If you learn everything except Christ, you learn nothing.

If you learn nothing except Christ, you learn everything.

 

St. Bonaventure, bishop and doctor

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊     

Exodus 2:1-15a*

Now a man

Belonging to the clan of Levi married a woman of his own tribe.

She gave birth to a boy and, seeing that he was a beautiful child, she kept him hidden for three months.

As she could not conceal him any longer, she made a basket out of papyrus leaves and coated it with tar and pitch.

She then laid the child in the basket and placed it among the reeds near the bank of the Nile;

but the sister of the child kept at a distance to see what would happen to him.

 

Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe in the Nile; her attendants meanwhile walked along the bank.

When she saw the basket among the reeds, she sent her maidservant to fetch it.

She opened the basket and saw the child – a boy – and he was crying! She felt sorry for him,

for she thought: "This is one of the Hebrew children."

 

Then the sister of the child said to Pharaoh's daughter,

"Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?"

Pharaoh's daughter agreed, and the girl went to call the mother of the child.

Pharaoh's daughter said to her, "Take the child and nurse him for me and I will pay you."

So the woman took the child and nursed him and, when the child had grown,

she brought him to Pharaoh's daughter who adopted him as her son.

And she named him Moses to recall that she had drawn him out of the water (...)

 

Ps 69:3, 14, 30-31, 33-34 Turn to the Lord in your need, and you will live.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

Matthew 11:20-24

Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which he had performed most of his miracles,

because the people there did not change their ways. "Alas for you Chorazin and Bethsaida!

If the miracles worked in you had taken place in Tyre and Sidon,

the people there would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.

 

But I assure you, for Tyre and Sidon; it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.

And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? You will be thrown down to the place of the dead!

For if the miracles which were performed in you had been performed in Sodom,

it would still be there today! But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you."

 

Gospel Reflection ：

"He would need to learn to know God."

The Book of Numbers describes Moses as "the mildest of men,"

who was privileged to speak intimately with God "face to face" (Num 12:3).

However, in his youth, we see a different Moses, one who lashes out with deadly force,

and then flees in fear. The beauty of that baby hidden in the reeds has been defaced by violence and anger.

 

The two quarrelling Hebrews reject his attempt to intervene, saying, "Who has set you prince and judge over us?"

And yet, God would choose this very man to be leader and judge over the People of Israel (Ex 18:14),

but before he could lead the people in God's ways, he would need to learn to know God.

In the coming days we will read about Moses' encounter with God before the burning bush.

 

This is the dramatic moment of his call to lead. Yet, God has been with him all the time in the land of Midian,

preparing him to accept that call. In his pride and rage, his fear and shame God has walked with him.

Now he is called to walk humbly with God, and lead others to do the same.