Ex 3:13-20

Mt 11:28-30

July 16
Thursday

15th Week in Ordinary Time
Our Lady of Mount Carmel

1st Reading: Ex 3:13-20
    Moses answered God, "If I go to the Israelites and say to them: `The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' they will ask me: `What is his name?' What shall I answer them?"
    God said to Moses, "I AM WHO AM. This is what you will say to the sons of Israel: `I AM sent me to you." God then said to Moses, "You will say to the Israelites: `YAHWEH, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob, has sent me.' That will be my name forever, and by this name they shall call upon me for all generations to come.
    Go! Call together the elders of Israel and say to them, `Yahweh, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob appeared to me and said: I have seen and taken account of how the Egyptians have treated you,  and I mean to bring you out of all this oppression in Egypt and take you to the land of the Canaanites, a land flowing with milk and honey.'
    The elders of Israel will listen to you and, with them, you shall go to the palace of the king of Egypt and say to him: `The God of the Hebrews, Yahweh, has met with us. Now let us go a three days' journey into the wilderness to sacrifice to Yahweh our God.'
    I well know that the king of the Egyptians will not allow you to go unless he is forced to do so. I will therefore stretch out my hand and strike Egypt in extraordinary ways, after which he will let you go.

Gospel: Mt 11:28-30
    Jesus said, "Come to me, all you who work hard and who carry heavy burdens and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble of heart; and you will find rest. For my yoke is good and my burden is light."

REFLECTION
    Moses, thinking himself able to deliver Israel out of bondage, set himself to the work too hastily. His self-confidence was mingled with great zeal, before he came to his senses. All of his objections were answered by God, who promised to be with him at all times. After Moses, God would be known by the name: I AM WHO AM. This name still signifies that God is self-existent. He is eternal and unchangeable, always the same, yesterday, to-day and forever.
    Here was a name that denoted what God meant to his people. It was up to Moses to revive among them their faith in God, which had almost been lost by them. But, Moses was in a classic good news/bad news situation: the good news was that God was going to do something about the Israelites; the bad news was that God wanted Moses to take charge. That's how God is: when He confronts us, God isn't going to bring up a lot of things that we've never thought about. We know what the subject is going to be: it will be a matter of just how well we have lived as Christians, hating the sin, but loving the sinner!
 
 

PRAYER

 "Lord Jesus, give me the child-like simplicity and purity of faith to gaze upon your face with joy and confidence in your all-merciful love. Remove every doubt, fear, and proud thought which would hinder me from receiving your word with trust and humble submission."

Psalm 94:5-10,14-15

5 They crush thy people, O LORD, and afflict thy heritage.
6 They slay the widow and the sojourner, and murder the fatherless;
7 and they say, "The LORD does not see; the God of Jacob does not perceive."
8 Understand, O dullest of the people! Fools, when will you be wise?
9 He who planted the ear, does he not hear? He who formed the eye, does he not see?
10 He who chastens the nations, does he not chastise? He who teaches men knowledge,
14 For the LORD will not forsake his people; he will not abandon his heritage;
15 for justice will return to the righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow it.

Sources:

http://www.bible.claret.org

http://www.rc.net/wcc/readings/

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Daily WORD via Text*

Thu 16 Jul 09

DAILY WORD

Ex 3:13-20

Mt 11:28-30

Come to me, all you who work hard & carry heavy burdens, & I will refresh you

source: http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/Dailywordviatext/

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Additional Meditation Links

RCNet http://www.rc.net/wcc/readings/jul16.htm

The Word Among Us http://www.wau.org/meditations/current/

Fullness of Life http://www.junmanacsa.blogspot.com/

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