God Does the Work
Jul 20: Thursday of the Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time
I don’t know about you, but it’s really hot where I am, writing this.
Sometimes it’s best to keep things simple.
Reading 1
Ex 3:13-20
Moses, hearing the voice of the LORD from the burning bush, said to him, "When I go to the children of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' if they ask me, 'What is his name?' what am I to tell them?"
God replied, "I am who am." Then he added, "This is what you shall tell the children of Israel: I AM sent me to you."
God spoke further to Moses, "Thus shall you say to the children of Israel: The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.
"This is my name forever; this my title for all generations.
"Go and assemble the elders of Israel, and tell them: The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, has appeared to me and said: I am concerned about you and about the way you are being treated in Egypt; so I have decided to lead you up out of the misery of Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey.
"Thus they will heed your message. Then you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him: "The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has sent us word. Permit us, then, to go a three-days' journey in the desert, that we may offer sacrifice to the LORD, our God.
"Yet I know that the king of Egypt will not allow you to go unless he is forced. I will stretch out my hand, therefore, and smite Egypt by doing all kinds of wondrous deeds there. After that he will send you away."
Looking for God in the world is like looking for an author in their book.1 When God says “I AM,” it means exactly that—God is existence itself. He holds all of us in His mind; or probably more accurately, His heart.
We exist because He wants us, He loves us.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 105:1 and 5, 8-9, 24-25, 26-27
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name;
make known among the nations his deeds.
Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought,
his portents, and the judgments he has uttered.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
He remembers forever his covenant
which he made binding for a thousand generations--
Which he entered into with Abraham
and by his oath to Isaac.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
He greatly increased his people
and made them stronger than their foes,
Whose hearts he changed, so that they hated his people,
and dealt deceitfully with his servants.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
He sent Moses his servant;
Aaron, whom he had chosen.
They wrought his signs among them,
and wonders in the land of Ham.
R. The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.
God made covenants and oaths with Abraham, Isaac, Moses, and more. And in the histories of Israel, we know He fulfilled them. He ultimately fulfilled the whole law in Jesus Christ.
So when Jesus makes a promise, like His yoke is easy and burden light, you know you can believe Him.
Alleluia
Mt 11:28
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Jesus won’t add any burdens to your soul that you’re not already carrying, and He’ll help you left those.
Gospel
Mt 11:28-30
Jesus said: "Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."
As discussed “yesterday,”2 we rely on God for everything. Yoking ourselves to Christ doesn’t mean lifting His burden; it means He’s taking on ours. That’s why it feels so light.
As C.S. Lewis says in Mere Christianity,3 it’s impossible to know from the outside just how much someone is hitching their yoke to Jesus. You might know a really awful Christian, but it’s impossible to know how much worse they’d be without him. Or how much better a good person could be with Him.
We shouldn’t take that chance. Let’s take up Jesus’ yoke.
I can’t remember where I heard this from. Maybe Bishop Barron? It’s usually Bishop Barron.
Sorry my post was late!"
Much better than I summarize here. Seriously, you should watch the video or read the whole book.