Daily Readings - Mon Jul 24 2023
Exodus
5When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the mind of Pharaoh and his servants was changed toward the people, and they said, "What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?"6So he made ready his chariot and took his army with him,7and took six hundred chosen chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them.8And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the people of Israel while the people of Israel were going out defiantly.9The Egyptians pursued them, all Pharaoh's horses and chariots and his horsemen and his army, and overtook them encamped at the sea, by Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.10When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the LORD.11They said to Moses, "Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt?12Is not this what we said to you in Egypt, 'Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians'? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness."13And Moses said to the people, "Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.14The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent."15The LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward.16Lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go through the sea on dry ground.17And I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they shall go in after them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, his chariots, and his horsemen.18And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten glory over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen."
Matthew
38Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you."39But he answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.40For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.41The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.42The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.
Sermon
In today's readings, we are reminded of the power of faith and trust in God's providence. The first reading from Exodus recounts the dramatic escape of the Israelites from the pursuing Egyptian army. Cornered by the Red Sea, the Israelites, filled with fear, cry out to Moses. Yet Moses, trusting in God, calms their fears and instructs them to move forward. With outstretched staff, the sea parts, allowing the Israelites to cross safely, while the Egyptians are engulfed by the returning waters. This passage underscores the importance of trusting in God even in the face of overwhelming odds.
In the Gospel, Jesus addresses the skepticism of the scribes and Pharisees who demand a sign from him. He responds by comparing himself to Jonah, whose three days in the belly of the whale prefigure Jesus' own resurrection. Jesus emphasizes that the generation to whom he speaks is evil and adulterous because it seeks signs rather than trusting in God's word. He points to the people of Nineveh, who repented at Jonah's preaching, and the Queen of the South, who came to hear Solomon's wisdom, as examples of those who responded to God's truth without requiring signs. Jesus makes it clear that faith is not about seeking proofs but about trusting in God's presence and action in our lives.
These readings invite us to reflect on our own faith. Like the Israelites, we often face challenges that seem insurmountable, and like the Pharisees, we may doubt God's presence or demand signs to strengthen our belief. Yet, the readings remind us that true faith is about trusting in God's providence, even when the path ahead is unclear. As Moses told the Israelites, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and see the great wonders of the Lord." Let us strive to live with this kind of faith, trusting that God will guide us through life's trials and lead us to safety.