Today, July 18
Feast of the Day
No feast of the day
Saint of the Day
Readings of the Day
Book of Exodus 3:13-20.
Moses, hearing the voice of the LORD from the burning bush, said to him, “When I go to the children of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ if they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what am I to tell them?” God replied, "I am who am." Then he added, "This is what you shall tell the Israelites: I AM sent me to you." God spoke further to Moses, "Thus shall you say to the Israelites: The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. "This is my name forever; this is my title for all generations. "Go and assemble the elders of the Israelites, and tell them: The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, has appeared to me and said: I am concerned about you and about the way you are being treated in Egypt; so I have decided to lead you up out of the misery of Egypt into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey. "Thus they will heed your message. Then you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him: The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has sent us word. Permit us, then, to go a three days' journey in the desert, that we may offer sacrifice to the LORD, our God. "Yet I know that the king of Egypt will not allow you to go unless he is forced. I will stretch out my hand, therefore, and smite Egypt by doing all kinds of wondrous deeds there. After that he will send you away."
Psalms 105(104):1.5.8-9.24-25.26-27.
Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name; make known among the nations his deeds. Recall the wondrous deeds that he has wrought, his portents, and the judgments he has uttered. He remembers forever his covenant which he made binding for a thousand generations. Which he entered into with Abraham and by his oath to Isaac. He greatly increased his people and made them stronger than their foes, Whose hearts he changed, so that they hated his people, and dealt deceitfully with his servants. He sent Moses his servant; Aaron, whom he had chosen. They wrought his signs among them, and wonders in the land of Ham.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 11:28-30.
Jesus said to the crowds: “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light."
Daily Reflection
Only God is good by nature, but with God's help man can become good through careful attention to his way of life. He transforms himself into what he is not when his soul, by devoting its attention to true delight, unites itself to God insofar as its faculties desire this (…) Just as a rough sea naturally subsides when oil is poured on it, so the soul readily grows calm when anointed with the grace of the Holy Spirit. For it submits joyfully to the dispassionate and ineffable grace which overshadows it, in accordance with the psalmist's words: "My soul be obedient to God" (Ps 62:5 LXX). As a result, no matter how greatly it is provoked by the demons, the soul remains free from anger and is filled with the greatest joy. No one can enter or remain in such a state unless he sweetens his soul continually with the fear of God. (…) Just as wax cannot take the imprint of a seal unless it is warmed or softened thoroughly, so no one can receive the seal of God's holiness unless tested by labors and weaknesses. That is why the Lord says to our wonderful Saint Paul: "My grace I sufficient for you, for my power comes to its fullness in your weakness"; and the apostle himself proudly declares: "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may rest on me" (2 Cor 12:9).