Daily Readings - Fri Jul 07 2017
Genesis
1Sarah lived 127 years; these were the years of the life of Sarah.2And Sarah died at Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her.3And Abraham rose up from before his dead and said to the Hittites,4"I am a sojourner and foreigner among you; give me property among you for a burying place, that I may bury my dead out of my sight."19After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah east of Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan.
1Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years. And the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.2And Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his household, who had charge of all that he had, "Put your hand under my thigh,3that I may make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell,4but will go to my country and to my kindred, and take a wife for my son Isaac."5The servant said to him, "Perhaps the woman may not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I then take your son back to the land from which you came?"6Abraham said to him, "See to it that you do not take my son back there.7The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my kindred, and who spoke to me and swore to me, 'To your offspring I will give this land,' he will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.8But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath of mine; only you must not take my son back there."62Now Isaac had returned from Beer-lahai-roi and was dwelling in the Negeb.63And Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening. And he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, there were camels coming.64And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she dismounted from the camel65and said to the servant, "Who is that man, walking in the field to meet us?" The servant said, "It is my master." So she took her veil and covered herself.66And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done.67Then Isaac brought her into the tent of Sarah his mother and took Rebekah, and she became his wife, and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.
Matthew
9As Jesus passed on from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him.10And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples.11And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"12But when he heard it, he said, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.13Go and learn what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.' For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on trust, faith, and God's providence. The first reading from Genesis presents Abraham, a man of deep faith, who entrusts God with two significant life events: the burial of his wife Sarah and the marriage of his son Isaac. Abraham's trust in God is evident as he instructs his servant to find a wife for Isaac from his own kin, believing that God will guide the process. This trust is rewarded when Rebekah, a kind and generous woman, agrees to leave her home and marry Isaac, symbolizing God's faithfulness to His promises.
The Gospel reading from Matthew shifts our focus to Jesus, who embodies God's mercy and compassion. Jesus calls Matthew, a tax collector, to follow Him, and later dines with tax collectors and sinners. The Pharisees question Jesus' actions, but He responds by emphasizing that His mission is to call sinners to repentance, not to condemn the righteous. Jesus' words, "I desire mercy, not sacrifice," remind us that God's heart is for those who are broken and in need of healing.
These readings remind us that faith and trust in God's plan are essential for our lives. Like Abraham, we are called to trust God even when the future seems uncertain. Like Jesus, we are called to extend mercy and compassion to those around us, recognizing that we are all in need of God's grace. May we learn to trust in God's providence and to live out His mercy in our daily lives.