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Reading from the book of Exodus. In
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those days, Moses did everything the
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Lord had commanded him. In the first
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month of the second year, on the first
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day of the month, the sanctuary was
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erected. Moses erected the sanctuary,
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placed the bases and boards, set the
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beams, and set up the pillars. He spread
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the tent over the sanctuary, putting the
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tent covering on top as the Lord had
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commanded him. Then he took the covenant
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document and placed it inside the ark
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and placed the mercy seat on it. He
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brought the ark into the sanctuary and
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hung the veil of protection in front of
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it as the Lord had commanded Moses. Then
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the cloud covered the tent of meeting
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and the glory of the Lord filled the
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sanctuary. Moses could not enter the
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tent of meeting because the cloud
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remained over it and the glory of the
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Lord filled the entire sanctuary. At
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every stage of the journey, whenever the
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cloud lifted from over the sanctuary,
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the children of Israel would set out,
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and they would not set out until the
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cloud had lifted. For by day the cloud
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of the Lord would rest over the
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sanctuary, and by night fire would
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appear over it, and all the children of
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Israel would see it at every stage of
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their journey. Word of the Lord. Thanks
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Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus
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Christ according to St. Matthew. Glory
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to you, Lord. At that time Jesus said to
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the crowds, "The kingdom of heaven is
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like a net that was cast into the sea
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and gathered fish of every kind. When it
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was full, the fishermen drew it ashore,
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sat down, and gathered the good fish
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into baskets, but threw the bad ones
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away. This is how it will be at the end
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of the age. The angels will come and
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separate the wicked from the righteous,
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and they will throw the wicked into the
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furnace of fire, and there will be
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weeping and nashing of teeth. Have you
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understood all this? They answered,
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"Yes." Then Jesus added, "So then, every
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scribe who becomes a disciple of the
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kingdom of heaven is like a householder
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who brings out of his treasure what is
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new and what is old." When Jesus
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finished telling these parables, he
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departed from there. Word of the Savior.
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Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
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imagine yourself walking along a dusty
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road in the middle of the desert. The
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scorching sun beats down mercilessly.
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There is not a single tree to offer
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shade and thirst is already setting in.
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Suddenly on the horizon, you glimpse a
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majestic cloud unlike any other you have
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ever seen. It not only provides
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refreshing shade during the day, but at
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night it transforms into a pillar of
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fire that warms and illuminates your
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path. This is no ordinary cloud. It is
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the very presence of God manifesting
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itself visibly among his people. This
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powerful image from today's first
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reading transports us directly to the
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heart of the desert where Moses had just
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completed the construction of the
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tabernacle according to the meticulous
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instructions God had given him. Every
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detail had been followed to the letter
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from the precious fabrics and metals to
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the exact dimensions of each piece of
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sacred furniture. And then something
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extraordinary happens. The cloud covered
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the tent of meeting and the glory of the
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Lord filled the sanctuary. What a
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moment. God not only approves of Moses'
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work but comes to dwell among his people
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in a tangible and visible way. The
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divine presence is so intense that not
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even Moses, the great logiver, can enter
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the tent. Reflect with me on the
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profound meaning of this scene. Here is
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the God of the universe, the creator of
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all things, choosing to dwell in a tent
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in the middle of the desert. He could
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have chosen any place, the snowcapped
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mountain peaks, the palaces of kings,
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the most magnificent cities. But he
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chooses a portable simple tent in the
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midst of a nomadic and sometimes
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rebellious people. Why? Because God is
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not interested in external grandeur or
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impressive appearances. He is interested
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in closeness, in relationship, in being
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present on his people's journey, whether
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easy or difficult. The cloud and the
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pillar of fire were not just pretty
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symbols of God's presence. They were
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practical and essential guides. When the
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cloud lifted, the people knew it was
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time to leave. When it remained, they
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knew they should stay. God didn't leave
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them a drift in the wilderness. He
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provided clear and constant direction.
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This truth resonates deeply in our lives
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today. How often do we feel lost in the
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wilderness of our circumstances,
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facing difficult decisions, going
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through periods of uncertainty,
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struggling with doubts or fears? The
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message of Exodus is clear. God does not
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abandon us to our own devices. He
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desires to be present with us, to guide
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us, and to manifest his glory even in
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the midst of the most erid situations in
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our lives. But there is something deeper
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here. The text tells us that not even
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Moses could enter the tent of meeting
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because the clouds settled over it and
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the glory of the Lord filled the
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God's presence was so intense, so holy
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that not even the man closest to God at
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the time could approach. This reminds us
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of God's absolute holiness and our need
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for reverence and humility in his
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presence. We cannot approach God in any
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way as if he were an ordinary friend. He
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is the holy of holies, the creator of
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the universe, the one before whom even
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seraphim veil their faces. And yet, and
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herein lies the beauty of the gospel.
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Through Christ, we have access to this
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holy God. The veil of the temple was
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torn from top to bottom when Jesus died,
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symbolizing that the way to God was now
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open to all of us. Moving on to the
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gospel, we find Jesus telling another of
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his remarkable parables, the parable of
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the net. The kingdom of heaven is like a
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net that was cast into the sea and
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gathered fish of every kind. What a
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vivid image. Jesus uses something his
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listeners are familiar with. Fishing to
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teach a profound truth about the kingdom
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of God. The net does not discriminate.
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It catches fish both good and bad, big
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and small, beautiful and ugly. Likewise,
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the kingdom of God extends to all people
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regardless of their background, social
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status, past or outward appearance. What
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an inclusive and hopeful message. But
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Jesus doesn't stop there. He continues,
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"When it is full, the fishermen pull it
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ashore and sit down and gather the good
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fish into baskets, but throw the bad
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away." Here we see a truth we sometimes
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prefer to avoid. There will be a time of
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separation, a time of judgment. This is
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not a judgment based on appearances or
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social status, but on the authenticity
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of our hearts, on the reality of our
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response to God's love. Jesus explains,
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"This is how it will be at the end of
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the age. The angels will come and
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separate the wicked from the righteous.
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How do these two readings connect? God's
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guiding presence in Exodus and the
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inclusive network of the kingdom in
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Matthew teach us complimentary truths
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about the nature of God and his
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relationship with us. First, God desires
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to be present in our lives in a real and
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tangible way. Just as he dwelt in the
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tabernacle among the Israelites, today
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he dwells in us through the Holy Spirit.
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We are living temples of the most high
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God. What an extraordinary
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responsibility and privilege. Second,
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God offers us guidance for our journey.
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Just as the cloud and the pillar of fire
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guided Israel, God guides us today
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through his word, through prayer,
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through circumstances, through the
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community of faith. We must learn to
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discern his voice and follow his
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leading. Third, the kingdom of God is
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inclusive in its reach. The net catches
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fish of every kind. God excludes no one
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based on superficial criteria. All are
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invited. All are welcome. All have the
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opportunity to respond to his love. But
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fourth, and this is crucial, our
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response matters. There will be a
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separation, a moment of truth. We cannot
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assume that because the net is cast
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wide, everyone will automatically be
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safe. Our faith, our obedience, our
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genuine transformation make a
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difference. My dear brothers and
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sisters, what practical lessons can we
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draw from these powerful truths? First,
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let us cultivate a deep sense of God's
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presence in our lives. Let us not live
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as spiritual orphans, but as beloved
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children who carry the father's presence
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with us wherever we go. May this
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awareness transform the way we speak,
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act, and relate to others. Second, let
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us actively seek God's guidance. Let us
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not make important decisions based
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solely on our own wisdom or the
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pressures of the world. Let us wait on
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the Lord, seeking his will through
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prayer and meditation on his word.
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Third, let us be instruments of the
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kingdom's inclusiveness. Just as the
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internet does not discriminate, we
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should not exclude or judge others based
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on appearances. Let us extend the love
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of Christ to all, especially those whom
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society tends to marginalize. Fourth,
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let us regularly examine our hearts. The
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reality of the final judgment should not
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terrify us but motivate us to holy
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living. Let us ask ourselves, is our
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faith genuine? Does our life truly
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reflect the values of the kingdom? Are
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we growing in holiness and love? Fifth,
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let us live with holy urgency, knowing
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that there will be a separation. Let us
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be diligent in sharing the gospel,
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discipling others, and building God's
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kingdom here on earth. Imagine for a
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moment what it would be like if every
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member of this community lived these
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truths fully. If each of us cultivated a
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deep awareness of God's presence,
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actively sought his guidance, extended
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inclusive love to others, regularly
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examined our own hearts, and lived with
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holy urgency. Our church would become
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like that tabernacle in the wilderness.
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A place where God's glory is manifested
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so truly and powerfully that it
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transforms not only us but everyone
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around us. We would be a net that
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catches people of all kinds, offering
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them the redeeming love of Christ. And
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on the final day when the angels come to
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separate the righteous from the
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unrighteous, may we be among those
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gathered as good fish, not by our own
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goodness, but by God's transforming
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grace at work in our lives. May the Lord
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help us to live as bearers of his
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presence, guided by his wisdom,
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inclusive in our love, and faithful in
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our response to his call. And may the
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glory of the Lord fill not only our
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words, but our entire lives, so that the
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world may see and believe. May the grace
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of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of
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the Father, and the fellowship of the
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Holy Spirit be with you all today and
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St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in
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battle. Be our protection against the
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wickedness and snares of the devil. May
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God rebuke him, we humbly pray. And do
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thou, O prince of the heavenly host, by
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the power of God, cast into hell Satan
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and all the evil spirits who prowl
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throughout the world seeking the ruin of
