Daily Catholic Mass Readings for July 17, 2019
First Reading: Exodus 3.1-6, 9-12
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."
Psalm 103
1Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.2Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-3who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,4who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,5who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.6The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.7He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel:8The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.9He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever;10he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.11For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;12as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.13As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;14for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.15As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field;16the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.17But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children-18with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.19The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.20Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.21Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will.22Praise the LORD, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the LORD, O my soul.
Gospel: Matthew 11.25-27
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.