Daily Readings for July 21, 2015

1ST READING

The sea parted for the Hebrews and then closes in on the Egyptians. God is truly on the side of His people. Their lack of trust in God was shortsighted, given their remarkable deliverance from slavery and from the armies of Egypt. But the people will quickly forget and incur the wrath of God. Let us learn from their mistakes and never fail to place our trust and hope in God’s promises.

Exodus 14:21–15:1

21 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the Lord swept the sea with a strong east wind throughout the night and so turned it into dry land. When the water was thus divided, 22 the children of Israel marched into the midst of the sea on dry land, with the water like a wall to their right and to their left. 23 The Egyptians followed in pursuit; all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and charioteers went after them right into the midst of the sea. 24 In the night watch just before dawn the Lord cast through the column of the fiery cloud upon the Egyptian force a glance that threw it into a panic; 25 and he so clogged their chariot wheels that they could hardly drive. With that the Egyptians sounded the retreat before Israel, because the Lord was fighting for them against the Egyptians. 26 Then the Lord told Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the water may flow back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots and their charioteers.” 27 So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at dawn the sea flowed back to its normal depth. The Egyptians were fleeing head on toward the sea, when the Lord hurled them into its midst. 28 As the water flowed back, it covered the chariots and the charioteers of Pharaoh’s whole army that had followed the children of Israel into the sea. Not a single one of them escaped. 29 But the children of Israel had marched on dry land through the midst of the sea, with the water like a wall to their right and to their left. 30 Thus the Lord saved Israel on that day from the power of the Egyptians. When Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the seashore 31 and beheld the great power that the Lord had shown against the Egyptians, they feared the Lord and believed in him and in his servant Moses. 15:1 Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord: I will sing to the Lord, for he is gloriously triumphant; horse and chariot he has cast into the sea.

P S A L M 

Exodus 15:8-9, 10, 12, 17

R: Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.

8 At a breath of your anger the waters piled up, the flowing waters stood like a mound, the floodwaters congealed in the midst of the sea. 9 The enemy boasted, “I will pursue and overtake them; I will divide the spoils and have my fill of them; I will draw my sword; my hand shall despoil them!” (R) 10 When your wind blew, the sea covered them; like lead they sank in the mighty waters. 12 When you stretched out your right hand, the earth swallowed them! (R) 17 And you brought them in and planted them on the mountain of your inheritance — the place where you made your seat, O Lord, the sanctuary, O Lord, which your hands established. (R)

  

GOSPEL 

Jesus teaches that there are no “free rides” to heaven. Each of us will be judged on the merit of our lives, and not on our ancestry or what others may have done for us. Those who hear the Word of God and follow it will inherit eternal life. We have to do whatever we can to discover God’s will, and then be faithful in implementing it.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him and we will come to him.

Matthew 12:46-50

46 While Jesus was still speaking to the crowds, his mother and his brothers appeared outside, wishing to speak with him. 47 Someone told him, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, asking to speak with you.” 48 But he said in reply to the one who told him, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” 49 And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. 50 For whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister, and mother.”

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