Daily Readings - Mon Jul 28 2025
Exodus
15And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.16And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.17And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp.18And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear.19And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.20And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.21And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?22And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief.23For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.24And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf.30And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the LORD; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin.31And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.32Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.33And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.34Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them.
Matthew
31Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:32Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.33Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.34All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:35That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on faith, patience, and the transformative power of God's grace. The first reading from Exodus recounts the story of the golden calf, a moment of profound infidelity by the Israelites. While Moses is on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments, the people grow impatient and, in their fear and doubt, turn to idolatry. Moses, upon descending the mountain, is met with the sight of their sin, and in his anger, he shatters the tablets of the covenant. Yet, in the midst of this brokenness, Moses intercedes for his people, pleading with God to forgive their sin. This passage reminds us of the human tendency to falter and the importance of intercession and mercy.
The Gospel reading from Matthew offers a stark contrast through the parables of the mustard seed and the leaven. Jesus teaches that the kingdom of heaven begins small—like a tiny seed or a pinch of yeast—but it grows to transform the entire world. These parables invite us to trust in the slow, often invisible work of God’s grace in our lives and in the world. Just as the mustard seed becomes a tree that shelters the birds, and the leaven permeates the entire dough, so too can our small acts of faith and love lead to profound change.
Together, these readings challenge us to embrace both the reality of our weaknesses and the hope of transformation. Like the Israelites, we are prone to impatience and doubt, but like Moses, we can turn to God in prayer, seeking forgiveness and guidance. And like the mustard seed and the leaven, our faith, though it may seem small, has the power to grow and transform us. Let us cultivate patience and trust in God’s plan, knowing that even in our brokenness, God’s mercy and grace can bring new life.