Daily Readings - Thu Jul 27 2017

First Reading - Exodus 19.1-2, 9-11, 16-20b

¹In the third month of the departure of Israel from the land of Egypt, in that day, they arrived in the wilderness of Sinai²Thus, setting out from Raphidim, and going directly to the desert of Sinai, they encamped in the same place, and there Israel pitched their tents away from the region of the mountain⁹the Lord said to him: "Soon now, I will come to you in the mist of a cloud, so that the people may hear me speaking to you, and so that they may believe you continuously." Therefore, Moses reported the words of the people to the Lord¹⁰who said to him: "Go to the people, and sanctify them today, and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments¹¹And let them be prepared on the third day. For on the third day, the Lord will descend, in the sight of all the people, over Mount Sinai¹⁶And now, the third day arrived and the morning dawned. And behold, thunders began to be heard, and also lightning flashed, and a very dense cloud covered the mountain, and the noise of the trumpet resounded vehemently. And the people who were in the camp were fearful¹⁷And when Moses had led them out to meet God, from the place of the camp, they stood at the base of the mountain¹⁸Then all of Mount Sinai was smoking. For the Lord had descended over it with fire, and smoke ascended from it, as from a furnace. And the entire mountain was terrible¹⁹And the sound of the trumpet gradually increased to be louder, and extended to be longer. Moses was speaking, and God was answering him²⁰And the Lord descended over Mount Sinai, to the very top of the mountain, and he called Moses to its summit. And when he had ascended there

Gospel - Matthew 13.10-17

Matthew

Chapter 13

¹⁰And his disciples drew near to him and said, "Why do you speak to them in parables?¹¹Responding, he said to them: "Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but it has not been given to them¹²For whoever has, it shall be given to him, and he shall have in abundance. But whoever has not, even what he has shall be taken away from him¹³For this reason, I speak to them in parables: because seeing, they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand¹⁴And so, in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, who said, ‘Hearing, you shall hear, but not understand; and seeing, you shall see, but not perceive¹⁵For the heart of this people has grown fat, and with their ears they hear heavily, and they have closed their eyes, lest at any time they might see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and then I would heal them.¹⁶But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear¹⁷Amen I say to you, certainly, that many of the prophets and the just desired to see what you see, and yet they did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and yet they did not hear it

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter two profound moments of divine revelation, each highlighting the importance of openness and preparedness to receive God's message. The first reading from Exodus recounts the Israelites' arrival at Mount Sinai, where God is about to establish His covenant with them. The dramatic display of thunders, lightning, and smoke signifies the awe-inspiring presence of God. The people are instructed to prepare themselves through purification, symbolizing the need for spiritual readiness to receive divine law. This event marks the giving of the Ten Commandments, a foundational moment in their covenant with God. In the Gospel, Jesus explains to His disciples why He uses parables. He indicates that while some are granted understanding of the kingdom's mysteries, others are not. This reflects the idea that spiritual truths are not universally received; they require a receptive heart. Jesus references Isaiah, emphasizing that some hearts have grown dull, unable to see or hear. However, the disciples are blessed with the ability to perceive, underscoring their privileged position and responsibility. These readings connect through the theme of revelation and response. Both moments involve a select group prepared to understand and receive God's message. The Israelites at Sinai and the disciples of Jesus are called to a deeper understanding, illustrating that divine truths are not passively received but require active engagement and openness. In our daily lives, this calls us to cultivate a receptive heart, attentive to God's voice. Just as the Israelites prepared to meet God, we must prepare ourselves through prayer and reflection. The responsibility that comes with understanding is to live according to God's will, using our insights to guide our actions and decisions. Let us embrace this call to spiritual readiness, ensuring our hearts remain open to the divine revelations in our lives.