Daily Readings - Wed Jul 12 2023
Genesis
55And when all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread: and Pharaoh said unto all the Egyptians, Go unto Joseph; what he saith to you, do.56And the famine was over all the face of the earth: And Joseph opened all the storehouses, and sold unto the Egyptians; and the famine waxed sore in the land of Egypt.57And all countries came into Egypt to Joseph for to buy corn; because that the famine was so sore in all lands.
5And the sons of Israel came to buy corn among those that came: for the famine was in the land of Canaan.6And Joseph was the governor over the land, and he it was that sold to all the people of the land: and Joseph's brethren came, and bowed down themselves before him with their faces to the earth.7And Joseph saw his brethren, and he knew them, but made himself strange unto them, and spake roughly unto them; and he said unto them, Whence come ye? And they said, From the land of Canaan to buy food.17And he put them all together into ward three days.18And Joseph said unto them the third day, This do, and live; for I fear God:19If ye be true men, let one of your brethren be bound in the house of your prison: go ye, carry corn for the famine of your houses:20But bring your youngest brother unto me; so shall your words be verified, and ye shall not die. And they did so.21And they said one to another, We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear; therefore is this distress come upon us.22And Reuben answered them, saying, Spake I not unto you, saying, Do not sin against the child; and ye would not hear? therefore, behold, also his blood is required.23And they knew not that Joseph understood them; for he spake unto them by an interpreter.24And he turned himself about from them, and wept; and returned to them again, and communed with them, and took from them Simeon, and bound him before their eyes.
Matthew
1And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.2Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother;3Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus;4Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.5These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not:6But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.7And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on leadership, responsibility, and the call to serve others. The first reading from Genesis presents Joseph, now a governor in Egypt, who uses his authority to test his brothers, leading them towards repentance. Despite their past wrongs, Joseph's actions are guided by a deeper purpose—to bring his family together and ensure their survival. His leadership is marked by wisdom and compassion, as he confronts them with their past sins, prompting them to acknowledge their guilt and seek redemption.
The Gospel from Matthew shifts our focus to Jesus, who commissions his twelve disciples to spread the message of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus gives them authority to heal and cast out spirits, instructing them to focus their mission on the lost sheep of Israel. This mission is not about personal gain or recognition but about serving others with humility and love. The disciples are called to embody the values of the kingdom, bringing hope and healing to those in need.
Both readings remind us that true leadership and authority are not about power but about service. Joseph and the disciples demonstrate that our positions and talents are gifts meant to be used for the greater good. In our daily lives, we are called to lead with compassion, using our unique roles to uplift and serve others. Let us embrace this call with humility, recognizing that our actions have the power to bring people closer to God and to each other.