Daily Readings for August 3, 2017

1ST READING

Moses spends some time and effort in making sure that the Ark of the Covenant has a place of honor within the camp of the Israelites — after all, it symbolizes the presence of the Lord in their midst. It is always important to honor the presence of God.

Exodus 40:16-21, 34-38

16 Moses did exactly as the Lord had commanded him. 17 On the first day of the first month of the second year the Dwelling was erected. 18 It was Moses who erected the Dwelling. He placed its pedestals, set up its boards, put in its bars, and set up its columns. 19 He spread the tent over the Dwelling and put the covering on top of the tent, as the Lord had commanded him. 20 He took the commandments and put them in the ark; he placed poles alongside the ark and set the propitiatory upon it. 21 He brought the ark into the Dwelling and hung the curtain veil, thus screening off the ark of the commandments, as the Lord had commanded him. 34 Then the cloud covered the meeting tent, and the glory of the Lord filled the Dwelling. 35 Moses could not enter the meeting tent, because the cloud settled down upon it and the glory of the Lord filled the Dwelling. 36 Whenever the cloud rose from the Dwelling, the children of Israel would set out on their journey. 37 But if the cloud did not lift, they would not go forward; only when it lifted did they go forward. 38 In the daytime the cloud of the Lord was seen over the Dwelling; whereas at night, fire was seen in the cloud by the whole house of Israel in all the stages of their journey.

P S A L M

Psalm 84:3, 4, 5-6, 8, 11

R: How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord, mighty God!

2 [3] My soul yearns and pines for the courts of the Lord. My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. (R) 3 [4] Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest in which she puts her young — Your altars, O Lord of hosts, my king and my God! (R) 4 [5] Blessed they who dwell in your house; continually they praise you. 5 [6] Blessed the men whose strength you are! 7 [8] They go from strength to strength. (R) 10 [11] I had rather one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I had rather lie at the threshold of the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. (R)

GOSPEL

Judgment Day is real. We all need to be aware that we have to give an account of our lives when we die. It is important to prepare ourselves for this day, as we do not know when it will come. None of us knows the number of days we will live. So the safe way to approach life is to ensure that we grab the opportunities to do good works so that we need not worry about the time the Lord will call us to Himself. Let us be prepared for that day.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Open our hearts, O Lord, to listen to the words of your Son.

Matthew 13:47-53

47 Jesus said to the disciples: “The Kingdom of heaven is like a net thrown into the sea, which collects fish of every kind. 48 When it is full they haul it ashore and sit down to put what is good into buckets. What is bad they throw away. 49 Thus it will be at the end of the age. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from the righteous 50 and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth. 51 “Do you understand all these things?” They answered, “Yes.” 52 And he replied, “Then every scribe who has been instructed in the Kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.” 53 When Jesus finished these parables, he went away from there.