Daily Readings - Wed Jul 17 2019
Exodus
1Now Moses was pasturing the sheep of his father-in-law Jethro, a priest of Midian. And when he had driven the flock into the interior of the desert, he came to the mountain of God, Horeb2And the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from the midst of a bush. And he saw that the bush was burning and was not burnt3Therefore, Moses said, "I will go and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.4Then the Lord, discerning that he proceeded on to see it, called to him from the midst of the bush, and he said, "Moses, Moses." And he responded, "Here I am.5And he said: "Lest you should approach here, remove the shoes from your feet. For the place on which you stand is holy ground.6And he said, "I am the God of your father: the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Moses hid his face, for he dared not look directly at God9And so, the outcry of the sons of Israel has come to me. And I have seen their affliction, with which they are oppressed by the Egyptians10But come, and I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may lead my people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt.11And Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and that I should lead the sons of Israel out of Egypt?12And he said to him: "I will be with you. And you will have this as a sign that I have sent you: When you will have brought my people out of Egypt, you will offer sacrifice to God upon this mountain.
Matthew
25At that time, Jesus responded and said: "I acknowledge you, Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the prudent, and have revealed them to little ones26Yes, Father, for this was pleasing before you27All things have been delivered to me by my Father. And no one knows the Son except the Father, nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and those to whom the Son is willing to reveal him
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two profound moments of divine revelation and human response. In the first reading from Exodus, Moses is tending his father-in-law’s sheep when he comes upon a burning bush that is not consumed by fire. This miraculous sight captures his attention, and from the bush, God speaks to him, identifying Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God then commissions Moses to lead the Israelites out of their oppression in Egypt. Moses, feeling inadequate, asks, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?” But God assures him, “I will be with you.” This exchange highlights both the awe-inspiring nature of God’s presence and the human tendency to question our own abilities when called to great tasks.
In the Gospel, Jesus offers a prayer of thanksgiving to the Father, praising Him for revealing divine truths not to the wise and powerful but to the humble and simple-hearted. He emphasizes the intimate relationship between the Father and the Son, stating that no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him. This passage underscores the importance of humility and trust in coming to know God. Just as Moses had to trust in God’s promise to be with him, we too must approach God with a willingness to listen and surrender to His will.
These readings remind us that God often reveals Himself in unexpected ways and calls us to tasks that may seem beyond our capabilities. Like Moses, we may feel unworthy or unprepared, but God’s assurance is clear: He will be with us. Like the “little ones” Jesus speaks of, we are called to approach God with humility and openness, trusting that He will reveal Himself to us. In our daily lives, this means embracing our missions, whether great or small, with faith and courage, knowing that God’s grace is sufficient for us. Let us, therefore, surrender our fears and doubts to Him, and allow Him to work through us as He worked through Moses.