Daily Readings - Fri Jul 23 2021
Exodus
1And God spake all these words, saying,2I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.3Thou shalt have no other gods before me.4Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:5Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;6And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.7Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.8Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.9Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:10But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:11For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.12Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.13Thou shalt not kill.14Thou shalt not commit adultery.15Thou shalt not steal.16Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.17Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
Matthew
18Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.19When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.20But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;21Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.22He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.23But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two profound texts that guide us in understanding our relationship with God and our commitment to living according to His will. The first reading from Exodus presents the Ten Commandments, a cornerstone of God's covenant with His people. These commandments are not merely a set of rules but a blueprint for living a life that honors God and respects the dignity of others. They call us to prioritize our relationship with God above all else, to respect the sanctity of life, and to uphold justice and truth in our dealings with one another.
The Gospel from Matthew offers Jesus' parable of the sower, which invites us to reflect on how we receive the Word of God. The different types of soil represent the various ways people respond to God's message. The seed that falls on the path, rocky ground, or among thorns symbolizes the challenges we face in embracing God's word fully. However, the seed that falls on good soil bears abundant fruit, illustrating the transformative power of faith when we open our hearts and minds to God's grace.
These readings are deeply connected, as both emphasize the importance of our response to God's call. The Ten Commandments provide the moral and spiritual foundation for living as God's people, while the parable of the sower challenges us to examine the state of our hearts. Together, they remind us that our faith must be lived out in concrete ways, through our choices and actions. As we navigate the complexities of daily life, we are called to cultivate hearts that are receptive to God's word, to root out distractions and sins that hinder our growth, and to bear fruit in love, compassion, and service to others. Let us strive to be the good soil, where God's word takes root and flourishes, transforming us and the world around us.