Daily Readings - Tue Jul 30 2019
Exodus
7Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the "tent of meeting." Anyone inquiring of the LORD would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp.8And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent.9As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the LORD spoke with Moses.10Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to his tent.11The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.
4So Moses chiseled out two stone tablets like the first ones and went up Mount Sinai early in the morning, as the LORD had commanded him; and he carried the two stone tablets in his hands.5Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD.6And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,7maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation."8Moses bowed to the ground at once and worshiped.9"O Lord, if I have found favor in your eyes," he said, "then let the Lord go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, forgive our wickedness and our sin, and take us as your inheritance."28Moses was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant-the Ten Commandments.
Matthew
36Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field."37He answered, "The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man.38The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one,39and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.40"As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.41The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil.42They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.43Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
Sermon
In today's readings, we journey through two profound narratives that illuminate the nature of God's presence and judgment. The first reading from Exodus depicts Moses as a mediator between God and the Israelites, emphasizing God's mercy and the sacred covenant. Moses receives the Ten Commandments, symbolizing God's desire for a relationship with His people. The Tabernacle serves as a tangible symbol of God's presence among them, highlighting His patience and compassion.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus explains the parable of the weeds, illustrating the coexistence of good and evil in the world until the final harvest. This parable underscores the inevitability of judgment, where the wicked will be separated from the righteous. The connection between the two readings lies in their exploration of God's presence and the ultimate reckoning, reminding us of His mercy and justice.
As we reflect on these readings, we are called to discern good from evil in our lives and to strive for virtue. Let us embrace God's mercy, seeking to live in accordance with His will. The moral lesson here is one of trust and mindfulness—trusting in God's mercy while being vigilant in our pursuit of righteousness. May we, like Moses, seek a deeper relationship with God and, like the disciples, remain vigilant for the harvest, striving to be among the just who shine in the kingdom of the Father.