Daily Catholic Mass Readings for July 13, 2021
First Reading: Exodus 2.1-15a
1After these things, a man from the house of Levi went out, and he took a wife from his own stock2And she conceived and bore a son. And seeing him to be handsome, she hid him for three months3And when she was no longer able to hide him, she took a small basket woven of bulrushes, and she smeared it with pitch as well as tar. And she placed the little infant inside, and she laid him in the sedges by the bank of the river4His sister was standing at a distance and was wondering what would happen5Then, behold, the daughter of Pharaoh descended to wash in the river. And her maids walked along the edge of the cove. And when she had seen the small basket among the papyruses, she sent one of her servants for it. And when it was brought6she opened it; and realizing that within it was a little one crying, she took pity on him, and she said: "This is one of the infants of the Hebrews.7And the sister of the boy said to her: "If you wish, I will go and call to you a Hebrew woman, who will be able nurse the infant.8She responded, "Go." The maid went directly and called her mother9And the daughter of Pharaoh said to her: "Take this boy and nurse him for me. I will give you your wages." The woman took and nursed the boy. And when he was mature, she delivered him to the daughter of Pharaoh10And she adopted him in place of a son, and she called his name Moses, saying, "Because I took him from the water.11In those days, after Moses had grown up, he went out to his brothers. And he saw their affliction and an Egyptian man striking a certain one of the Hebrews, his brothers12And when he had looked around this way and that, and had seen no one nearby, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand13And going out the next day, he spotted two Hebrews quarrelling violently. And he said to him who was causing the injury, "Why do you strike your neighbor?14But he responded: "Who appointed you as leader and judge over us? Do you want to kill me, just as yesterday you killed the Egyptian?" Moses was afraid, and he said, "How has this word become known?15And Pharaoh heard this talk, and he sought to kill Moses. But fleeing from his sight, he stayed in the land of Midian, and he sat down next to a well
Psalm 69
1Unto the end. For those who will be changed: of David. Save me, O God, for the waters have entered, even to my soul2I have become stuck in a deep quagmire, and there is no firm footing. I have arrived at the height of the sea, and a tempest has overwhelmed me3I have endured hardships, while crying out. My jaws have become hoarse; my eyes have failed. Meanwhile, I hope in my God4Those who hate me without cause have been multiplied beyond the hairs of my head. My enemies, who persecuted me unjustly, have been strengthened. Then I was required to pay for what I did not take5O God, you know my foolishness, and my offenses have not been hidden from you6Let those who wait for you, O Lord, the Lord of hosts, not be shamed in me. Let those who seek you, O God of Israel, not be confounded over me7For because of you, I have endured reproach; confusion has covered my face8I have become a stranger to my brothers and a sojourner to the sons of my mother9For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproached you have fallen upon me10And I covered my soul with fasting, and it has become a reproach to me11And I put on a haircloth as my garment, and I became a parable to them12Those who sat at the gate spoke against me, and those who drank wine made me their song13But as for me, truly, my prayer is to you, O Lord. This time has pleased you well, O God. In the multitude of your mercy, in the truth of your salvation, hear me14Rescue me from the quagmire, so that I may not become trapped. Free me from those who hate me and from deep waters15Do not allow the tempest of water to submerge me, nor the deep to absorb me. And do not allow the well to close in on me16Hear me, O Lord, for your mercy is kind. Look upon me, according to the fullness of your compassion17And do not turn your face away from your servant, for I am in trouble: heed me quickly18Attend to my soul, and free it. Rescue me, because of my enemies19You know my reproach, and my confusion, and my reverence20All those who trouble me are in your sight; my heart has anticipated reproach and misery. And I sought for one who might grieve together with me, but there was no one, and for one who might console me, and I found no one21And they gave me gall for my food. And in my thirst, they gave me vinegar to drink22Let their table be a snare before them, and a retribution, and a scandal23Let their eyes be darkened, so that they may not see, and may their back always be crooked24Pour out your indignation upon them, and may the fury of your anger take hold of them25May their dwelling place be deserted, and may there be no one who dwells in their tabernacles26For they persecuted whomever you struck. And they have added to the grief of my wounds27Assign an iniquity upon their iniquity, and may they not enter into your justice28Delete them from the Book of the Living, and let them not be written down with the just29I am poor and sorrowful, but your salvation, O God, has taken me up30I will praise the name of God with a canticle, and I will magnify him with praise31And it will please God more than a new calf producing horns and hoofs32Let the poor see and rejoice. Seek God, and your soul will live33For the Lord has heard the poor, and he has not despised his prisoners34Let the heavens and the earth praise him: the sea, and everything that crawls in it35For God will save Zion, and the cities of Judah will be built up. And they will dwell there, and they will acquire it by inheritance36And the offspring of his servants will possess it; and those who love his name will dwell in it
Gospel: Matthew 11.20-24
20Then he began to rebuke the cities in which many of his miracles were accomplished, for they still had not repented21"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in haircloth and ashes22Yet truly, I say to you, Tyre and Sidon shall be forgiven more than you, on the day of judgment23And you, Capernaum, would you be exalted all the way to heaven? You shall descend all the way to Hell. For if the miracles that were done in you had been done in Sodom, perhaps it would have remained, even to this day24Yet truly, I say to you, that the land of Sodom shall be forgiven more than you, on the day of judgment.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful stories that invite us to reflect on faith, trust, and the human response to God’s presence in our lives. The first reading from Exodus tells the story of Moses’ early life, highlighting the courage and ingenuity of his mother, who trusted God’s plan by placing her infant son in a basket and setting him afloat on the Nile. This act of faith not only saved Moses’ life but also set the stage for his eventual role as a leader of God’s people. Later, as Moses grew older, we see his impulsive attempt to intervene in the injustices he witnessed, which led to his flight to Midian. This narrative reminds us that even the greatest leaders have moments of weakness and that growth often comes through humility and patience.
The Gospel reading from Matthew shifts our focus to Jesus’ rebuke of the cities where He performed many miracles but saw little repentance. He laments that even Sodom and other notoriously sinful cities would have responded more readily to the same signs. This passage challenges us to consider how we respond to God’s grace and mercy in our own lives. Do we take His blessings for granted, or do we allow them to transform us? Jesus’ words remind us that spiritual complacency is a dangerous trap and that true faith must lead to conversion and a change of heart.
Both readings invite us to examine our relationship with God. Moses’ story teaches us about the importance of trust and surrender, even in uncertain circumstances. Jesus’ words, on the other hand, call us to humility and repentance, urging us not to ignore the signs of God’s presence in our lives. As we go about our daily lives, let us ask ourselves: Are we open to God’s plan, even when it feels unpredictable? Do we allow His grace to transform us, or do we remain indifferent? May we learn to trust in His providence and respond with hearts that are humble, repentant, and open to His will.