Daily Readings - Fri Jul 28 2023
Exodus
1And God spoke all these words, saying,2"I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.3"You shall have no other gods before me.4"You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.5You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me,6but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments.7"You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.8"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.9Six days you shall labor, and do all your work,10but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates.11For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.12"Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.13"You shall not murder.14"You shall not commit adultery.15"You shall not steal.16"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.17"You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's."
Matthew
18"Hear then the parable of the sower:19When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path.20As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy,21yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.22As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.23As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty."
Sermon
In today's readings, we first hear the Ten Commandments from Exodus, a foundational moral code given to the Israelites as part of their covenant with God. These commandments are not just rules but a guide for living a life that honors God and fosters community. They call us to worship only God, respect life, relationships, and possessions, and to observe the Sabbath as a day of rest and sanctification.
In the Gospel, Jesus teaches the parable of the sower, illustrating how people receive God's word. The seed represents the word of the kingdom, and the different soils symbolize the various ways people respond. Some hear but don't understand, others accept joyfully but lack depth, some are distracted by worldly cares, and others receive the word in fertile hearts, bearing abundant fruit. This parable invites us to reflect on the condition of our own hearts and how receptive we are to God's message.
Together, these readings remind us that our faith is both about living according to God's commandments and being open to His word. Just as the Israelites were called to a covenant of obedience, we too are called to live out our faith in action. The parable challenges us to examine our own receptivity to God's word, ensuring our hearts are fertile ground where His teachings can take root and flourish. May we strive to follow God's laws and nurture our spiritual lives, allowing His word to transform us and bear fruit in abundance.