Daily Readings - Tue Jul 04 2023
Genesis
15As morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, "Up! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, lest you be swept away in the punishment of the city."16But he lingered. So the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and set him outside the city.17And as they brought them out, one said, "Escape for your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape to the hills, lest you be swept away."18And Lot said to them, "Oh, no, my lords.19Behold, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have shown me great kindness in saving my life. But I cannot escape to the hills, lest the disaster overtake me and I die.20Behold, this city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one. Let me escape there--is it not a little one?--and my life will be saved!"21He said to him, "Behold, I grant you this favor also, that I will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken.22Escape there quickly, for I can do nothing till you arrive there." Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.23The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar.24Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the LORD out of heaven.25And he overthrew those cities, and all the valley, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground.26But Lot's wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.27And Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the LORD.28And he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah and toward all the land of the valley, and he looked and, behold, the smoke of the land went up like the smoke of a furnace.29So it was that, when God destroyed the cities of the valley, God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow when he overthrew the cities in which Lot had lived.
Matthew
23And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him.24And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep.25And they went and woke him, saying, "Save us, Lord; we are perishing."26And he said to them, "Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?" Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.27And the men marveled, saying, "What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?"
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on trust and faith in the face of adversity. The first reading from Genesis recounts the story of Lot and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot, warned by angels of the impending doom, is urged to flee. Despite the angels' guidance, Lot hesitates and requests to go to a nearby city, Zoar, instead of the mountains. His wife, however, looks back, turning her into a pillar of salt—a poignant reminder of the consequences of doubt and hesitation. Abraham, observing the destruction from a distance, is spared, illustrating God's mercy and remembrance.
The Gospel from Matthew presents a different yet complementary scenario. Jesus and his disciples encounter a tempest while on a boat. While Jesus sleeps, the disciples, fearing for their lives, awaken him. Jesus calms the storm, demonstrating his divine authority over nature. This miracle leaves the disciples in awe, pondering the kind of man who can command the winds and seas.
Both readings underscore the importance of trust and faith in times of crisis. In Genesis, Lot's story teaches us about the perils of looking back and the necessity of trusting God's plan. In Matthew, Jesus' calm amidst the storm reminds us of His presence and power in our lives. These narratives encourage us to face life's challenges with unwavering faith, trusting in God's providence and guidance. May we, like the disciples, recognize the divine presence in our midst and find peace in the midst of turmoil.