Daily Readings - Fri Jul 19 2019
Exodus
10And Moses and Aaron did all these wonders before Pharaoh: and the LORD hardened Pharaoh's heart, so that he would not let the children of Israel go out of his land.
1And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying,2This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.3Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:4And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.5Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:6And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.7And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.8And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.9Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.10And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.11And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD'S passover.12For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.13And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.14And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.
Matthew
1At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.2But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.3But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;4How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?5Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?6But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.7But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.8For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of liberation, faith, and the living nature of God’s relationship with humanity. In the first reading from Exodus, we hear the story of the Passover, a pivotal moment in Israel’s history. The Israelites, preparing for their liberation from Egypt, are instructed to mark their homes with the blood of the lamb so that the angel of death will "pass over" their households. This act of faith and obedience is not just a ritual; it is a profound trust in God’s promise of deliverance. The Passover becomes a sacred memory, a reminder of God’s saving action and the foundation of Israel’s identity as a people chosen and freed by God.
In the Gospel, Jesus challenges the Pharisees’ rigid understanding of the Sabbath. While they focus on the letter of the law, Jesus emphasizes its spirit. He reminds them that the Sabbath was made for humanity, not the other way around, and that mercy and compassion should guide our actions. Jesus’ defense of his disciples’ actions points to a deeper truth: faith is not about following rules without understanding, but about living in relationship with God and responding to human needs with love.
These readings are connected by the theme of liberation and the call to trust in God’s plan. The Passover in Exodus prefigures the ultimate liberation brought by Christ, who is the true Lamb of God. Jesus’ teaching on the Sabbath, meanwhile, invites us to live our faith with freedom and joy, prioritizing love and mercy over legalism. In our daily lives, we are called to remember that our faith is not a set of rigid rules but a living relationship with God. Like the Israelites, we must trust in God’s promises and, like Jesus, we must be willing to challenge structures that no longer serve the greater good. May we embrace the freedom and joy that come from following God’s will, and may our actions always reflect the mercy and love that Christ embodies.