Daily Mass Readings for August 07, 2026: Gospel — Mt 16, 24-28

1 (2:2 ) An enemy who will scatter you, Nineveh, has advanced against you! Guard the rampart! Watch the road! Prepare yourselves for battle! Muster your mighty strength! ³ The shields of his warriors are dyed red; the mighty soldiers are dressed in scarlet garments. The chariots are in flashing metal fittings on the day of battle; the soldiers brandish their spears. 3 :¹ Woe to the city guilty of bloodshed! She is full of lies; she is filled with plunder; she has hoarded her spoil! ² The chariot drivers will crack their whips; the chariot wheels will shake the ground. The chariot horses will gallop; the war chariots will bolt forward! ³ The charioteers will charge ahead; their swords will flash and their spears will glimmer! There will be many people slain; there will be piles of the dead and countless casualties— so many that people will stumble over the corpses. 1 :¹ This is an oracle about Nineveh; the book of the vision of Nahum the Elkoshite: ² The Lord is a zealous and avenging God; the Lord is avenging and very angry. The Lord takes vengeance against his foes; he sustains his rage against his enemies. ³ The Lord is slow to anger but great in power; the Lord will certainly not allow the wicked to go unpunished. He marches out in the whirlwind and the raging storm; dark storm clouds billow like dust under his feet. ⁴ He shouts a battle cry against the sea and makes it dry up; he makes all the rivers run dry. Bashan and Carmel wither; the blossom of Lebanon withers. ⁵ The mountains tremble before him; the hills convulse; the earth is laid waste before him; the world and all its inhabitants are laid waste. ⁶ No one can withstand his indignation! No one can resist his fierce anger! His wrath is poured out like volcanic fire, boulders are broken up as he approaches. ⁷ The Lord is good— indeed, he is a fortress in time of distress, and he protects those who seek refuge in him. ⁸ But with an overwhelming flood he will make a complete end of Nineveh; he will drive his enemies into darkness. ⁹ Whatever you plot against the Lord, he will completely destroy! Distress will not arise a second time. 1 ⁰ Surely they will be totally consumed like entangled thornbushes, like the drink of drunkards, like very dry stubble. 1 ¹ From you, O Nineveh, one has marched forth who plots evil against the Lord, a wicked military strategist. 1 ² This is what the Lord says: “Even though they are powerful— and what is more, even though their army is numerous— nevertheless, they will be destroyed and trickle away! Although I afflicted you, I will afflict you no more. 1 ³ And now, I will break Assyria’s yoke bar from your neck; I will tear apart the shackles that are on you.” 1 ⁴ The Lord has issued a decree against you: “Your dynasty will come to an end. I will destroy the idols and images in the temples of your gods. I will desecrate your grave, because you are accursed!” 1 5 (2:1 ) Look! A herald is running on the mountains! A messenger is proclaiming deliverance: “Celebrate your sacred festivals, O Judah! Fulfill your sacred vows to praise God! For never again will the wicked Assyrians invade you; they have been completely destroyed.”