Daily Readings - Sat Jun 26 2021
Genesis
1The LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day.2Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.3He said, "If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by.4Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree.5Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way-now that you have come to your servant.Very well," they answered, "do as you say."6So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. "Quick," he said, "get three seahs of fine flour and knead it and bake some bread."7Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it.8He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.9"Where is your wife Sarah?" they asked him. "There, in the tent," he said.10Then the LORD said, "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son." Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him.11Abraham and Sarah were already old and well advanced in years, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing.12So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, "After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?"13Then the LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really have a child, now that I am old?'14Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son."15Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, "I did not laugh." But he said, "Yes, you did laugh."
Matthew
5When Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to him, asking for help.6"Lord," he said, "my servant lies at home paralyzed and in terrible suffering."7Jesus said to him, "I will go and heal him."8The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.9For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."10When Jesus heard this, he was astonished and said to those following him, "I tell you the truth, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.11I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.12But the subjects of the kingdom will be thrown outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."13Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go! It will be done just as you believed it would." And his servant was healed at that very hour.14When Jesus came into Peter's house, he saw Peter's mother-in-law lying in bed with a fever.15He touched her hand and the fever left her, and she got up and began to wait on him.16When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick.17This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: "He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases."
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter profound lessons on faith, trust, and the boundless power of God. The first reading from Genesis recounts the visit of three divine beings to Abraham, who exemplifies hospitality and unwavering faith. Despite Sarah's laughter at the improbable promise of a son in her old age, God reaffirms His power to fulfill the impossible, emphasizing that human limitations do not constrain divine promises.
The Gospel from Matthew presents a centurion whose remarkable faith in Jesus' authority leads to the healing of his servant. This episode underscores the themes of humility and trust, as the centurion recognizes his unworthiness yet believes in Jesus' power. Jesus' subsequent healings, including Peter's mother-in-law, illustrate His compassion and fulfillment of prophecy, highlighting His divine mission to bear our infirmities.
These readings intertwine through their emphasis on faith and trust. Abraham's belief in God's promise and the centurion's faith in Jesus mirror each other, demonstrating how faith transcends human understanding and leads to miraculous outcomes. Both narratives also highlight the virtues of hospitality and service—Abraham's eagerness to serve and the centurion's intercession for his servant.
In our daily lives, these stories invite us to embrace faith and humility. Like Abraham and the centurion, we are called to trust God beyond our comprehension and to serve others with openness and compassion. The readings remind us that our limitations do not limit God's power, encouraging us to approach life with faith and trust, trusting that God can achieve the impossible through us.