Daily Readings - Thu Jul 20 2023
Exodus
13Moses said to God: "Behold, I will go to the sons of Israel, and I will say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you.’ If they say to me, ‘What is his name?’ What shall I say to them?14God said to Moses, "I AM WHO AM." He said: "Thus shall you say to the sons of Israel: ‘HE WHO IS has sent me to you.’ 15And God said again to Moses: "Thus shall you say to the sons of Israel: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is the name for me in eternity, and this is my memorial from generation to generation16Go and gather together the elders of Israel, and you shall say to them: ‘The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying: When visiting, I have visited you, and I have seen all that has befallen you in Egypt17And I have spoken in order to lead you out of the affliction of Egypt, into the land of the Canaanite, and Hittite, and Amorite, and Perizzite, and Hivite, and Jebusite, into a land flowing with milk and honey.18And they shall hear your voice. And you shall enter, you and the elders of Israel, to the king of Egypt, and you shall say to him: ‘The Lord God of the Hebrews has called us. We shall go three days’ journey into the wilderness, in order to offer sacrifice to the Lord our God.19But I know that the king of Egypt will not release you, unless you go out by a powerful hand20For I will extend my hand, and I will strike Egypt with all my wonders that I will do in the midst of them. After these things, he will release you
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two profound moments of divine revelation and invitation. In the first reading from Exodus, Moses stands before the burning bush, and God reveals His name as “I AM WHO AM,” a declaration of His eternal and unchanging nature. This revelation is not just a philosophical statement but a promise of God’s presence and action in the lives of His people. God commissions Moses to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, promising to guide and empower him for the task. The reading reminds us that God’s identity is deeply tied to His relationship with us, and His name becomes our hope and strength in times of uncertainty.
In the Gospel, Jesus extends an invitation to all who are weary and burdened: “Come to me, and I will refresh you.” These words, spoken in the midst of His ministry, reveal the heart of Jesus as one who desires to lift our burdens and give us rest. Jesus does not promise an easy life, but He offers us a different way of carrying our burdens—one that is shaped by His meekness and humility. His yoke is “sweet” and His burden “light” because He walks with us, sharing the weight of our struggles and teaching us to trust in His providence.
Both readings invite us to reflect on the nature of trust and surrender. Moses had to trust in God’s promise, even when the task seemed impossible. Jesus invites us to trust in His love, even when the road ahead seems heavy. In our daily lives, we are often tempted to rely on our own strength or to carry our burdens alone. But the readings remind us that true freedom and peace come from surrendering to God’s will and trusting in His presence. Like Moses, we are called to step out in faith, knowing that God goes before us. Like the weary disciples, we are invited to find rest in Christ, who bears our burdens with us. Let us learn to embrace the humility and trust that these readings inspire, and may we find the strength to follow God’s path, no matter where it leads.