Daily Readings - Thu Aug 08 2019
Numbers
1And the people of Israel, the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh. And Miriam died there and was buried there.2Now there was no water for the congregation. And they assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.3And the people quarreled with Moses and said, "Would that we had perished when our brothers perished before the LORD!4Why have you brought the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness, that we should die here, both we and our cattle?5And why have you made us come up out of Egypt to bring us to this evil place? It is no place for grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, and there is no water to drink."6Then Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting and fell on their faces. And the glory of the LORD appeared to them,7and the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,8"Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to yield its water. So you shall bring water out of the rock for them and give drink to the congregation and their cattle."9And Moses took the staff from before the LORD, as he commanded him.10Then Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, "Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?"11And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock.12And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them."13These are the waters of Meribah, where the people of Israel quarreled with the LORD, and through them he showed himself holy.
Matthew
13Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"14And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets."15He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"16Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."17And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.18And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."20Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.21From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.22And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you."23But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man."
Sermon
The first reading from Numbers and the Gospel from Matthew both touch on themes of faith, leadership, and the challenges of following God’s plan. In Numbers, the Israelites find themselves in the wilderness, struggling with thirst and doubt. Moses, in his frustration, strikes the rock to produce water, an act that, while it provides immediate relief, also reveals a momentary lack of trust in God’s plan. This impulsive action has consequences, as Moses is later told he will not enter the Promised Land. The reading reminds us that even the greatest leaders can falter, but it also shows how God remains faithful even when we are not.
In the Gospel, Jesus asks his disciples who they believe he is, and Peter, in a moment of profound insight, confesses that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus praises Peter’s faith and establishes him as the rock upon which the Church will be built. Yet, when Jesus begins to speak of his coming suffering and death, Peter’s faith wavers, and he tries to dissuade Jesus from the cross. Jesus rebukes Peter, reminding him that true faith requires trusting in God’s plan, even when it is difficult to understand.
These readings invite us to reflect on our own faith. Like the Israelites, we often find ourselves in situations where we doubt God’s presence or provision. Like Peter, we may have moments of great insight and courage, but we also stumble when the path ahead seems uncertain or difficult. The key lesson is that faith is not about having all the answers or never faltering; it is about trusting in God’s plan, even when it leads us through the wilderness. Let us ask for the grace to trust in God’s providence, to follow Him even when the road is hard, and to remember that He is always with us, guiding us toward His kingdom.