Daily Readings - Wed Jul 17 2019
Exodus
1Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.2There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up.3So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight-why the bush does not burn up."4When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!" And Moses said, "Here I am."5"Do not come any closer," God said. "Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground."6Then he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob." At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.9And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them.10So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt."11But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"12And God said, "I will be with you. And this will be the sign to you that it is I who have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you will worship God on this mountain."
Matthew
25At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.26Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.27"All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two profound moments of divine revelation and human response. In the first reading from Exodus, Moses is tending his father-in-law’s sheep when he comes upon a burning bush that is not consumed by fire. This miraculous sight captures his attention, and from the bush, God speaks to him, identifying Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God then commissions Moses to lead the Israelites out of their oppression in Egypt. Moses, feeling inadequate, asks, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?” But God assures him, “I will be with you.” This exchange highlights both the awe-inspiring nature of God’s presence and the human tendency to question our own abilities when called to great tasks.
In the Gospel, Jesus offers a prayer of thanksgiving to the Father, praising Him for revealing divine truths not to the wise and powerful but to the humble and simple-hearted. He emphasizes the intimate relationship between the Father and the Son, stating that no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him. This passage underscores the importance of humility and trust in coming to know God. Just as Moses had to trust in God’s promise to be with him, we too must approach God with a willingness to listen and surrender to His will.
These readings remind us that God often reveals Himself in unexpected ways and calls us to tasks that may seem beyond our capabilities. Like Moses, we may feel unworthy or unprepared, but God’s assurance is clear: He will be with us. Like the “little ones” Jesus speaks of, we are called to approach God with humility and openness, trusting that He will reveal Himself to us. In our daily lives, this means embracing our missions, whether great or small, with faith and courage, knowing that God’s grace is sufficient for us. Let us, therefore, surrender our fears and doubts to Him, and allow Him to work through us as He worked through Moses.