a person thinks that he will never die? Learn therefore, brothers, to seek eternal life, when you will not endure these things but will reign with God forever." (excerpt from Sermon 84,1) (Schwager, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that Ezekiel did many symbolic actions including dressing like  a refugee fleeing the city, Today when his wife dies, He goes on as if life continued. He is telling Jerusalem that the coming punishment is deserved. They should continue with life. In the Gospel of Matthew, a rich young man asks Jesus how to obtain eternal life. Jesus' response to  give everything you have to the poor is an ask to place our trust in His Providence. Friar Jude reminds us that eternal life is not just checking off our obedience to the Commandments but to convert to God’s life of being good, kind, loving, and merciful.

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 19:16-22 comments that every day, Jesus is inviting us into more of his life—more freedom from sin, more reconciliation and healing in our relationships, more generosity toward those who are suffering or marginalized. He offers us treasure beyond what we could ever imagine, but our possessions can keep us from saying yes to his invitation.

Jesus is well aware of what holds us back. We might, like the rich young man, have a comfortable life with ample possessions. Our grip on those resources can make it hard to let go of them and surrender generously to the Lord. But we also might be embracing the false comfort of a pattern of sin or holding onto the “possession” of a long-standing resentment against someone in our lives. Maybe we’ve become comfortable with the status quo.

Today, consider what might be holding you back from following Jesus more closely. Open your heart to him, and let go of it.

“Come, Holy Spirit, and help me to surrender anything that keeps me from following Jesus!” (Meditation on Matthew 19:16-22, n.d.)

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, speaks of the hopeful imagination to which the prophets and God invite us.

The established and dominant culture does not have authentic promises because it seeks to maintain itself. The system has materialistic and self-protecting promises for more money and a better life; it encourages us to consume more and more. It cannot offer a promise which fills and expands the heart beyond itself to the larger world.

God’s promises energize and expand the heart, deepening our capacity for life and our quality of being in this world. They put the authority inside us. This, finally, is the only overcoming of death, the only answer to the absurdity that this time is going to end. That’s what the promises of God do—lead us to the experience of deeper life. The Gospel writers call it resurrection. (Rohr, n.d.)

We live in the tension between the dominant culture aggressively trying to shape our decisions about how to treat our fellow humans and the invitation of Jesus to live for more permanent gains in compassion, love, mercy, care, and concern for our fellow siblings of Jesus.

References

Deuteronomy, CHAPTER 32 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 17, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/deuteronomy/32? 

Dilly, B. (2026, August 17). Daily Reflection August 17, 2026 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved August 17, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-august-17-2026 

Ezekiel, CHAPTER 24 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved August 17, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/ezekiel/24?15 

Matthew, CHAPTER 19 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 17, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/19? 

Meditation on Matthew 19:16-22. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved August 17, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/08/17/1649078/ 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). The Task of the Prophets. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved August 17, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-task-of-the-prophets/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Give - and You Will Have Treasure in Heaven. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 17, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Universal Faith

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge our tendency to put people in categories of worthiness that are contrary to the action of God with humanity.

Guides for our Path in Faith

The Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah proclaims a universalism of Salvation for the Just.

* [56:1] This opening verse echoes themes that are well known throughout the Book of Isaiah: justice and right judgment (1:27; 5:7, 16; 9:6; 16:5; 26:9; 28:17; 32:1, 16; 33:5; 42:1, 4, 6; 45:8, 13, 19), salvation and deliverance (12:3; 26:18; 33:2; 45:8, 21; 46:13; 51:5, 6, 8). These themes will be developed also throughout Third Isaiah.

* [56:7] This verse continues the theme of universalism found in Is 49:6. As Israel was to be “a light to the nations” so that God’s “salvation may reach to the ends of the earth,” so now does that come to pass as foreigners, faithful to the divine commands, are brought to the Temple by God and joined to the covenant community of Israel. (Isaiah, CHAPTER 56 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 67 prays “May God be gracious to us”.

* [Psalm 67] A petition for a bountiful harvest (Ps 67:7), made in the awareness that Israel’s prosperity will persuade the nations to worship its God.

* [67:2] May God be gracious to us: the people’s petition echoes the blessing pronounced upon them by the priests, cf. Nm 6:22–27. (Psalms, PSALM 67 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Letter of Paul to the Romans proclaims the Gentiles’ Salvation through God’s Irrevocable Call.

* [11:11–15] The unbelief of the Jews has paved the way for the preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles and for their easier acceptance of it outside the context of Jewish culture. Through his mission to the Gentiles Paul also hopes to fill his fellow Jews with jealousy. Hence he hastens to fill the entire Mediterranean world with the gospel. Once all the Gentile nations have heard the gospel, Israel as a whole is expected to embrace it. This will be tantamount to resurrection of the dead, that is, the reappearance of Jesus Christ with all the believers at the end of time.

* [11:25–29] In God’s design, Israel’s unbelief is being used to grant the light of faith to the Gentiles. Meanwhile, Israel remains dear to God (cf. Rom 9:13), still the object of special providence, the mystery of which will one day be revealed.

* [11:30–32] Israel, together with the Gentiles who have been handed over to all manner of vices (Rom 1), has been delivered…to disobedience. The conclusion of Rom 11:32 repeats the thought of Rom 5:20, “Where sin increased, grace overflowed all the more.” (Romans, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus declares the Canaanite Woman’s Faith.

* [15:21–28] See note on Mt 8:5–13. (Matthew, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB, n.d.)

* [8:5–13] This story comes from Q (see Lk 7:1–10) and is also reflected in Jn 4:46–54. The similarity between the Q story and the Johannine is due to a common oral tradition, not to a common literary source. As in the later story of the daughter of the Canaanite woman (Mt 15:21–28) Jesus here breaks with his usual procedure of ministering only to Israelites and anticipates the mission to the Gentiles. (Matthew, CHAPTER 8 | USCCB, n.d.)

A Member of the Creighton University Community comments that a theme running through today’s readings is that of universalism. Universalism is at the root of Christianity, indeed the very word Catholic means precisely, “all-encompassing.”

The reason I can proclaim the gospel in English is precisely universalism, since the Gospel was not initially proclaimed in English and in fact it was not even proclaimed in Greek, the language of the written gospels, but in Aramaic. After centuries of circling the wagons, the Church has regained this universal perspective and ecumenism has been strongly present in the Second Vatican Council and in the Popes since that council. 

A non-adversarial attitude. (Member of the Creighton University Community, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “The Mother of the Gentiles,” by Epiphanius the Latin (late 5th century).

"After our Lord departed from the Jews, he came into the regions of Tyre and Sidon. He left the Jews behind and came to the Gentiles. Those whom he had left behind remained in ruin; those to whom he came obtained salvation in their alienation. And a woman came out of that territory and cried, saying to him, 'Have pity on me, O Lord, Son of David!' O great mystery! The Lord came out from the Jews, and the woman came out from her Gentile territory. He left the Jews behind, and the woman left behind idolatry and an impious lifestyle. What they had lost, she found. The one whom they had denied in the law, she professed through her faith. This woman is the mother of the Gentiles, and she knew Christ through faith. Thus on behalf of her daughter (the Gentile people) she entreated the Lord. The daughter had been led astray by idolatry and sin and was severely possessed by a demon." (excerpt from INTERPRETATION OF THE GOSPELS 58) (Schwager, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments in the passage in Trito-Isaiah, post 539 BCE after the Exile in Babylon, that there are many Gentiles who have joined Israel. The Jewish people who remained in Jerusalem were more open to these new people but those returned wanted to keep Israel separate and holy. Friar Jude points to the former attitude in Jonah and the latter in Haggai and Zachariah to purify themselves. Paul is not calling for rejection of Jews but to convert them by showing the pagans can be saved and in their jealousy they may want to be saved too. God’s full plan is beyond our understanding. Everything, mistakes too, are an opportunity for God to show love and mercy. A Canaanite pagan woman, in Matthew, is told Jesus comes for Israel. Even as some hints in Magi, Centurian, and this woman that this may be a sarcastic and critical saying from Jesus to reveal her cleverness that moves Jesus. Friar Jude comments that she insists, as we should, when we pray to be clever and we may find what we truly need.

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 15:21-28 comments that the Canaanite woman was eager to believe. She believed he had the power and the willingness to work a miracle. As a result, she, a Gentile, experienced his love and power: her daughter “was healed from that hour” (Matthew 15:28).

This woman’s trust endeared her to Jesus—and to readers of Matthew’s Gospel ever since. Just as Jesus commended her faith, he welcomes all of us when we come to him with humble faith. He wants to shower his healing and “mercy upon all” (Romans 11:32). So if you hesitate to bring your needs to Jesus—or to return to the sacraments after time away—let this mother’s faith strengthen yours!

“Jesus, I believe in you!” (Meditation on Matthew 15:21-28, n.d.)

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, describes why the example and message of the Hebrew prophets continue to be important for us today. There must be someone—or several someones—in every age who can tell the faith community, and society at large: Your first egoic glance at life—and God—­is largely wrong! And it is largely engendered by fear. “No one else is your problem,” says the prophet. “You are your own problem.

We must be eternally conscious of this fact: For the untransformed self, religion is the most dangerous temptation of all. Our egos, when they are validated by religion, are given full permission to enslave, segregate, demean, defraud, and inflate—because all bases are covered with pre-ascribed virtue and a supposed hatred of evil. This is what the prophets expose in their wholesale assault on temple worship, priestly classes, self- serving commandments, and intergenerational wealth. “Be very careful here!” they keep shouting. The prophets know that religion is the best and that religion also risks being the worst. We love to choose sides and declare ourselves sinless and pure and orthodox (“right”), with little evidence that it is true. This is always a surprise to everyone except the prophets. (Rohr, n.d.)

We praise the Spirit as we witness how God calls people of all heritage and history to join Him to be witness to love, faith, and hope as gifts from the Divine for all His siblings.

References

Isaiah, CHAPTER 56 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 16, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/56?1 

Matthew, CHAPTER 15 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 16, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/15?21 

Matthew, CHAPTER 8 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 16, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/8? 

Meditation on Matthew 15:21-28. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved August 16, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/08/16/1648333/ 

Member of the Creighton University Community. (n.d.). Daily Reflection August 16, 2026 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved August 16, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-august-16-2026 

Psalms, PSALM 67 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved August 16, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/67?2 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Naming Our Idolatry. CAC Daily Meditations. Retrieved August 16, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/naming-our-idolatry/ 

Romans, CHAPTER 11 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 16, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/romans/11? 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Great Is Your Faith! Be It Done for You as You Desire. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 16, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/