Daily Readings - Tue Jul 18 2017
First Reading - Exodus 2.1-15a
Exodus
1And there went a man of the house of Levi, and took to wife a daughter of Levi.2And the woman conceived, and bare a son: and when she saw him that he was a goodly child, she hid him three months.3And when she could not longer hide him, she took for him an ark of bulrushes, and daubed it with slime and with pitch, and put the child therein; and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink.4And his sister stood afar off, to wit what would be done to him.5And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the river's side; and when she saw the ark among the flags, she sent her maid to fetch it.6And when she had opened it, she saw the child: and, behold, the babe wept. And she had compassion on him, and said, This is one of the Hebrews' children.7Then said his sister to Pharaoh's daughter, Shall I go and call to thee a nurse of the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the child for thee?8And Pharaoh's daughter said to her, Go. And the maid went and called the child's mother.9And Pharaoh's daughter said unto her, Take this child away, and nurse it for me, and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child, and nursed it.10And the child grew, and she brought him unto Pharaoh's daughter, and he became her son. And she called his name Moses: and she said, Because I drew him out of the water.11And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren.12And he looked this way and that way, and when he saw that there was no man, he slew the Egyptian, and hid him in the sand.13And when he went out the second day, behold, two men of the Hebrews strove together: and he said to him that did the wrong, Wherefore smitest thou thy fellow?14And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known.15Now when Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to slay Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: and he sat down by a well.
Gospel - Matthew 11.20-24
Matthew
20Then began he to upbraid the cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not:21Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida! for if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.22But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you.23And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell: for if the mighty works, which have been done in thee, had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day.24But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.
Sermon
The first reading from Exodus tells the story of Moses’ early life, highlighting the courage and faith of his mother who defied Pharaoh’s decree to save her son. She placed Moses in a basket and set him afloat on the Nile, trusting in God’s providence. The story unfolds with Moses being discovered by Pharaoh’s daughter, who, moved by compassion, decides to adopt him. This narrative sets the stage for Moses’ eventual role as a leader of the Israelites, showcasing how God works through human actions and circumstances to fulfill His plan. The context of this reading is the oppression of the Israelites in Egypt, where Pharaoh’s fear of their growing population led to brutal measures, including the killing of Hebrew male infants. Moses’ survival is a testament to the power of trust in God’s plan and the courage of those who risk everything to do what is right.
The Gospel reading from Matthew presents Jesus rebuking cities that had witnessed many miracles but failed to repent. Jesus laments that if the same miracles had been performed in Tyre, Sidon, or Sodom, those cities would have repented long ago. He warns that on the day of judgment, these cities will be held to a higher accountability because of the graces they received. The context here is Jesus’ ministry in Galilee, where He performed numerous miracles, yet many people remained hardened in their unbelief. This reading emphasizes the importance of responding to God’s grace with faith and repentance, rather than taking it for granted.
Both readings remind us of the importance of faith and trust in God’s plan. In Exodus, Moses’ mother trusted in God’s providence, even in the face of danger, and her courage ultimately led to Moses’ survival and his future role as a leader. In Matthew, Jesus calls us to respond to God’s grace with repentance and faith, warning us against complacency. These readings invite us to reflect on our own trust in God and our response to His grace in our lives. Do we, like Moses’ mother, trust in God’s plan even when the future seems uncertain? Do we, like the cities Jesus rebuked, fail to respond to the graces we have received? Let us strive to live with courage, trust, and a willingness to repent, so that we may deepen our relationship with God and fulfill the mission He has entrusted to us.