Daily Readings - Fri Jun 30 2017
Genesis
1When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless.5No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.9Then God said to Abraham, "As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come.10This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised.15God also said to Abraham, "As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah.16I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her."17Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, "Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?"18And Abraham said to God, "If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!"19Then God said, "Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.20And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation.21But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah will bear to you by this time next year."22When he had finished speaking with Abraham, God went up from him.
Matthew
1When he came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him.2A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean."3Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" Immediately he was cured of his leprosy.4Then Jesus said to him, "See that you don't tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."
Sermon
In today's readings, we journey through two profound narratives that invite us to reflect on faith, trust, and God's unwavering promises. The first reading from Genesis 17 details God's covenant with Abraham, where Abram and Sarai are renamed, symbolizing a new divine relationship. Despite Abraham's doubt due to their advanced age, God assures him of a future filled with blessings, including the birth of Isaac. This passage underscores the theme of trust in God's plan, even when it seems improbable.
The Gospel from Matthew 8:1-4 presents a leper who approaches Jesus with humility and faith, seeking healing. Jesus, moved by compassion, heals him and instructs him to follow the Mosaic law by presenting himself to the priest. This story highlights the power of faith and the importance of obedience, as the leper's trust in Jesus leads to his restoration.
Both readings beautifully intertwine themes of faith and trust in God. Abraham's story reminds us to have faith in God's promises, while the leper's encounter with Jesus illustrates the transformative power of faith. In our daily lives, we are called to trust God's plan, even when faced with uncertainty, and to respond with obedience and gratitude when we experience His grace. Let us embrace this faith, allowing it to guide us in our walk with God, and may we, like the leper, humbly seek His healing touch in our lives.