Daily Readings - Tue Jul 11 2017
Genesis
22The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.23He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had.24And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day.25When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him.26Then he said, "Let me go, for the day has broken." But Jacob said, "I will not let you go unless you bless me."27And he said to him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Jacob."28Then he said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed."29Then Jacob asked him, "Please tell me your name." But he said, "Why is it that you ask my name?" And there he blessed him.30So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, "For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered."31The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip.32Therefore to this day the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because he touched the socket of Jacob's hip on the sinew of the thigh.
Matthew
32As they were going away, behold, a demon-oppressed man who was mute was brought to him.33And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds marveled, saying, "Never was anything like this seen in Israel."34But the Pharisees said, "He casts out demons by the prince of demons."35And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction.36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.37Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;38therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."
Sermon
The first reading from Genesis tells the story of Jacob wrestling with a mysterious figure, often interpreted as God or an angel, at the ford of Jabbok. This encounter is a pivotal moment in Jacob’s life, marking a transformation. Despite his struggle, Jacob refuses to let go, insisting on a blessing. His persistence is rewarded as he is given a new name, Israel, symbolizing his strength and the beginning of a new identity. The reading reminds us that our struggles, though challenging, can lead to growth and deeper relationship with God.
In the Gospel, Matthew describes Jesus healing a mute man possessed by a demon, which amazes the crowds but is dismissed by the Pharisees as the work of the devil. Jesus then reflects on the vast needs of the people, likening them to sheep without a shepherd. He calls his disciples to pray for more laborers to help with the harvest, emphasizing the urgency of spreading God’s message and caring for those in need. This passage highlights Jesus’ compassion and the call to action for all believers to participate in God’s work.
Both readings invite us to reflect on our relationship with God and our role in the world. Jacob’s wrestling match reminds us that faith often involves struggle and perseverance, but it can lead to transformation. Jesus’ words challenge us to see the needs around us and respond with compassion and action. In our daily lives, we are called to embrace the struggles that shape us and to be attentive to God’s call to serve others. May we, like Jacob, hold fast to God in our struggles, and may we, like the disciples, answer the call to labor in God’s harvest with love and faithfulness.