Daily Readings - Mon Aug 12 2024

²In the fifth day of the month, which was the fifth year of king Jehoiachin's captivity,³The word of the LORD came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was there upon him.⁴And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber, out of the midst of the fire.⁵Also out of the midst thereof came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance; they had the likeness of a man.²⁴And when they went, I heard the noise of their wings, like the noise of great waters, as the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech, as the noise of an host: when they stood, they let down their wings.²⁵And there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads, when they stood, and had let down their wings.²⁶And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it.²⁷And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about.²⁸As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.

Matthew

Chapter 17

²²And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men:²³And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.²⁴And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?²⁵He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?²⁶Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.²⁷Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the presence of God in our lives, even in the midst of uncertainty and challenge. In the first reading from Ezekiel, we encounter a dramatic vision of God’s glory—a whirlwind, a great cloud, and four living creatures. Ezekiel, a priest in exile, is called by God to speak to His people in a time of great turmoil. The vision is a reminder of God’s transcendence and His ability to reveal Himself in ways that surpass human understanding. Ezekiel’s experience is not just a call to prophecy but also a call to trust in God’s plan, even when the future seems unclear. In the Gospel, Jesus speaks to His disciples about His impending suffering and death, and then He demonstrates His divine authority in a humble and unexpected way. When asked about paying the temple tax, Jesus provides the money miraculously through a fish. This story teaches us about trust in God’s providence and the importance of humility. Jesus, though divine, submits to human obligations to avoid giving offense, showing us how to live in harmony with others while remaining faithful to God’s will. These readings remind us that God is always present, even in difficult times. Ezekiel’s vision assures us of God’s glory and power, while the Gospel calls us to trust in God’s providence and to live with humility. In our daily lives, we are invited to embrace faith in the face of uncertainty and to serve others with generosity and kindness. May we, like Ezekiel and the disciples, trust in God’s plan and live with the humility and courage that faith requires.