Daily Readings - Tue Jul 13 2021
Exodus
1Now a man of the house of Levi married a Levite woman,2and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months.3But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile.4His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.5Then Pharaoh's daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the river bank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her slave girl to get it.6She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. "This is one of the Hebrew babies," she said.7Then his sister asked Pharaoh's daughter, "Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?"8"Yes, go," she answered. And the girl went and got the baby's mother.9Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you." So the woman took the baby and nursed him.10When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh's daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, "I drew him out of the water."11One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people.12Glancing this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.13The next day he went out and saw two Hebrews fighting. He asked the one in the wrong, "Why are you hitting your fellow Hebrew?"14The man said, "Who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you thinking of killing me as you killed the Egyptian?" Then Moses was afraid and thought, "What I did must have become known."15When Pharaoh heard of this, he tried to kill Moses, but Moses fled from Pharaoh and went to live in Midian, where he sat down by a well.
Matthew
20Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent.21"Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.22But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.23And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.24But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you."
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful stories that invite us to reflect on faith, trust, and the human response to God’s presence in our lives. The first reading from Exodus tells the story of Moses’ early life, highlighting the courage and ingenuity of his mother, who trusted God’s plan by placing her infant son in a basket and setting him afloat on the Nile. This act of faith not only saved Moses’ life but also set the stage for his eventual role as a leader of God’s people. Later, as Moses grew older, we see his impulsive attempt to intervene in the injustices he witnessed, which led to his flight to Midian. This narrative reminds us that even the greatest leaders have moments of weakness and that growth often comes through humility and patience.
The Gospel reading from Matthew shifts our focus to Jesus’ rebuke of the cities where He performed many miracles but saw little repentance. He laments that even Sodom and other notoriously sinful cities would have responded more readily to the same signs. This passage challenges us to consider how we respond to God’s grace and mercy in our own lives. Do we take His blessings for granted, or do we allow them to transform us? Jesus’ words remind us that spiritual complacency is a dangerous trap and that true faith must lead to conversion and a change of heart.
Both readings invite us to examine our relationship with God. Moses’ story teaches us about the importance of trust and surrender, even in uncertain circumstances. Jesus’ words, on the other hand, call us to humility and repentance, urging us not to ignore the signs of God’s presence in our lives. As we go about our daily lives, let us ask ourselves: Are we open to God’s plan, even when it feels unpredictable? Do we allow His grace to transform us, or do we remain indifferent? May we learn to trust in His providence and respond with hearts that are humble, repentant, and open to His will.