Daily Readings - Mon Jul 08 2019
Genesis
10Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Haran.11When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep.12He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.13There above it stood the LORD, and he said: "I am the LORD, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying.14Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring.15I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."16When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it."17He was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven."18Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it.19He called that place Bethel, though the city used to be called Luz.20Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear21so that I return safely to my father's house, then the LORD will be my God22and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God's house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth."
Matthew
18While he was saying this, a ruler came and knelt before him and said, "My daughter has just died. But come and put your hand on her, and she will live."19Jesus got up and went with him, and so did his disciples.20Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak.21She said to herself, "If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed."22Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed from that moment.23When Jesus entered the ruler's house and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd,24he said, "Go away. The girl is not dead but asleep." But they laughed at him.25After the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took the girl by the hand, and she got up.26News of this spread through all that region.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter profound moments of faith and divine encounter. The first reading from Genesis narrates Jacob's vision of a ladder connecting heaven and earth, where God reaffirms His covenant, promising Jacob the land and His presence. This pivotal moment transforms Jacob, leading him to consecrate the site as Bethel, a house of God. The Gospel from Matthew presents two miracles: the healing of a woman with a flow of blood and the resurrection of a ruler's daughter. Both instances highlight the transformative power of faith, as Jesus commends the woman's faith and restores the girl to life, illustrating His divine authority.
These readings, though from different times, share a common theme of trust in God's providence. Jacob, in his vulnerable state, trusts in God's promise, while the woman and the ruler in the Gospel demonstrate unwavering faith in Jesus' ability to heal. Their stories remind us that faith is not passive but active, requiring us to step out in trust, even in uncertainty.
In our daily lives, these readings invite us to recognize God's presence and to approach Him with the same faith as Jacob, the woman, and the ruler. Whether in moments of crisis or routine, we are called to trust in God's plan and seek His healing touch. Let us, like Jacob, consecrate our lives to God, acknowledging His presence in all things. May we, with persistent faith, find strength and healing, knowing that God is always with us, guiding and sustaining us through life's journey.