Daily Readings - Sat Jul 13 2019
Genesis
29And he charged them, and said unto them, I am to be gathered unto my people: bury me with my fathers in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite,30In the cave that is in the field of Machpelah, which is before Mamre, in the land of Canaan, which Abraham bought with the field of Ephron the Hittite for a possession of a buryingplace.31There they buried Abraham and Sarah his wife; there they buried Isaac and Rebekah his wife; and there I buried Leah.33And when Jacob had made an end of commanding his sons, he gathered up his feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gathered unto his people.
15And when Joseph's brethren saw that their father was dead, they said, Joseph will peradventure hate us, and will certainly requite us all the evil which we did unto him.16And they sent a messenger unto Joseph, saying, Thy father did command before he died, saying,17So shall ye say unto Joseph, Forgive, I pray thee now, the trespass of thy brethren, and their sin; for they did unto thee evil: and now, we pray thee, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of thy father. And Joseph wept when they spake unto him.18And his brethren also went and fell down before his face; and they said, Behold, we be thy servants.19And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God?20But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.21Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.22And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father's house: and Joseph lived an hundred and ten years.23And Joseph saw Ephraim's children of the third generation: the children also of Machir the son of Manasseh were brought up upon Joseph's knees.24And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.25And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry up my bones from hence.26So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a coffin in Egypt.
Matthew
24The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.25It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?26Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.27What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops.28And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.29Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.30But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.31Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.32Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.33But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
Sermon
The first reading from Genesis brings us to the end of Jacob’s life, where he gives final instructions to his sons and dies surrounded by his family. Joseph, now a powerful figure in Egypt, is met with fear by his brothers, who worry he will avenge the wrongs they committed against him. Instead, Joseph weeps and consoles them, explaining that the evil they intended was turned into good by God’s providence. This passage highlights themes of forgiveness, trust in God’s plan, and the enduring bonds of family. The second reading from Matthew’s Gospel finds Jesus preparing his disciples for the challenges they will face. He warns them that they will be persecuted and that nothing done in secret will remain hidden. Jesus encourages them to speak boldly and not fear those who can harm the body, for their true value lies in their relationship with God. He reminds them that even the smallest details of their lives are known to the Father, who cares for them deeply.
Both readings invite us to reflect on trust in God’s providence and the courage to live according to His will. In Genesis, Joseph’s forgiveness and trust in God’s plan are evident as he sees beyond the evil intentions of his brothers to the greater good that unfolded. In Matthew, Jesus calls the disciples—and us—to trust in the Father’s care, even in the face of persecution or uncertainty. The readings remind us that our lives are part of a larger story, one that God is writing with love and purpose.
In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to embrace forgiveness and trust in God’s plan, even when circumstances seem difficult or unjust. Like Joseph, we are called to let go of resentment and see how God can transform suffering into grace. Like the disciples, we are invited to live with courage, knowing that our worth is rooted in God’s love, not in the opinions or actions of others. Let us strive to trust in God’s providence, to forgive freely, and to live with the confidence that we are valued and cared for by our Heavenly Father.