Daily Readings - Sat Jul 01 2023
Genesis
1And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;2And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,3And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant:4Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:5And I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your hearts; after that ye shall pass on: for therefore are ye come to your servant. And they said, So do, as thou hast said.6And Abraham hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth.7And Abraham ran unto the herd, and fetcht a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and he hasted to dress it.8And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.9And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.10And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.11Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.12Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?13And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?14Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.15Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh.
Matthew
5And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,6And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.7And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.8The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.9For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.10When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.11And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.12But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.13And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.14And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever.15And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.16When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:17That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful stories that invite us to reflect on faith, hospitality, and trust in God’s providence. The first reading from Genesis describes Abraham’s encounter with three mysterious visitors. Abraham, with his wife Sarah, shows extraordinary hospitality, rushing to provide food and comfort for these strangers. Despite their advanced age, God promises them a son, Isaac, a promise that seems impossible to Sarah, who laughs in disbelief. Yet, God reminds us that nothing is impossible for Him, and Sarah’s laughter becomes a moment of grace, teaching us to trust in God’s plan even when it seems beyond our understanding.
In the Gospel, we meet a Roman centurion whose servant is paralyzed and suffering. The centurion approaches Jesus with humility and faith, acknowledging his unworthiness but trusting in Jesus’ power to heal. Jesus is moved by the centurion’s faith, which surpasses even that of many in Israel. The healing of the servant and the subsequent healings of Peter’s mother-in-law and many others demonstrate Jesus’ compassion and authority over sickness and evil. These miracles remind us that faith is not about worthiness but about trusting in God’s love and power.
Both readings call us to reflect on our own faith and hospitality. Abraham’s openness to strangers and the centurion’s unwavering trust in Jesus challenge us to embrace humility and generosity in our daily lives. Like Abraham, we are called to welcome others with kindness and openness, recognizing that every encounter is an opportunity to experience God’s presence. Like the centurion, we are invited to trust in God’s plan, even when it seems impossible or uncertain. Let us ask ourselves: Do we approach life with the humility and faith of the centurion? Do we open our hearts and homes to others as Abraham did? May these readings inspire us to live with greater trust in God and greater love for those around us.