Daily Readings - Sat Jul 06 2019
Genesis
1And it came to pass, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that he could not see, he called Esau his eldest son, and said unto him, My son: and he said unto him, Behold, here am I.2And he said, Behold now, I am old, I know not the day of my death:3Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison;4And make me savoury meat, such as I love, and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die.5And Rebekah heard when Isaac spake to Esau his son. And Esau went to the field to hunt for venison, and to bring it.9Go now to the flock, and fetch me from thence two good kids of the goats; and I will make them savoury meat for thy father, such as he loveth:10And thou shalt bring it to thy father, that he may eat, and that he may bless thee before his death.15And Rebekah took goodly raiment of her eldest son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them upon Jacob her younger son:16And she put the skins of the kids of the goats upon his hands, and upon the smooth of his neck:17And she gave the savoury meat and the bread, which she had prepared, into the hand of her son Jacob.18And he came unto his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I; who art thou, my son?19And Jacob said unto his father, I am Esau thy firstborn; I have done according as thou badest me: arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my venison, that thy soul may bless me.20And Isaac said unto his son, How is it that thou hast found it so quickly, my son? And he said, Because the LORD thy God brought it to me.21And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son, whether thou be my very son Esau or not.22And Jacob went near unto Isaac his father; and he felt him, and said, The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.23And he discerned him not, because his hands were hairy, as his brother Esau's hands: so he blessed him.24And he said, Art thou my very son Esau? And he said, I am.25And he said, Bring it near to me, and I will eat of my son's venison, that my soul may bless thee. And he brought it near to him, and he did eat: and he brought him wine, and he drank.26And his father Isaac said unto him, Come near now, and kiss me, my son.27And he came near, and kissed him: and he smelled the smell of his raiment, and blessed him, and said, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the LORD hath blessed:28Therefore God give thee of the dew of heaven, and the fatness of the earth, and plenty of corn and wine:29Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother's sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.
Matthew
14Then came to him the disciples of John, saying, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not?15And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.16No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse.17Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two distinct narratives that invite us to reflect on change, tradition, and the ways in which God works in our lives. The first reading from Genesis recounts the story of Jacob and Esau, a tale of deception and the pursuit of blessing. Rebekah, Jacob's mother, orchestrates a plan to ensure her favored son receives the blessing intended for Esau, the firstborn. This story highlights the complexities of family dynamics and the human desire to control divine plans. The second reading from Matthew finds Jesus addressing the question of fasting. He uses the parables of the patch and the wineskins to explain that the newness of God's kingdom cannot be confined to old practices. Just as new wine requires new wineskins, Jesus' teachings demand a fresh approach to spirituality.
These readings, though separated by time and context, share a common theme: the tension between the old and the new. In Genesis, Rebekah's actions reflect a desire to redirect the course of events, while in Matthew, Jesus emphasizes the necessity of embracing change. Both stories remind us that God often works outside our expectations, challenging us to let go of familiar ways and trust in His plan. The Pharisees and John's disciples clung to traditional fasting practices, unable to see the new life Jesus brought. Similarly, Isaac's blessing was tied to the old order, yet God would use Jacob to fulfill His promises in unexpected ways.
As we apply these readings to our lives, we are invited to reflect on our own resistance to change. How often do we cling to comfortable traditions or try to manipulate circumstances to fit our desires? Jesus calls us to openness and flexibility, to recognize that His kingdom is not about preserving the past but about embracing the new life He offers. Let us ask ourselves: Are we like the wineskins, rigid and unable to hold the new wine of the Spirit? Or are we willing to be transformed, to let go of the old and receive the blessings God has in store for us? May we, like Jacob, trust in God's providence, even when the path is uncertain, and may we, like Jesus, welcome the fresh ways of the kingdom.