Daily Catholic Mass Readings for August 1, 2019
First Reading: Exodus 40.16-21, 34-38
16Moses did everything just as the LORD commanded him.17So the tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month in the second year.18When Moses set up the tabernacle, he put the bases in place, erected the frames, inserted the crossbars and set up the posts.19Then he spread the tent over the tabernacle and put the covering over the tent, as the LORD commanded him.20He took the Testimony and placed it in the ark, attached the poles to the ark and put the atonement cover over it.21Then he brought the ark into the tabernacle and hung the shielding curtain and shielded the ark of the Testimony, as the LORD commanded him.34Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.35Moses could not enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud had settled upon it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.36In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out;37but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out-until the day it lifted.38So the cloud of the LORD was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel during all their travels.
Psalm 84
1How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty!2My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.3Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young- a place near your altar, O LORD Almighty, my King and my God.4Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you. Selah5Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage.6As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools.7They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.8Hear my prayer, O LORD God Almighty; listen to me, O God of Jacob. Selah9Look upon our shield, O God; look with favor on your anointed one.10Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.11For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.12O LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you.
Gospel: Matthew 13.47-52
47"Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish.48When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away.49This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous50and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.51"Have you understood all these things?" Jesus asked. "Yes," they replied.52He said to them, "Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the presence of God and the ultimate judgment that awaits us. In the first reading from Exodus, we see Moses meticulously fulfilling God’s instructions to erect the tabernacle, a sacred space where God’s glory would dwell among the Israelites. The cloud and fire that cover the tabernacle symbolize God’s active and abiding presence, guiding His people through their journey. This passage reminds us that God desires to dwell among us, but it requires our fidelity to His will and our willingness to create space for Him in our lives.
In the Gospel, Jesus uses the parable of the net to describe the kingdom of heaven. The net gathers all kinds of fish, but when it is full, the good are separated from the bad. This parable is a sobering reminder that our lives will be judged, and our choices will have eternal consequences. Jesus emphasizes that the kingdom of heaven is not just about inclusion but also about purification. The scribe who brings out both the old and the new from his storehouse represents the disciple who has deeply understood the teachings of the kingdom and lives them with integrity.
These readings call us to examine our relationship with God and our commitment to living according to His will. Like the Israelites, we are called to create space for God’s presence in our lives, whether through prayer, service, or acts of love. At the same time, the parable of the net challenges us to reflect on the state of our hearts and lives. Are we living in such a way that we are prepared for the day when we will stand before God? Let us strive to be like the scribe who treasures both the old and the new, rooted in tradition yet open to the fresh movements of the Spirit. May we seek to live with integrity, knowing that our ultimate fulfillment lies in union with God.