Daily Readings - Wed Jul 09 2025

Genesis

55When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, "Go to Joseph. What he says to you, do."56So when the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses and sold to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt.57Moreover, all the earth came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, because the famine was severe over all the earth.
5Thus the sons of Israel came to buy among the others who came, for the famine was in the land of Canaan.6Now Joseph was governor over the land. He was the one who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brothers came and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground.7Joseph saw his brothers and recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke roughly to them. "Where do you come from?" he said. They said, "From the land of Canaan, to buy food."17And he put them all together in custody for three days.18On the third day Joseph said to them, "Do this and you will live, for I fear God:19if you are honest men, let one of your brothers remain confined where you are in custody, and let the rest go and carry grain for the famine of your households,20and bring your youngest brother to me. So your words will be verified, and you shall not die." And they did so.21Then they said to one another, "In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us."22And Reuben answered them, "Did I not tell you not to sin against the boy? But you did not listen. So now there comes a reckoning for his blood."23They did not know that Joseph understood them, for there was an interpreter between them.24Then he turned away from them and wept. And he returned to them and spoke to them. And he took Simeon from them and bound him before their eyes.

Matthew

1And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.2The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;3Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;4Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.5These twelve Jesus sent out, instructing them, "Go nowhere among the Gentiles and enter no town of the Samaritans,6but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.7And proclaim as you go, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.'

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on trust, mercy, and God's providence. The first reading from Genesis recounts the story of Joseph and his brothers during the time of famine. Joseph, now a powerful leader in Egypt, confronts his brothers who have come seeking food. Though he tests them and speaks harshly, his ultimate act of weeping and offering them grain reveals a deeper truth: God works through human frailty and sin to bring about redemption. Joseph’s story reminds us that even in the midst of suffering and uncertainty, God’s plan unfolds in ways we cannot fully understand. The Gospel reading from Matthew shifts our focus to Jesus and the mission of the Twelve Apostles. Jesus sends his disciples out into the world with authority to heal and preach, instructing them to go first to the "lost sheep of the house of Israel." This mission is rooted in trust—trust in God’s providence and trust in the power of the message they carry. Like Joseph, the disciples are called to step into the unknown, relying not on their own strength but on God’s grace. This reading challenges us to consider how we, too, are called to be instruments of God’s mercy and healing in the world. Both readings invite us to reflect on how we respond to God’s call in our own lives. Like Joseph’s brothers, we may find ourselves in situations where we must confront our past sins or trust in God’s providence despite uncertainty. Like the apostles, we are called to step out in faith, even when the path ahead seems unclear. The moral lesson here is clear: trust in God’s plan, show mercy to others, and be open to the ways God is calling you to serve. In doing so, we become part of the larger story of redemption that God is weaving through history.