Daily Readings - Wed Aug 02 2017

First Reading - Exodus 34.29-35

²⁹And when Moses descended from Mount Sinai, he held the two tablets of the testimony, and he did not know that his face was radiant from the sharing of words with the Lord³⁰Then Aaron and the sons of Israel, seeing that the face of Moses was radiant, were afraid to approach close by³¹And being called by him, they turned back, both Aaron and the leaders of the assembly. And after he had spoken to them³²all the sons of Israel also now came to him. And he instructed them in all the things that he had heard from the Lord on Mount Sinai³³And having completed these words, he placed a veil over his face³⁴But when he entered to the Lord and was speaking with him, he took it off, until he exited. And then he spoke to the sons of Israel all that had been commanded to him³⁵And they saw that the face of Moses, when he came out, was radiant, but he covered his face again, whenever he spoke to them

Gospel - Matthew 13.44-46

Matthew

Chapter 13

⁴⁴The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. When a man finds it, he hides it, and, because of his joy, he goes and sells everything that he has, and he buys that field⁴⁵Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking good pearls⁴⁶Having found one pearl of great value, he went away and sold all that he had, and he bought it

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter two profound lessons that guide us in our spiritual journey. The first reading from Exodus describes Moses descending from Mount Sinai with the tablets of the covenant, his face radiant from his encounter with God. This radiance, a symbol of God's glory, inspires both awe and fear in the people, prompting Moses to veil his face. This veil serves as a reminder of the separation between God and humanity, emphasizing the need for a mediator—a role Moses fulfills. The Gospel reading presents two parables from Matthew, both illustrating the immense value of the Kingdom of Heaven. The treasure hidden in a field and the pearl of great value teach us that true spiritual riches require sacrifice and dedication. Just as the man and the merchant give up everything to obtain their treasures, we are called to prioritize our faith above all else. Connecting these readings, we see that Moses' radiance reflects the transformative power of encountering God, while the parables urge us to seek spiritual treasures with unwavering commitment. In our daily lives, this means prioritizing our relationship with God, just as Moses did. Let us embrace the challenge to seek God with passion and dedication, recognizing that our faith is the greatest treasure we can attain.