Daily Readings - Mon Jul 24 2023
Exodus
5And it was reported to the king of the Egyptians that the people had fled. And the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was changed about the people, and they said, "What did we intend to do, so that we released Israel from serving us?6Therefore, he harnessed his chariot, and he took all his people with him7And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and whatever chariots were in Egypt, and also the leaders of the whole army8And the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, and he pursued the sons of Israel. But they were taken away by an exalted hand9And when the Egyptians followed the footsteps of those who preceded them, they found them in a camp above the sea. All the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and the entire army, were in Pihahiroth, opposite Baal-zephon10And when Pharaoh had drawn near, the sons of Israel, lifting up their eyes, saw the Egyptians behind them. And they were very afraid. And they cried out to the Lord11And they said to Moses: "Perhaps there were no graves in Egypt, for which reason you took us to die in the wilderness. What is it that you intended to do, in leading us out of Egypt12Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying: Withdraw from us, so that we may serve the Egyptians? For it was much better to serve them, than to die in the wilderness.13And Moses said to the people: "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and see the great wonders of the Lord, which he will do today. For the Egyptians, whom you now see, will never again be seen, forever14The Lord will fight on your behalf, and you will remain silent.15And the Lord said to Moses: "Why cry out to me? Tell the sons of Israel to continue on16Now, lift up your staff, and extend your hand over the sea and divide it, so that the sons of Israel may walk through the midst of the sea on dry ground17Then I will harden the heart of the Egyptians, so as to pursue you. And I will be glorified in Pharaoh, and in all his army, and in his chariots, and in his horsemen18And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord, when I will be glorified in Pharaoh, and in his chariots, as well as in his horsemen.
Matthew
38Then certain ones from the scribes and the Pharisees responded to him, saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.39And answering, he said to them: "An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign. But a sign will not be given to it, except the sign of the prophet Jonah40For just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale for three days and three nights, so shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights41The men of Nineveh shall arise in judgment with this generation, and they shall condemn it. For, at the preaching of Jonah, they repented. And behold, there is a greater than Jonah here42The Queen of the South shall arise in judgment with this generation, and she shall condemn it. For she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And behold, there is a greater than Solomon here
Sermon
In today's readings, we are reminded of the power of faith and trust in God's providence. The first reading from Exodus recounts the dramatic escape of the Israelites from the pursuing Egyptian army. Cornered by the Red Sea, the Israelites, filled with fear, cry out to Moses. Yet Moses, trusting in God, calms their fears and instructs them to move forward. With outstretched staff, the sea parts, allowing the Israelites to cross safely, while the Egyptians are engulfed by the returning waters. This passage underscores the importance of trusting in God even in the face of overwhelming odds.
In the Gospel, Jesus addresses the skepticism of the scribes and Pharisees who demand a sign from him. He responds by comparing himself to Jonah, whose three days in the belly of the whale prefigure Jesus' own resurrection. Jesus emphasizes that the generation to whom he speaks is evil and adulterous because it seeks signs rather than trusting in God's word. He points to the people of Nineveh, who repented at Jonah's preaching, and the Queen of the South, who came to hear Solomon's wisdom, as examples of those who responded to God's truth without requiring signs. Jesus makes it clear that faith is not about seeking proofs but about trusting in God's presence and action in our lives.
These readings invite us to reflect on our own faith. Like the Israelites, we often face challenges that seem insurmountable, and like the Pharisees, we may doubt God's presence or demand signs to strengthen our belief. Yet, the readings remind us that true faith is about trusting in God's providence, even when the path ahead is unclear. As Moses told the Israelites, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and see the great wonders of the Lord." Let us strive to live with this kind of faith, trusting that God will guide us through life's trials and lead us to safety.