Daily Readings - Mon Jul 10 2017
First Reading - Genesis 28.10-22a
Genesis
10And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran.11And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.12And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.13And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;14And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.15And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.16And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not.17And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.18And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it.19And he called the name of that place Bethel: but the name of that city was called Luz at the first.20And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,21So that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:22And this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house: and of all that thou shalt give me I will surely give the tenth unto thee.
Gospel - Matthew 9.18-26
Matthew
18While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.19And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples.20And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment:21For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.22But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.23And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise,24He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.25But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.26And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two profound moments of faith and divine encounter. The first reading from Genesis describes Jacob’s vision of a ladder stretching from earth to heaven, with angels ascending and descending. This vision occurs at a pivotal moment in Jacob’s journey, as he flees from his brother Esau. The Lord appears to Jacob, reaffirming the covenant promise made to his ancestors, Abraham and Isaac, and promising that Jacob’s descendants will spread across the earth. Jacob, awestruck by this divine encounter, names the place Bethel, meaning “House of God,” and sets up a stone monument as a reminder of God’s presence. This story reminds us that even in uncertain and challenging times, God can reveal Himself in unexpected ways, transforming ordinary places into sacred spaces.
In the Gospel, we find two miracles that highlight the power of faith. First, a woman suffering from a flow of blood for twelve years approaches Jesus in secret, touching the hem of His garment. Her faith in Jesus’ healing power restores her to full health. Shortly after, Jesus raises the ruler’s daughter from the dead, demonstrating His authority over life and death. Both stories emphasize the importance of trust in God’s providence and the transformative power of faith. The woman’s persistence and the ruler’s plea for help show us that faith, even in the face of doubt or despair, can lead to miraculous outcomes.
These readings invite us to reflect on how we encounter God in our own lives. Like Jacob, we may find ourselves in unexpected places where God reveals His presence. Like the woman and the ruler, we are called to trust in God’s promises, even when circumstances seem impossible. In our daily lives, we are reminded to seek God in the ordinary moments and to approach Him with faith, knowing that He is always near. May we, like Jacob, recognize the sacredness of the present moment and, like the woman and the ruler, place our trust in the Lord who heals, restores, and brings new life.