Daily Readings - Mon Jul 31 2017
Exodus
15Then Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand, tablets that were written on both sides; on the front and on the back they were written.16The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.17When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, "There is a noise of war in the camp."18But he said, "It is not the sound of shouting for victory, or the sound of the cry of defeat, but the sound of singing that I hear."19And as soon as he came near the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, Moses' anger burned hot, and he threw the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain.20He took the calf that they had made and burned it with fire and ground it to powder and scattered it on the water and made the people of Israel drink it.21And Moses said to Aaron, "What did this people do to you that you have brought such a great sin upon them?"22And Aaron said, "Let not the anger of my lord burn hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil.23For they said to me, 'Make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.'24So I said to them, 'Let any who have gold take it off.' So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf."30The next day Moses said to the people, "You have sinned a great sin. And now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin."31So Moses returned to the LORD and said, "Alas, this people have sinned a great sin. They have made for themselves gods of gold.32But now, if you will forgive their sin--but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written."33But the LORD said to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book.34But now go, lead the people to the place about which I have spoken to you; behold, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them."
Matthew
31He put another parable before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field.32It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches."33He told them another parable. "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened."34All these things Jesus said to the crowds in parables; indeed, he said nothing to them without a parable.35This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet: "I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter what has been hidden since the foundation of the world."
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on faith, growth, and redemption. From Exodus, we witness the Israelites' impatience and lack of faith as they turn to a golden calf while Moses is on Mount Sinai. Moses, bearing the Ten Commandments, is met with their idolatry, leading to his anger and the breaking of the tablets. Yet, Moses' subsequent intercession for his people highlights God's mercy and the possibility of redemption despite their sin.
In the Gospel, Jesus shares parables of the mustard seed and leaven, illustrating the kingdom of heaven's transformative power. A small mustard seed grows into a tree, and a little leaven ferments an entire batch of dough. These parables remind us that even the smallest acts of faith can lead to significant spiritual growth and impact.
Connecting these readings, we see that just as the kingdom begins small and flourishes, our faith, though it may start modestly, can grow and overcome even our greatest sins. The Exodus story teaches us that sin does not define us, for through repentance and intercession, we find mercy. The Gospel encourages us to nurture our faith, trusting in its potential to transform our lives and the world. Let us embrace the small beginnings of our faith, allowing it to grow and lead us toward redemption and a deeper connection with God.