Daily Readings - Mon Jul 24 2023
Exodus
5And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?6And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him:7And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them.8And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand.9But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baalzephon.10And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD.11And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?12Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.13And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.14The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.15And the LORD said unto Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me? speak unto the children of Israel, that they go forward:16But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.17And I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall follow them: and I will get me honour upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.18And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his horsemen.
Matthew
38Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.39But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:40For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.41The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.42The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.
Sermon
In today's readings, we are reminded of the power of faith and trust in God's providence. The first reading from Exodus recounts the dramatic escape of the Israelites from the pursuing Egyptian army. Cornered by the Red Sea, the Israelites, filled with fear, cry out to Moses. Yet Moses, trusting in God, calms their fears and instructs them to move forward. With outstretched staff, the sea parts, allowing the Israelites to cross safely, while the Egyptians are engulfed by the returning waters. This passage underscores the importance of trusting in God even in the face of overwhelming odds.
In the Gospel, Jesus addresses the skepticism of the scribes and Pharisees who demand a sign from him. He responds by comparing himself to Jonah, whose three days in the belly of the whale prefigure Jesus' own resurrection. Jesus emphasizes that the generation to whom he speaks is evil and adulterous because it seeks signs rather than trusting in God's word. He points to the people of Nineveh, who repented at Jonah's preaching, and the Queen of the South, who came to hear Solomon's wisdom, as examples of those who responded to God's truth without requiring signs. Jesus makes it clear that faith is not about seeking proofs but about trusting in God's presence and action in our lives.
These readings invite us to reflect on our own faith. Like the Israelites, we often face challenges that seem insurmountable, and like the Pharisees, we may doubt God's presence or demand signs to strengthen our belief. Yet, the readings remind us that true faith is about trusting in God's providence, even when the path ahead is unclear. As Moses told the Israelites, "Do not be afraid. Stand firm and see the great wonders of the Lord." Let us strive to live with this kind of faith, trusting that God will guide us through life's trials and lead us to safety.