Daily Readings - Thu Aug 08 2019
Numbers
1And the sons of Israel, and the entire multitude, went into the desert of Sin, in the first month. And the people stayed at Kadesh. And Miriam died there, and she was buried in the same place2And when the people were in need of water, they came together against Moses and Aaron3And as it turned into sedition, they said: "If only we had perished among our brothers in the sight of the Lord4Why have you led away the Church of the Lord, into the wilderness, so that both we and our cattle would die5Why did you cause us to ascend from Egypt, and why have you led us into this most wretched place, which is not able to be sown, which does not produce figs, or vines, or pomegranates, and which, moreover, does not even have water to drink?6And Moses and Aaron, dismissing the multitude, entered the tabernacle of the covenant, and they fell prone on the ground, and they cried out to the Lord, and they said: "O Lord God, listen to the outcry of this people, and open for them, from your storehouse, a fountain of living water, so that, being satisfied, their murmuring may cease." And the glory of the Lord appeared over them7And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:8"Take the rod, and gather the people, you and your brother Aaron, and speak to the rock before them, and it shall bestow waters. And when you have brought forth water from the rock, the entire multitude and their cattle shall drink.9Therefore, Moses took the rod, which was in the sight of the Lord, just as he had instructed him10And having gathered the multitude before the rock, he said to them: "Listen, you who are rebellious and unbelieving. Would we be able to cast out water from this rock?11And when Moses had lifted up his hand, striking the stone twice with the rod, very great waters went forth, so much so that the people and their cattle were able to drink12And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not believe me, so as to sanctify me before the sons of Israel, you shall not lead this people into the land, which I will give to them.13This is the Water of Contradiction, where the sons of Israel were quarreling against the Lord, and he was sanctified in them
Matthew
13Then Jesus went into parts of Caesarea Philippi. And he questioned his disciples, saying, "Who do men say that the Son of man is?14And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, and others say Elijah, still others say Jeremiah or one of the prophets.15Jesus said to them, "But who do you say that I am?16Simon Peter responded by saying, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.17And in response, Jesus said to him: "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah. For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father, who is in heaven18And I say to you, that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it19And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven. And whatever you shall bind on earth shall be bound, even in heaven. And whatever you shall release on earth shall be released, even in heaven.20Then he instructed his disciples that they should tell no one that he is Jesus the Christ21From that time, Jesus began to reveal to his disciples that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and to suffer much from the elders and the scribes and the leaders of the priests, and to be killed, and to rise again on the third day22And Peter, taking him aside, began to rebuke him, saying, "Lord, may it be far from you; this shall not happen to you.23And turning away, Jesus said to Peter: "Get behind me, Satan; you are an obstacle to me. For you are not behaving according to what is of God, but according to what is of men.
Sermon
The first reading from Numbers and the Gospel from Matthew both touch on themes of faith, leadership, and the challenges of following God’s plan. In Numbers, the Israelites find themselves in the wilderness, struggling with thirst and doubt. Moses, in his frustration, strikes the rock to produce water, an act that, while it provides immediate relief, also reveals a momentary lack of trust in God’s plan. This impulsive action has consequences, as Moses is later told he will not enter the Promised Land. The reading reminds us that even the greatest leaders can falter, but it also shows how God remains faithful even when we are not.
In the Gospel, Jesus asks his disciples who they believe he is, and Peter, in a moment of profound insight, confesses that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus praises Peter’s faith and establishes him as the rock upon which the Church will be built. Yet, when Jesus begins to speak of his coming suffering and death, Peter’s faith wavers, and he tries to dissuade Jesus from the cross. Jesus rebukes Peter, reminding him that true faith requires trusting in God’s plan, even when it is difficult to understand.
These readings invite us to reflect on our own faith. Like the Israelites, we often find ourselves in situations where we doubt God’s presence or provision. Like Peter, we may have moments of great insight and courage, but we also stumble when the path ahead seems uncertain or difficult. The key lesson is that faith is not about having all the answers or never faltering; it is about trusting in God’s plan, even when it leads us through the wilderness. Let us ask for the grace to trust in God’s providence, to follow Him even when the road is hard, and to remember that He is always with us, guiding us toward His kingdom.