Daily Readings - Tue Jul 27 2021
Exodus
7Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp, and he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the LORD would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp.8Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would rise up, and each would stand at his tent door, and watch Moses until he had gone into the tent.9When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the LORD would speak with Moses.10And when all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise up and worship, each at his tent door.11Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. When Moses turned again into the camp, his assistant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, would not depart from the tent.
4So Moses cut two tablets of stone like the first. And he rose early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him, and took in his hand two tablets of stone.5The LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD.6The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, "The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,7keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children's children, to the third and the fourth generation."8And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped.9And he said, "If now I have found favor in your sight, O Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us, for it is a stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance."28So he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights. He neither ate bread nor drank water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments.
Matthew
36Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field."37He answered, "The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man.38The field is the world, and the good seed is the children of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,39and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels.40Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the close of the age.41The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers,42and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter profound reflections on God's mercy and the ultimate judgment. The Exodus passage recounts Moses' intimate encounter with God, where he receives the Ten Commandments anew after the incident of the Golden Calf. This moment underscores God's mercy and patience, as He renews His covenant with the Israelites, emphasizing His compassionate nature. The Gospel from Matthew presents Jesus explaining the parable of the weeds, illustrating the coexistence of good and evil in the world until the final judgment. Here, Jesus highlights the separation that will occur, where the righteous will shine in God's kingdom, while the wicked face judgment.
Both readings, though distinct, are interconnected through themes of divine presence and judgment. Exodus shows God's presence among His people, despite their transgressions, while Matthew points to the eschatological separation of good and evil. Together, they remind us of the balance between God's mercy and the call to righteousness.
In our daily lives, these readings urge us to discern and live virtuously, trusting in God's mercy while striving to avoid sin. The moral lesson is clear: we are called to remain close to God, embracing His will and cultivating holiness. As we navigate life's challenges, may we seek God's presence and strive to be among the righteous, reflecting His light in the world.