Daily Readings - Tue Jul 09 2019
Genesis
22And when he had arisen early, he took his two wives, and the same number of handmaids, with his eleven sons, and he crossed over the ford of Jabbok23And having delivered over all the things that belonged to him24he remained alone. And behold, a man wrestled with him until morning25And when he saw that he would not be able to overcome him, he touched the nerve of his thigh, and immediately it withered26And he said to him, "Release me, for now the dawn ascends." He responded, "I will not release you, unless you bless me.27Therefore he said, "What is your name?" He answered, "Jacob.28But he said, "Your name will not be called Jacob, but Israel; for if you have been strong against God, how much more will you prevail against men?29Jacob questioned him, "Tell me, by what name are you called?" He responded, "Why do you ask my name?" And he blessed him in the same place30And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, "I have seen God face to face, and my soul has been saved.31And immediately the sun rose upon him, after he had crossed beyond Peniel. Yet in truth, he limped on his foot32For this reason, the sons of Israel, even to the present day, do not eat the nerve that withered in Jacob’s thigh, because he touched the nerve of his thigh and it was obstructed
Matthew
32Then, when they had departed, behold, they brought him a man who was mute, having a demon33And after the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds wondered, saying, "Never has anything like this been seen in Israel.34But the Pharisees said, "By the prince of demons does he cast out demons.35And Jesus traveled throughout all of the cities and towns, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing every illness and every infirmity36Then, seeing the multitudes, he had compassion on them, because they were distressed and were reclining, like sheep without a shepherd37Then he said to his disciples: "The harvest indeed is great, but the laborers are few38Therefore, petition the Lord of the harvest, so that he may sent out laborers to his harvest.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two profound moments of transformation and call to service. The first reading from Genesis recounts Jacob's wrestling match with God, a pivotal moment where Jacob's perseverance leads to his renaming as Israel, symbolizing his transformation through faith. This event underscores the theme of trusting in God's plan, even during life's struggles.
The Gospel from Matthew shifts our focus to Jesus's ministry, where He heals a mute man and then, moved by compassion, calls for laborers to tend to the harvest. This highlights Jesus's role as a shepherd and the urgency of spreading the Gospel. Together, these readings connect the dots between personal transformation and active service, emphasizing that our faith should lead us to compassionate action.
As we reflect on these readings, we are reminded to embrace our struggles as opportunities for growth and to trust in God's guidance. Just as Jacob was transformed and Jesus called His disciples, we too are called to serve others with compassion. Let us strive to be laborers in God's harvest, trusting in His plan and actively living out our faith through service to others.