July 17, 2025, Thursday of the 15th week in ordinary time.

A reading from the book of Exodus.

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 children of Israel.

I am sent me to you.

God spoke further to Moses.

Thus shall you say to the children of Israel, 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 Israel 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, Amarites, Parasites, 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.

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