Daily Readings - Thu Jul 20 2023
Exodus
13And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?14And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.15And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.16Go, and gather the elders of Israel together, and say unto them, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, appeared unto me, saying, I have surely visited you, and seen that which is done to you in Egypt:17And I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt unto the land of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, unto a land flowing with milk and honey.18And they shall hearken to thy voice: and thou shalt come, thou and the elders of Israel, unto the king of Egypt, and ye shall say unto him, The LORD God of the Hebrews hath met with us: and now let us go, we beseech thee, three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.19And I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go, no, not by a mighty hand.20And I will stretch out my hand, and smite Egypt with all my wonders which I will do in the midst thereof: and after that he will let you go.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two profound moments of divine revelation and invitation. In the first reading from Exodus, Moses stands before the burning bush, and God reveals His name as “I AM WHO AM,” a declaration of His eternal and unchanging nature. This revelation is not just a philosophical statement but a promise of God’s presence and action in the lives of His people. God commissions Moses to lead the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt, promising to guide and empower him for the task. The reading reminds us that God’s identity is deeply tied to His relationship with us, and His name becomes our hope and strength in times of uncertainty.
In the Gospel, Jesus extends an invitation to all who are weary and burdened: “Come to me, and I will refresh you.” These words, spoken in the midst of His ministry, reveal the heart of Jesus as one who desires to lift our burdens and give us rest. Jesus does not promise an easy life, but He offers us a different way of carrying our burdens—one that is shaped by His meekness and humility. His yoke is “sweet” and His burden “light” because He walks with us, sharing the weight of our struggles and teaching us to trust in His providence.
Both readings invite us to reflect on the nature of trust and surrender. Moses had to trust in God’s promise, even when the task seemed impossible. Jesus invites us to trust in His love, even when the road ahead seems heavy. In our daily lives, we are often tempted to rely on our own strength or to carry our burdens alone. But the readings remind us that true freedom and peace come from surrendering to God’s will and trusting in His presence. Like Moses, we are called to step out in faith, knowing that God goes before us. Like the weary disciples, we are invited to find rest in Christ, who bears our burdens with us. Let us learn to embrace the humility and trust that these readings inspire, and may we find the strength to follow God’s path, no matter where it leads.