Daily Readings - Thu Aug 03 2017

First Reading - Exodus 40.16-21, 34-38

¹⁶And Moses did all that the Lord had instructed¹⁷Therefore, in the first month of the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was put in place¹⁸And Moses raised it up, and he positioned the panels as well as the bases and the bars, and he set up the columns¹⁹and he stretched out the roof over the tabernacle, imposing a cover above it, just as the Lord had decreed²⁰And he placed the testimony in the ark, applying the bars beneath, and the oracle above²¹And when he had brought the ark into the tabernacle, he drew the veil before it, in order to fulfill the commandment of the Lord³⁴the cloud covered the tabernacle of the testimony, and the glory of the Lord filled it³⁵Neither could Moses enter the covering of the covenant: the cloud was covering all things, and the majesty of the Lord was flashing. For the cloud had covered everything³⁶Whenever the cloud departed from the tabernacle, the sons of Israel set out by their companies³⁷But if it remained hanging over it, they remained in the same place³⁸Certainly, the cloud of the Lord lay over the tabernacle by day, and the fire by night, being seen by all the people of Israel throughout all their resting places

Gospel - Matthew 13.47-52

Matthew

Chapter 13

⁴⁷Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net cast into the sea, which gathers together all kinds of fish⁴⁸When it has been filled, drawing it out and sitting beside the shore, they selected the good into vessels, but the bad they threw away⁴⁹So shall it be at the consummation of the age. The Angels shall go forth and separate the bad from the midst of the just⁵⁰And they shall cast them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth⁵¹Have you understood all these things?" They say to him, "Yes.⁵²He said to them, "Therefore, every scribe well-taught about the kingdom of heaven, is like a man, the father of a family, who offers from his storehouse both the new and the old.

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter powerful images of God’s presence and the ultimate fulfillment of His plan. The first reading from Exodus describes the completion of the tabernacle, a sacred space where God dwells among His people. Moses carefully follows God’s instructions, and the tabernacle is filled with the glory of the Lord, symbolized by the cloud. This cloud not only signifies God’s presence but also guides the Israelites on their journey, reminding us that God is both with us and leading us. The tabernacle becomes a place of encounter, where the divine and human meet. In the Gospel, Jesus uses the parable of the net to describe the kingdom of heaven. The net gathers all kinds of fish, good and bad, but at the end of the age, they are separated. This parable reminds us that our lives are not without consequence. The choices we make, the way we live, and the love we share will ultimately be revealed. Jesus emphasizes that the kingdom of heaven is not just a future reality but also a present call to live in a way that reflects God’s justice and mercy. The parable also highlights the role of the scribe, who draws from the treasure of God’s wisdom, both old and new, to guide others in understanding the kingdom. These readings invite us to reflect on how we live in the presence of God and how we prepare for the ultimate encounter with Him. Like the tabernacle, our lives should be a place where God’s glory dwells, and like the scribe, we should share the richness of God’s wisdom with others. Let us ask ourselves: Are we living in a way that reflects God’s presence? Are we using the gifts and talents He has given us to build up the kingdom? May we strive to be good fish in the net, living with purpose and integrity, so that when the time of separation comes, we may be found worthy to dwell in God’s eternal presence.