Daily Readings - Mon Jul 31 2017
Exodus
15Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands. They were inscribed on both sides, front and back.16The tablets were the work of God; the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.17When Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting, he said to Moses, "There is the sound of war in the camp."18Moses replied: "It is not the sound of victory, it is not the sound of defeat; it is the sound of singing that I hear."19When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain.20And he took the calf they had made and burned it in the fire; then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water and made the Israelites drink it.21He said to Aaron, "What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?"22"Do not be angry, my lord," Aaron answered. "You know how prone these people are to evil.23They said to me, 'Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don't know what has happened to him.'24So I told them, 'Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.' Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!"30The next day Moses said to the people, "You have committed a great sin. But now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin."31So Moses went back to the LORD and said, "Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold.32But now, please forgive their sin-but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written."33The LORD replied to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book.34Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin."
Matthew
31He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field.32Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches."33He told them still another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough."34Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable.35So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world."
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on faith, growth, and redemption. From Exodus, we witness the Israelites' impatience and lack of faith as they turn to a golden calf while Moses is on Mount Sinai. Moses, bearing the Ten Commandments, is met with their idolatry, leading to his anger and the breaking of the tablets. Yet, Moses' subsequent intercession for his people highlights God's mercy and the possibility of redemption despite their sin.
In the Gospel, Jesus shares parables of the mustard seed and leaven, illustrating the kingdom of heaven's transformative power. A small mustard seed grows into a tree, and a little leaven ferments an entire batch of dough. These parables remind us that even the smallest acts of faith can lead to significant spiritual growth and impact.
Connecting these readings, we see that just as the kingdom begins small and flourishes, our faith, though it may start modestly, can grow and overcome even our greatest sins. The Exodus story teaches us that sin does not define us, for through repentance and intercession, we find mercy. The Gospel encourages us to nurture our faith, trusting in its potential to transform our lives and the world. Let us embrace the small beginnings of our faith, allowing it to grow and lead us toward redemption and a deeper connection with God.