Daily Catholic Lectio
Wednesday, 16 July ‘25
Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time – Wednesday
Exodus 3:1–6, 9–12. Matthew 11:25–27
The Unconsumed Bush
Today’s first reading brings us to one of the most powerful moments in the Bible: Moses encounters the burning bush. It is a moment of awe, mystery, and calling. The bush is on fire—but it is not consumed. That image becomes the symbol of God’s presence, His power, and His promise.
1. The Burning but Unconsumed Bush
Moses, now a shepherd in the land of Midian, has settled into the routine of ordinary life—family, work, daily tasks. Then, suddenly, God breaks into his ordinary day with an extraordinary sight: “The bush was blazing, but it was not consumed.”
This is more than a physical miracle. It is a sign. The bush represents the people of Israel—oppressed, suffering, burning with the pain of slavery—but not destroyed. It also reflects Moses’ own heart—burning with desire for justice, but not yet ready. And it reveals God’s eternal love—a fire that purifies but never destroys. God sees the suffering of His people. And He says to Moses: “I have seen… I have heard… I know their suffering… and I have come down to deliver them.” (Ex 3:7–8) And then He adds: “I am sending you.” God’s response to suffering is not only His presence, but also a person. Moses becomes God’s instrument of deliverance.
2. God’s Call Comes in the Ordinary
Notice where Moses is when God calls him—not in the palace of Pharaoh, but in the wilderness, watching sheep.
This teaches us: God calls us not only in moments of prayer, but also in the middle of ordinary life. We may be busy, tired, or distracted. But suddenly, a “burning bush” appears— a moment of deep conviction, a word of Scripture, a cry of injustice— and we know: God is calling me.
3. God’s Fire in Our Lives
Sometimes our lives may feel like that bush—on fire with stress, loss, fear, or burden. Yet we are not consumed. Why?
Because God is with us. The fire of suffering does not destroy us—it purifies us. The fire of calling does not burn us out—it ignites our mission. The fire of God’s presence sustains us through every storm. “I will be with you,” God tells Moses. And that is enough.
4. Jesus Reveals the Hidden Wisdom
In the Gospel (Matthew 11:25–27), Jesus praises the Father for revealing the mystery of the Kingdom not to the wise and learned, but to the childlike.
God doesn’t look for qualifications. He looks for openness. Moses was not perfect. He doubted, hesitated, even ran away. But God chose him anyway—because his heart was still burning. This reminds us that God’s call is not a reward for our worthiness, but a gift of His mercy. He chooses the small, the ordinary, the weak—so that His strength can shine through us.
5. Final Reflection: The Fire That Sends Us
The burning bush still speaks today. Are you going through something that feels like fire?
Know that God is with you, and you will not be consumed. Are you quietly living your routine, when something starts stirring in your heart? Maybe God is calling you—to serve, to speak, to lead. Are you feeling unworthy or unsure like Moses?
God does not call the qualified—He qualifies the called.
Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi
Archdiocese of Madurai
Missionary of Mercy
Yesu Karunanidhi 
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