July 23, 2025. Wednesday of the 16th week in ordinary time.

A reading from the Book of Exodus.

The children of Israel set out from Elam and came into the Desert of Sin, which is between

Elam and Sinai, on the 15th day of the second month, after their departure from the land of Egypt.

Here in the desert, the whole assembly of the children of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron.

The children of Israel said to them,

Would that we had died at the Lord's hand in the land of Egypt,

as we sat by our flesh pots and ate our fill of bread. But you had to lead us into this

desert to make the whole community die a famine. Then the Lord said to Moses, I will now rain down

bread from heaven for you. Each day the people are to go out and gather their daily portion,

thus will I test them to see whether they follow my instructions or not. On the sixth day,

however, when they prepare what they bring in, let it be twice as much as they gather on the other

days. Then Moses said to Aaron,

tell the whole congregation of the children of Israel.

Present yourselves before the Lord,

for he has heard your grumbling.

When Aaron announced this to the whole assembly of the children of Israel,

they turned toward the desert and lo,

the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.

The Lord spoke to Moses and said,

I have heard the grumbling of the children of Israel.

Tell them, in the evening twilight you shall eat flesh,

...