Daily Readings - Mon Jul 31 2017

First Reading - Exodus 32.15-24, 30-34

¹⁵And Moses returned from the mountain, carrying the two tablets of the testimony in his hand, written on both sides¹⁶and accomplished by the work of God. Also, the writing of God was engraved on the tablets¹⁷Then Joshua, hearing the tumult of the people shouting, said to Moses: "The outcry of battle is heard in the camp.¹⁸But he responded: "It is not the clamor of men being exhorted to battle, nor the shout of men being compelled to flee. But I hear the voice of singing.¹⁹And when he had approached to the camp, he saw the calf and the dances. And being very angry, he threw down the tablets from his hand, and he broke them at the base of the mountain²⁰And seizing the calf, which they had made, he burnt it and crushed it, even to dust, which he scattered into water. And he gave from it to the sons of Israel to drink²¹And he said to Aaron, "What has this people done to you, so that you would bring upon them the greatest sin?²²And he answered him: "Let not my lord be indignant. For you know this people, that they are prone to evil²³They said to me: ‘Make gods for us, who may go before us. For this Moses, who led us away from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has befallen him.²⁴And I said to them, ‘Which of you has gold?’ And they took it and gave it to me. And I threw it into the fire, and this calf came out.³⁰Then, when the next day arrived, Moses spoke to the people: "You have sinned the greatest sin. I will ascend to the Lord. Perhaps, in some way, I might be able to entreat him for your wickedness.³¹And returning to the Lord, he said: "I beg you, this people has sinned the greatest sin, and they have made for themselves gods of gold. Either release them from this offense³²or, if you do not, then delete me from the book that you have written.³³And the Lord answered him: "Whoever has sinned against me, him I will delete from my book³⁴But as for you, go and lead this people where I have told you. My angel will go before you. Then, on the day of retribution, I will also visit this sin of theirs.

Gospel - Matthew 13.31-35

Matthew

Chapter 13

³¹He proposed another parable to them, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field³²It is, indeed, the least of all seeds, but when it has grown, it is greater than all the plants, and it becomes a tree, so much so that the birds of the air come and dwell in its branches.³³He spoke another parable to them: "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of fine wheat flour, until it was entirely leavened.³⁴All these things Jesus spoke in parables to the crowds. And he did not speak to them apart from parables³⁵in order to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet, saying: "I will open my mouth in parables. I will proclaim what has been hidden since the foundation of the world.

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on faith, growth, and redemption. From Exodus, we witness the Israelites' impatience and lack of faith as they turn to a golden calf while Moses is on Mount Sinai. Moses, bearing the Ten Commandments, is met with their idolatry, leading to his anger and the breaking of the tablets. Yet, Moses' subsequent intercession for his people highlights God's mercy and the possibility of redemption despite their sin. In the Gospel, Jesus shares parables of the mustard seed and leaven, illustrating the kingdom of heaven's transformative power. A small mustard seed grows into a tree, and a little leaven ferments an entire batch of dough. These parables remind us that even the smallest acts of faith can lead to significant spiritual growth and impact. Connecting these readings, we see that just as the kingdom begins small and flourishes, our faith, though it may start modestly, can grow and overcome even our greatest sins. The Exodus story teaches us that sin does not define us, for through repentance and intercession, we find mercy. The Gospel encourages us to nurture our faith, trusting in its potential to transform our lives and the world. Let us embrace the small beginnings of our faith, allowing it to grow and lead us toward redemption and a deeper connection with God.