＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Exodus 14:5-18

The king of Egypt was told

That the people had fled; then Pharaoh and his ministers changed their minds with regard to the people. “What have we done,” they said, “in allowing Israel to go and be free of our service?” Pha­raoh prepared his chariot and took his army with him.   There were six hundred of his best chariots; indeed he took all the Egyptian chariots, each one with his warriors.

 Yahweh had hardened the mind of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who set out in pursuit of the Israelites as they marched forth triumphantly.   The Egyptians – all the chariots and horses of Pharaoh, his horsemen and his army – gave chase and caught up with them when they had encamped by the sea near Pihahiroth, facing Baalzephon.

 The Israelites saw the Egyptians marching after them: Pharaoh was draw­ing near. They were terrified and cried out to Yahweh.   Then they said to Moses, “Were there no tombs in Egypt? Why have you brought us to the desert to die?   What have you done by bringing us out of Egypt? Isn’t this what we said when we were in Egypt: Let us work for the Egyptians. Far better serve Egypt than to die in the desert!”

 Moses said to the people, “Have no fear! Stay where you are and see the work Yahweh will do to save you today. The Egyptians whom you see today, you will never see again!   Yahweh will fight for you and all you have to do is to keep still.”

 Yahweh said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward.   You will raise your staff and stretch your hand over the sea and divide it to let the Israelites go dryfoot through the sea. I will so harden the minds of the Egyptians that they will follow you. And I will have glory at the expense of Pharaoh, his army, his chariots and horsemen. The Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh when I gain glory for myself at the cost of Pharaoh and his army!”

 

Ex 15:1bc-2, 3-4, 5-6

Let us sing to the Lord; he has covered himself in glory.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊      

Matthew 12:38-42

 Then some teachers of the Law and some Pharisees spoke up, “Teach­er, we want to see a sign from you.”   Jesus answered them, “An evil and unfaithful people want a sign, but no sign will be given them except the sign of the pro­phet Jonah.   In the same way that Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of the monster fish, so will the Son of Man spend three days and three nights in the depths of the earth.

 At the judgment, the people of Niniveh will rise with this generation and condemn it, because they reformed their lives at the preaching of Jonah, and here there is greater than Jonah.   At the judgment, the Queen of the South will stand up and condemn you. She came from the ends of the earth to listen to the wisdom of Solomon, and here there is greater than Solomon.

 

Gospel Reflection：

Signs have confirmatory function. They may not be necessary for persons with deep faith. Sometimes, they serve to assure people that God loves them. They confirm God’s care and mercy to His own. Our gospel today speaks of religious authorities asking Jesus for sign. But Jesus rebukes them.

They are supposed to be men of deep faith. They should be the last to ask for a sign for their faith can sustain them. But their position of authority made them cautious and fearful. Much would be taken from them if they make a bad decision. Hence, they ask Jesus for assurances before they commit themselves to His cause.

Because of this, we are reminded that those in positions of power and authority are diminished by the power that they have. They are afraid to commit because power might be taken from them if they commit mistakes. Hence power is transitory and rests insecure in the hands of those who wield it.

That is why Jesus is angry. Instead of making them more sensitive to God’s presence, power and authority robbed the teachers of the law and the Pharisees the capacity to see that the time of fulfillment is at hand with the presence of Jesus.