Daily Readings - Tue Jul 04 2023
Genesis
15And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.16And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.17And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.18And Lot said unto them, Oh, not so, my Lord:19Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shewed unto me in saving my life; and I cannot escape to the mountain, lest some evil take me, and I die:20Behold now, this city is near to flee unto, and it is a little one: Oh, let me escape thither, (is it not a little one?) and my soul shall live.21And he said unto him, See, I have accepted thee concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow this city, for the which thou hast spoken.22Haste thee, escape thither; for I cannot do any thing till thou be come thither. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.23The sun was risen upon the earth when Lot entered into Zoar.24Then the LORD rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire from the LORD out of heaven;25And he overthrew those cities, and all the plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground.26But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt.27And Abraham gat up early in the morning to the place where he stood before the LORD:28And he looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and beheld, and, lo, the smoke of the country went up as the smoke of a furnace.29And it came to pass, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in the which Lot dwelt.
Matthew
23And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.24And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.25And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.26And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.27But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on trust and faith in the face of adversity. The first reading from Genesis recounts the story of Lot and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Lot, warned by angels of the impending doom, is urged to flee. Despite the angels' guidance, Lot hesitates and requests to go to a nearby city, Zoar, instead of the mountains. His wife, however, looks back, turning her into a pillar of salt—a poignant reminder of the consequences of doubt and hesitation. Abraham, observing the destruction from a distance, is spared, illustrating God's mercy and remembrance.
The Gospel from Matthew presents a different yet complementary scenario. Jesus and his disciples encounter a tempest while on a boat. While Jesus sleeps, the disciples, fearing for their lives, awaken him. Jesus calms the storm, demonstrating his divine authority over nature. This miracle leaves the disciples in awe, pondering the kind of man who can command the winds and seas.
Both readings underscore the importance of trust and faith in times of crisis. In Genesis, Lot's story teaches us about the perils of looking back and the necessity of trusting God's plan. In Matthew, Jesus' calm amidst the storm reminds us of His presence and power in our lives. These narratives encourage us to face life's challenges with unwavering faith, trusting in God's providence and guidance. May we, like the disciples, recognize the divine presence in our midst and find peace in the midst of turmoil.