17 July 2025 (Thursday)
Thursday of week 15 in Ordinary Time.
Ordinary Weekday.
Readings from the Bible of the Roman Catholic Church:
First Reading : Exodus 3:13‐20
Moses, hearing the voice of God coming from the middle of the bush, said to him, ‘I am to go, then, to the sons of Israel and say to them, “The God of your fathers has sent me to you.” But if they ask me what his name is, what am I to tell them?’ And God said to Moses, ‘I Am who I Am. This,’ he added, ‘is what you must say to the sons of Israel: “I Am has sent me to you.”’ And God also said to Moses, ‘You are to say to the sons of Israel: “The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.” This is my name for all time; by this name I shall be invoked for all generations to come. ‘Go and gather the elders of Israel together and tell them, “The Lord, the God of your fathers, has appeared to me, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob; and he has said to me: I have visited you and seen all that the Egyptians are doing to you. And so I have resolved to bring you up out of Egypt where you are oppressed, into the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites, to a land where milk and honey flow.” They will listen to your words, and with the elders of Israel you are to go to the king of Egypt and say to him, “The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has come to meet us. Give us leave, then, to make a three days’ journey into the wilderness to offer sacrifice to the Lord our God.” For myself, knowing that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless he is forced by a mighty hand, I shall show my power and strike Egypt with all the wonders I am going to work there. After this he will let you go.’
Responsive Psalm : Psalm 104(105):1,5,8‐9,24‐27
Give thanks to the Lord, tell his name, make known his deeds among the peoples. Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, the judgements he spoke.
He remembers his covenant for ever, his promise for a thousand generations, the covenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac.
He gave his people increase; he made them stronger than their foes, whose hearts he turned to hate his people and to deal deceitfully with his servants.
Then he sent Moses his servant and Aaron the man he had chosen. Through them he showed his marvels and his wonders in the country of Ham.
Gospel : Matthew 11:28‐30
Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened, and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and my burden light.’
For our reflection today:
"The love with which Jesus has loved us is humble and has the character of service. 'The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many' (Mark 10:45). On the eve of His passion, before instituting the Eucharist, Jesus washes the feet of the apostles and says to them: 'I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you' (John 13:15). And on another occasion, He warns them: 'Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be the servant of all' (Mark 10:43-44). In light of this model of humble availability that reaches its culmination in the definitive 'service' of the Cross, Jesus can invite the disciples: 'Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart' (Matthew 11:29). The love taught by Christ is expressed in mutual service, which leads to sacrificing for one another, and its ultimate validation lies in offering one's life 'for the brethren' (1 John 3:16). This is what St. Paul emphasizes when he writes that 'Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her' (Ephesians 5:25). With this sacrifice, derived from His love for us, Jesus Christ completed His salvific mission. This central truth of the new covenant also constitutes the fulfillment of the prophetic proclamation of Isaiah regarding the Servant of the Lord: 'He was pierced for our transgressions, by His wounds we are healed' (Isaiah 53:5); 'He bore the sins of many' (Isaiah 53:12). It can be said that redemption was the hope of the entire Old Covenant." (St. John Paul II, General Audience, 31 August 1988)
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