Daily Readings - Sat Jul 10 2021
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
In today's readings, we encounter profound lessons on trust, forgiveness, and faithfulness. The Genesis passage recounts Jacob's final moments, emphasizing his trust in God's promise of the land and Joseph's forgiveness of his brothers. Joseph's words, "You devised evil against me, but God turned it into good," illustrate his faith in God's providence. This trust is echoed in Matthew's Gospel, where Jesus prepares His disciples for persecution, urging them not to fear those who can harm the body but to trust in God, who values each individual deeply.
Both readings highlight the theme of trusting God amidst adversity. Joseph's forgiveness and trust in God's plan, despite his brothers' betrayal, serve as a model for us when facing wrongdoing. Similarly, Jesus assures His disciples that even in persecution, they are valued and should remain faithful. This teaches us to view our challenges through the lens of God's larger plan, trusting that He can turn any situation into good.
In our daily lives, we are called to embody this trust and forgiveness. When wronged, we can choose to forgive, trusting that God is at work. Like the disciples, we should not fear human judgment but remain steadfast in our faith, acknowledging God in all we do. Our actions have eternal significance, so let us live with courage and integrity, trusting in God's care and providence.