January 22: Daily Readings & Quote

St. Vincent; St. Vincent Pallotti

Remember that the Christian life is one of action not of speech and daydreams. Let there be few words and many deeds, and let them be done well.

-St. Vincent Pallotti

Today's readings are:

Exodus 5-6:27

Mark 9: 2-13

1

After that, Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Let my people go, that they may celebrate a feast to me in the desert."

2

Pharaoh answered, "Who is the LORD, that I should heed his plea to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD; even if I did, I would not let Israel go."

3

They replied, "The God of the Hebrews has sent us word. Let us go a three days' journey in the desert, that we may offer sacrifice to the LORD, our God; otherwise he will punish us with pestilence or the sword."

4

The king of Egypt answered them, "What do you mean, Moses and Aaron, by taking the people away from their work? Off to your labor!

5

Look how numerous the people of the land are already," continued Pharaoh, "and yet you would give them rest from their labor!"

6

¹ That very day Pharaoh gave the taskmasters and foremen of the people this order:

7

² "You shall no longer supply the people with straw for their brickmaking as you have previously done. Let them go and gather straw themselves!

8

Yet you shall levy upon them the same quota of bricks as they have previously made. Do not reduce it. They are lazy; that is why they are crying, 'Let us go to offer sacrifice to our God.'

9

Increase the work for the men, so that they keep their mind on it and pay no attention to lying words."

10

So the taskmasters and foremen of the people went out and told them, "Thus says Pharaoh: I will not provide you with straw.

11

Go and gather the straw yourselves, wherever you can find it. Yet there must not be the slightest reduction in your work."

12

The people, then, scattered throughout the land of Egypt to gather stubble for straw,

13

while the taskmasters kept driving them on, saying, "Finish your work, the same daily amount as when your straw was supplied."

14

The foremen of the Israelites, whom the taskmasters of Pharaoh had placed over them, were beaten, and were asked, "Why have you not completed your prescribed amount of bricks yesterday and today, as before?"

15

Then the Israelite foremen came and made this appeal to Pharaoh: "Why do you treat your servants in this manner?

16

No straw is supplied to your servants, and still we are told to make bricks. Look how your servants are beaten! It is you who are at fault."

17

Pharaoh answered, "It is just because you are lazy that you keep saying, 'Let us go and offer sacrifice to the LORD.'

18

Off to work, then! Straw shall not be provided for you, but you must still deliver your quota of bricks."

19

The Israelite foremen knew they were in a sorry plight, having been told not to reduce the daily amount of bricks.

20

When, therefore, they left Pharaoh and came upon Moses and Aaron, who were waiting to meet them,

21

they said to them, "The LORD look upon you and judge! You have brought us into bad odor with Pharaoh and his servants and have put a sword in their hands to slay us."

22

Moses again had recourse to the LORD and said, "Lord, why do you treat this people so badly? And why did you send me on such a mission?

23

Ever since I went to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has maltreated this people of yours, and you have done nothing to rescue them."

1

Then the LORD answered Moses, "Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh. Forced by my mighty hand, he will send them away; compelled by my outstretched arm, he will drive them from his land."

2

God also said to Moses, "I am the LORD.

3

As God the Almighty I appeared to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, but my name, LORD, I did not make known to them.

4

I also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they were living as aliens.

5

And now that I have heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are treating as slaves, I am mindful of my covenant.

6

Therefore, say to the Israelites: I am the LORD. I will free you from the forced labor of the Egyptians and will deliver you from their slavery. I will rescue you by my outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment.

7

I will take you as my own people, and you shall have me as your God. You will know that I, the LORD, am your God when I free you from the labor of the Egyptians

8

and bring you into the land which I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I will give it to you as your own possession--I, the LORD!"

9

But when Moses told this to the Israelites, they would not listen to him because of their dejection and hard slavery.

10

Then the LORD said to Moses,

11

"Go and tell Pharaoh, king of Egypt, to let the Israelites leave his land."

12

But Moses protested to the LORD, "If the Israelites would not listen to me, how can it be that Pharaoh will listen to me, poor speaker that I am!"

13

Still, the LORD, to bring the Israelites out of Egypt, spoke to Moses and Aaron and gave them his orders regarding both the Israelites and Pharaoh, king of Egypt.

14

¹ These are the heads of the ancestral houses. The sons of Reuben, the first-born of Israel, were Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron and Carmi; these are the clans of Reuben.

15

The sons of Simeon were Jenuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar and Shaul, who was the son of a Canaanite woman; these are the clans of Simeon.

16

The names of the sons of Levi, in their genealogical order, are Gershon, Kohath and Merari. Levi lived one hundred and thirty-seven years.

17

The sons of Gershon, as heads of clans, were Libni and Shimei.

18

The sons of Kohath were Amram, Izhar, Hebron and Uzziel. Kohath lived one hundred and thirty-three years.

19

The sons of Merari were Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of Levi in their genealogical order.

20

² Amram married his aunt Jochebed, who bore him Aaron, Moses and Miriam. Amram lived one hundred and thirty-seven years.

21

The sons of Izhar were Korah, Nepheg and Zichri.

22

The sons of Uzziel were Mishael, Elzaphan and Sithri.

23

Aaron married Amminadab's daughter, Elisheba, the sister of Nahshon; she bore him Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar.

24

The sons of Korah were Assir, Elkanah and Abiasaph. These are the clans of the Korahites.

25

Aaron's son, Eleazar, married one of Putiel's daughters, who bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the ancestral clans of the Levites.

26

This is the Aaron and this the Moses to whom the LORD said, "Lead the Israelites from the land of Egypt, company by company."

27

These are the ones who spoke to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, to bring the Israelites out of Egypt--the same Moses and Aaron.

2

² After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them,

3

and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them.

4

Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with Jesus.

5

³ Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, "Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah."

6

He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified.

7

Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; ⁴ then from the cloud came a voice, "This is my beloved Son. Listen to him."

8

Suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them.

9

⁵ As they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

10

So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what rising from the dead meant.

11

Then they asked him, "Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?"

12

He told them, "Elijah will indeed come first and restore all things, yet how is it written regarding the Son of Man that he must suffer greatly and be treated with contempt?

13

But I tell you that Elijah has come and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him."