Daily Readings - Thu Jul 13 2017

First Reading - Genesis 44.18-21, 23b-29; 45.1-5

¹⁸Then Judah, approaching closer, said confidently: "I beg you, my lord, let your servant speak a word in your ears, and do not be angry with your servant. For you are next to Pharaoh¹⁹My lord, you questioned your servants before: ‘Do you have a father or a brother?²⁰And we answered you, my lord: ‘There is our father, an old man, and a young boy, who was born in his old age. His brother of the same womb has died, and he alone is left to his mother and father, who truly love him tenderly.²¹And you said to your servants, ‘Bring him to me, and I will set my eyes on him.²³And you said to your servants: ‘Unless your youngest brother arrives with you, you will not see my face any more.²⁴Therefore, when we had gone up to your servant our father, we explained to him all that my lord had spoken²⁵And our father said: ‘Return and buy us a little wheat.²⁶And we said to him: ‘We cannot go. If our youngest brother descends with us, we will set out together. Otherwise, in his absence, we do not dare to see the face of the man.²⁷To which he responded: ‘You know that my wife conceived twice by me²⁸One went out, and you said, "A beast devoured him." And since then, he has not appeared²⁹If you take this one also, and anything happens to him on the way, you will lead my grey hairs down with grief to the grave.

Chapter 45

¹Joseph was unable to restrain himself any longer, standing before so many. Therefore, he instructed that all should go outside, and that no stranger should be among them as they recognized one another²And he lifted up his voice with weeping, which the Egyptians heard, along with the entire house of Pharaoh³And he said to his brothers: "I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?" His brothers were unable to respond, being terrified by a very great fear⁴And he said to them mildly, "Approach toward me." And when they had approached close by, he said: "I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt⁵Do not be afraid, and let it not seem to you to be a hardship that you sold me into these regions. For God sent me before you into Egypt for your salvation

Gospel - Matthew 10.7-15

Matthew

Chapter 10

⁷And going forth, preach, saying: ‘For the kingdom of heaven has drawn near.⁸Cure the infirm, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You have received freely, so give freely⁹Do not choose to possess gold, nor silver, nor money in your belts¹⁰nor provisions for the journey, nor two tunics, nor shoes, nor a staff. For the laborer deserves his portion¹¹Now, into whatever city or town you will enter, inquire as to who is worthy within it. And stay there until you depart¹²Then, when you enter into the house, greet it, saying, ‘Peace to this house.¹³And if, indeed, that house is worthy, your peace will rest upon it. But if it is not worthy, your peace will return to you¹⁴And whoever has neither received you, nor listened to your words, departing from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet¹⁵Amen I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter profound lessons on trust, forgiveness, and divine providence. The first reading from Genesis recounts the emotional reunion of Joseph with his brothers, highlighting Joseph's forgiveness and his recognition of God's plan in his life. Despite the betrayal he suffered, Joseph chooses mercy and reassures his brothers that their actions, though hurtful, were part of a larger divine plan for their salvation. This narrative underscores the themes of forgiveness and trust in God's providence. The Gospel from Matthew shifts our focus to Jesus instructing His disciples to spread the Good News. He emphasizes reliance on God's providence, urging them to trust in divine care rather than material wealth. This teaching challenges us to embrace a life of faith and generosity, trusting that our needs will be met as we serve others. The message is clear: our mission is to share the love of God boldly, without attachment to worldly possessions. Reflecting on these readings, we are reminded to trust in God's plan, even when circumstances seem uncertain. Like Joseph, we can choose forgiveness and see God's hand at work. Like the disciples, we are called to live with faith and generosity, sharing the Gospel with confidence. May we embrace these lessons, trusting in God's providence and living with hearts full of mercy and faith.