Daily Readings - Fri Jul 05 2019
Genesis
1And Sarah was an hundred and seven and twenty years old: these were the years of the life of Sarah.2And Sarah died in Kirjatharba; the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan: and Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.3And Abraham stood up from before his dead, and spake unto the sons of Heth, saying,4I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a buryingplace with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.19And after this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre: the same is Hebron in the land of Canaan.
1And Abraham was old, and well stricken in age: and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.2And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that he had, Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh:3And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell:4But thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my son Isaac.5And the servant said unto him, Peradventure the woman will not be willing to follow me unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest?6And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again.7The LORD God of heaven, which took me from my father's house, and from the land of my kindred, and which spake unto me, and that sware unto me, saying, Unto thy seed will I give this land; he shall send his angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife unto my son from thence.8And if the woman will not be willing to follow thee, then thou shalt be clear from this my oath: only bring not my son thither again.62And Isaac came from the way of the well Lahairoi; for he dwelt in the south country.63And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide: and he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, the camels were coming.64And Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she lighted off the camel.65For she had said unto the servant, What man is this that walketh in the field to meet us? And the servant had said, It is my master: therefore she took a vail, and covered herself.66And the servant told Isaac all things that he had done.67And Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah's tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her: and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.
Matthew
9And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.10And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.11And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?12But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.13But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two profound narratives that invite us to reflect on trust in God's providence and the call to mercy. The first reading from Genesis presents Abraham, a man of deep faith, who, after burying his wife Sarah, entrusts his servant with a significant mission. Abraham's charge to his servant is not just about finding a wife for Isaac; it is a testament to his unwavering trust in God's promise. The servant's obedience and the eventual union of Isaac and Rebekah illustrate how God weaves His plan into the fabric of human lives, ensuring that His covenant with Abraham endures.
The Gospel reading shifts our focus to Jesus, who, in a bold act of inclusion, calls Matthew, a tax collector, to follow Him. Jesus' subsequent dining with tax collectors and sinners challenges the Pharisees' rigid understanding of holiness. His response, emphasizing mercy over sacrifice, underscores His mission to reach the marginalized. This encounter reminds us that Jesus' message is not for the self-righteous but for those who recognize their need for healing and grace.
Both readings converge on themes of trust and mercy. Abraham's trust in God's plan and Jesus' merciful outreach to the outcast teach us to embrace God's providence with faith and to extend compassion to others. In our daily lives, we are called to trust in God's plan, even when uncertain, and to live out mercy, as Jesus did, by reaching out to those on the margins. The moral lesson is clear: faith and mercy are not abstract concepts but lived realities that transform our lives and the lives of those around us.