Daily Catholic Mass Readings for July 29, 2019
First Reading: Exodus 32.15-24, 30-34
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."
Psalm 106
1Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!2Who can utter the mighty deeds of the LORD, or declare all his praise?3Blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times!4Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people; help me when you save them,5that I may look upon the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, that I may glory with your inheritance.6Both we and our fathers have sinned; we have committed iniquity; we have done wickedness.7Our fathers, when they were in Egypt, did not consider your wondrous works; they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love, but rebelled by the Sea, at the Red Sea.8Yet he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make known his mighty power.9He rebuked the Red Sea, and it became dry, and he led them through the deep as through a desert.10So he saved them from the hand of the foe and redeemed them from the power of the enemy.11And the waters covered their adversaries; not one of them was left.12Then they believed his words; they sang his praise.13But they soon forgot his works; they did not wait for his counsel.14But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness, and put God to the test in the desert;15he gave them what they asked, but sent a wasting disease among them.16When men in the camp were jealous of Moses and Aaron, the holy one of the LORD,17the earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram.18Fire also broke out in their company; the flame burned up the wicked.19They made a calf in Horeb and worshiped a metal image.20They exchanged the glory of God for the image of an ox that eats grass.21They forgot God, their Savior, who had done great things in Egypt,22wondrous works in the land of Ham, and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.23Therefore he said he would destroy them--had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him, to turn away his wrath from destroying them.24Then they despised the pleasant land, having no faith in his promise.25They murmured in their tents, and did not obey the voice of the LORD.26Therefore he raised his hand and swore to them that he would make them fall in the wilderness,27and would make their offspring fall among the nations, scattering them among the lands.28Then they yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor, and ate sacrifices offered to the dead;29they provoked the LORD to anger with their deeds, and a plague broke out among them.30Then Phinehas stood up and intervened, and the plague was stayed.31And that was counted to him as righteousness from generation to generation forever.32They angered him at the waters of Meribah, and it went ill with Moses on their account,33for they made his spirit bitter, and he spoke rashly with his lips.34They did not destroy the peoples, as the LORD commanded them,35but they mixed with the nations and learned to do as they did.36They served their idols, which became a snare to them.37They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons;38they poured out innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was polluted with blood.39Thus they became unclean by their acts, and played the whore in their deeds.40Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against his people, and he abhorred his heritage;41he gave them into the hand of the nations, so that those who hated them ruled over them.42Their enemies oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their power.43Many times he delivered them, but they were rebellious in their purposes and were brought low through their iniquity.44Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress, when he heard their cry.45For their sake he remembered his covenant, and relented according to the abundance of his steadfast love.46He caused them to be pitied by all those who held them captive.47Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise.48Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! And let all the people say, "Amen!" Praise the LORD!
Gospel: John 11.17-27 or Luke 10.38-42
17Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days.18Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off,19and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother.20So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house.21Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.22But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you."23Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."24Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day."25Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,26and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?"27She said to him, "Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world."
38Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.39And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching.40But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me."41But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,42but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her."
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two profound narratives that invite us to reflect on faith, crisis, and redemption. The first reading from Exodus recounts the story of the golden calf, where the Israelites, in Moses' absence, succumb to impatience and idolatry. Moses, bearing the tablets of the covenant, descends to find his people in disarray. His anger leads him to shatter the tablets, yet he intercedes with God, seeking mercy for his people. This episode underscores the fragility of faith and the crucial role of leadership in restoring divine connection.
The Gospel reading shifts our focus to John, where Jesus engages with Martha after Lazarus's death. Martha's statement, "I know that whatever you will request from God, God will give to you," reveals her deep faith. Jesus responds by declaring Himself the Resurrection and Life, offering a profound theological truth. Martha's confession, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God," highlights her unwavering belief amidst grief. This exchange illustrates the transformative power of faith in the face of death and loss.
These readings intersect at the theme of faith in crisis. The Exodus story warns against the consequences of faltering faith, while John's narrative presents faith as a source of hope and resurrection. Moses intercedes, prefiguring Jesus, the ultimate mediator. Both stories remind us that true faith navigates uncertainty and despair, trusting in God's plan.
In daily life, these readings encourage us to hold fast to faith during trials. Like Martha, we can affirm our belief in Jesus, recognizing Him as our source of life. Let us trust in His power to overcome death and sin, and may our faith be a beacon of hope in challenging times. The moral lesson is clear: maintain faith, for in Jesus, we find eternal life and redemption.