Daily Readings - Mon Jul 31 2017
First Reading - Exodus 32.15-24, 30-34
Exodus
And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp.And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear.And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief.For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf.And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the LORD; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin.And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them.
Gospel - Matthew 13.31-35
Matthew
Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on faith, growth, and redemption. From Exodus, we witness the Israelites' impatience and lack of faith as they turn to a golden calf while Moses is on Mount Sinai. Moses, bearing the Ten Commandments, is met with their idolatry, leading to his anger and the breaking of the tablets. Yet, Moses' subsequent intercession for his people highlights God's mercy and the possibility of redemption despite their sin.
In the Gospel, Jesus shares parables of the mustard seed and leaven, illustrating the kingdom of heaven's transformative power. A small mustard seed grows into a tree, and a little leaven ferments an entire batch of dough. These parables remind us that even the smallest acts of faith can lead to significant spiritual growth and impact.
Connecting these readings, we see that just as the kingdom begins small and flourishes, our faith, though it may start modestly, can grow and overcome even our greatest sins. The Exodus story teaches us that sin does not define us, for through repentance and intercession, we find mercy. The Gospel encourages us to nurture our faith, trusting in its potential to transform our lives and the world. Let us embrace the small beginnings of our faith, allowing it to grow and lead us toward redemption and a deeper connection with God.