First Reading - Exodus 40:16-21,34-38
Gospel - Matthew 13:47-53
In the first reading, we witness the culmination of Israel’s journey through the wilderness: the setting up of the tabernacle. Moses, in obedience to the Lord’s command, assembles the sanctuary, and when it is complete, the cloud — the visible sign of God’s presence — descends and fills the tent. From that moment on, whenever the cloud lifted, the Israelites would move; when it settled, they would stay. This is a striking image: God not only dwells among His people, but He also leads them day by day.
This passage is not just about ancient history; it speaks to us now. We, too, are invited to recognize the presence of God in the midst of our lives — not in a tent or cloud, but in the Word, the sacraments, the Church, and the silent stirrings of our hearts. But to follow Him, we must pay attention. Like Israel, we must learn to read the “movement of the cloud” — to be attentive to God’s will and ready to move or stay as He leads.
The Gospel complements this with a parable about discernment. Jesus compares the kingdom of heaven to a dragnet that gathers all kinds of fish. At the end, the good are separated from the bad. This parable reminds us that God's kingdom is inclusive in its reach, but there will come a moment of sorting — of judgment. The time between now and then is a time of openness and grace, but also a time of decision and preparation.
Jesus ends this section by saying that a true disciple is like a scribe who brings out both the old and the new — someone who is grounded in God’s past works and open to His present action. That is the kind of discernment we are called to: rooted in tradition, yet responsive to the living God who speaks today.
So, what do these readings call us to?
First, they invite us to recognize and reverence the nearness of God. He is not absent. Like the cloud in the wilderness, His presence is real, even if at times it is mysterious.
Second, they urge us to live with discernment. The net is being drawn in, and each of us must choose how to respond to the grace and truth we have received.
Third, they challenge us to be like the wise scribe — able to draw on the richness of faith and apply it wisely in today’s world.
Dear friends, God dwells among us — not only in tabernacles of stone, but in hearts that are open, obedient, and discerning. May we stay close to His presence, follow His lead with trust, and live each day as those who know that the kingdom is here, and yet still coming.
And may our lives — like the tabernacle — become places where the glory of the Lord can rest.
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