Daily Catholic Mass Readings for August 3, 2017
First Reading: Exodus 40.16-21, 34-38
16And Moses did all that the Lord had instructed17Therefore, in the first month of the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was put in place18And Moses raised it up, and he positioned the panels as well as the bases and the bars, and he set up the columns19and he stretched out the roof over the tabernacle, imposing a cover above it, just as the Lord had decreed20And he placed the testimony in the ark, applying the bars beneath, and the oracle above21And when he had brought the ark into the tabernacle, he drew the veil before it, in order to fulfill the commandment of the Lord34the cloud covered the tabernacle of the testimony, and the glory of the Lord filled it35Neither could Moses enter the covering of the covenant: the cloud was covering all things, and the majesty of the Lord was flashing. For the cloud had covered everything36Whenever the cloud departed from the tabernacle, the sons of Israel set out by their companies37But if it remained hanging over it, they remained in the same place38Certainly, the cloud of the Lord lay over the tabernacle by day, and the fire by night, being seen by all the people of Israel throughout all their resting places
Psalm 84
1Unto the end. For the wine and oil presses. A Psalm to the sons of Korah. How beloved are your tabernacles, O Lord of hosts!2My soul longs and faints for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh have exulted in the living God3For even the sparrow has found a home for himself, and the turtle-dove a nest for herself, where she may lay her young: your altars, O Lord of hosts, my king and my God4Blessed are those who dwell in your house, O Lord. They will praise you from age to age5Blessed is the man whose help is from you. In his heart, he is disposed to ascen6from the valley of tears, from the place which he has determined7For even the lawgiver will provide a blessing; they will go from virtue to virtue. The God of gods will be seen in Zion8O Lord, God of hosts, hear my prayer. Pay attention, O God of Jacob9O God, gaze upon our protector, and look upon the face of your Christ10For one day in your courts is better than thousands elsewhere. I have chosen to be lowly in the house of my God, rather than to dwell in the tabernacles of sinners11For God loves mercy and truth. The Lord will give grace and glory12He will not withhold good things from those who walk in innocence. O Lord of hosts, blessed is the man who hopes in you
Gospel: Matthew 13.47-52
47Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net cast into the sea, which gathers together all kinds of fish48When it has been filled, drawing it out and sitting beside the shore, they selected the good into vessels, but the bad they threw away49So shall it be at the consummation of the age. The Angels shall go forth and separate the bad from the midst of the just50And they shall cast them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth51Have you understood all these things?" They say to him, "Yes.52He said to them, "Therefore, every scribe well-taught about the kingdom of heaven, is like a man, the father of a family, who offers from his storehouse both the new and the old.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter powerful images of God’s presence and the ultimate fulfillment of His plan. The first reading from Exodus describes the completion of the tabernacle, a sacred space where God dwells among His people. Moses carefully follows God’s instructions, and the tabernacle is filled with the glory of the Lord, symbolized by the cloud. This cloud not only signifies God’s presence but also guides the Israelites on their journey, reminding us that God is both with us and leading us. The tabernacle becomes a place of encounter, where the divine and human meet.
In the Gospel, Jesus uses the parable of the net to describe the kingdom of heaven. The net gathers all kinds of fish, good and bad, but at the end of the age, they are separated. This parable reminds us that our lives are not without consequence. The choices we make, the way we live, and the love we share will ultimately be revealed. Jesus emphasizes that the kingdom of heaven is not just a future reality but also a present call to live in a way that reflects God’s justice and mercy. The parable also highlights the role of the scribe, who draws from the treasure of God’s wisdom, both old and new, to guide others in understanding the kingdom.
These readings invite us to reflect on how we live in the presence of God and how we prepare for the ultimate encounter with Him. Like the tabernacle, our lives should be a place where God’s glory dwells, and like the scribe, we should share the richness of God’s wisdom with others. Let us ask ourselves: Are we living in a way that reflects God’s presence? Are we using the gifts and talents He has given us to build up the kingdom? May we strive to be good fish in the net, living with purpose and integrity, so that when the time of separation comes, we may be found worthy to dwell in God’s eternal presence.