Daily Catholic Mass Readings for July 27, 2019
First Reading: Exodus 24.3-8
3Therefore, Moses went and explained to the people all the words of the Lord, as well as the judgments. And all the people responded with one voice: "We will do all the words of the Lord, which he has spoken.4Then Moses wrote all the words of the Lord. And rising up in the morning, he built an altar at the base of the mountain, with twelve titles according to the twelve tribes of Israel5And he sent youths from the sons of Israel, and they offered holocausts, and they immolated calves as peace-offerings to the Lord6And so Moses took one half part of the blood, and he put it into bowls. Then the remaining part he poured over the altar7And taking up the book of the covenant, he read it in the hearing of the people, who said: "All that the Lord has spoken, we will do, and we will be obedient.8In truth, taking up the blood, he sprinkled it on the people, and he said, "This is the blood of the covenant, which the Lord has formed with you concerning all these words.
Psalm 50
1A Psalm of Asaph. The God of gods, the Lord has spoken, and he has called the earth, from the rising of the sun even to its setting2from Zion, the brilliance of his beauty3God will arrive manifestly. Our God also will not keep silence. A fire will flare up in his sight, and a mighty tempest will surround him4He will call to heaven from above, and to the earth, to discern his people5Gather his holy ones to him, you who order his covenant above sacrifices6And the heavens will announce his justice. For God is the judge7Listen, my people, and I will speak. Listen, Israel, and I will testify for you. I am God, your God8I will not reprove you for your sacrifices. Moreover, your holocausts are ever in my sight9I will not accept calves from your house, nor he-goats from your flocks10For all the wild beasts of the forest are mine: the cattle on the hills and the oxen11I know all the flying things of the air, and the beauty of the field is with me12If I should be hungry, I would not tell you: for the whole world is mine, and all its plentitude13Shall I gnaw on the flesh of bulls? Or would I drink the blood of goats14Offer to God the sacrifice of praise, and pay your vows to the Most High15And call upon me in the day of tribulation. I will rescue you, and you will honor me16But to the sinner, God has said: Why do you discourse on my justices, and take up my covenant through your mouth17Truly, you have hated discipline, and you have cast my sermons behind you18If you saw a thief, you ran with him, and you have placed your portion with adulterers19Your mouth has abounded with malice, and your tongue has concocted deceits20Sitting, you spoke against your brother, and you set up a scandal against your mother’s son21These things you have done, and I was silent. You thought, unjustly, that I ought to be like you. But I will reprove you, and I will set myself against your face22Understand these things, you who forget God; lest at any time, he might quickly take you away, and there would be no one to rescue you23The sacrifice of praise will honor me. And in that place is the journey by which I will reveal to him the salvation of God
Gospel: Matthew 13.24-30
24He proposed another parable to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field25But while the men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds amid the wheat, and then went away26And when the plants had grown, and had produced fruit, then the weeds also appeared27So the servants of the Father of the family, approaching, said to him: ‘Lord, did you not sow good seed in your field? Then how is it that it has weeds?28And he said to them, ‘A man who is an enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Is it your will that we should go and gather them up?29And he said: ‘No, lest perhaps in gathering the weeds, you might also root out the wheat together with it30Permit both to grow until the harvest, and at the time of the harvest, I will say to the reapers: Gather first the weeds, and bind them into bundles to burn, but the wheat gather into my storehouse.’
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two profound moments of covenant and challenge. The first reading from Exodus describes the establishment of the covenant between God and the Israelites, where Moses acts as the mediator. The people commit to following God's laws, and the ritual with blood signifies the sealing of this sacred agreement. This moment is a cornerstone of Israel's identity, marking their commitment to a life guided by divine commandments.
The Gospel from Matthew presents Jesus' parable of the wheat and the weeds, which invites us to reflect on the nature of the kingdom of heaven. The parable illustrates that good and evil can coexist until the time of harvest, when separation will occur. This teaches us about patience and discernment, reminding us that judgment is not ours to make. Instead, we are called to focus on our own growth and trust in God's plan.
These readings remind us that our faith is both a commitment and a journey. Like the Israelites, we are called to live according to God's will, even when the path is uncertain. The parable encourages us to trust in God's timing and to focus on nurturing our own spiritual growth. As we navigate life's challenges, may we remain steadfast in our commitment to God, trusting that He will bring all things to fruition in His time.