Daily Catholic Mass Readings for July 7, 2023
First Reading: Genesis 23.1-4, 19; 24.1-8, 62-67
1Sarah lived to be a hundred and twenty-seven years old.2She died at Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep over her.3Then Abraham rose from beside his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites. He said,4"I am an alien and a stranger among you. Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead."19Afterward Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the cave in the field of Machpelah near Mamre (which is at Hebron) in the land of Canaan.
1Abraham was now old and well advanced in years, and the LORD had blessed him in every way.2He said to the chief servant in his household, the one in charge of all that he had, "Put your hand under my thigh.3I want you to swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I am living,4but will go to my country and my own relatives and get a wife for my son Isaac."5The servant asked him, "What if the woman is unwilling to come back with me to this land? Shall I then take your son back to the country you came from?"6"Make sure that you do not take my son back there," Abraham said.7"The LORD, the God of heaven, who brought me out of my father's household and my native land and who spoke to me and promised me on oath, saying, 'To your offspring I will give this land'-he will send his angel before you so that you can get a wife for my son from there.8If the woman is unwilling to come back with you, then you will be released from this oath of mine. Only do not take my son back there."62Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the Negev.63He went out to the field one evening to meditate, and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching.64Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel65and asked the servant, "Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?He is my master," the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself.66Then the servant told Isaac all he had done.67Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.
Psalm 106
1Praise the LORD. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.2Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the LORD or fully declare his praise?3Blessed are they who maintain justice, who constantly do what is right.4Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people, come to my aid when you save them,5that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may share in the joy of your nation and join your inheritance in giving praise.6We have sinned, even as our fathers did; we have done wrong and acted wickedly.7When our fathers were in Egypt, they gave no thought to your miracles; they did not remember your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea.8Yet he saved them for his name's sake, to make his mighty power known.9He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up; he led them through the depths as through a desert.10He saved them from the hand of the foe; from the hand of the enemy he redeemed them.11The waters covered their adversaries; not one of them survived.12Then they believed his promises and sang his praise.13But they soon forgot what he had done and did not wait for his counsel.14In the desert they gave in to their craving; in the wasteland they put God to the test.15So he gave them what they asked for, but sent a wasting disease upon them.16In the camp they grew envious of Moses and of Aaron, who was consecrated to the LORD.17The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan; it buried the company of Abiram.18Fire blazed among their followers; a flame consumed the wicked.19At Horeb they made a calf and worshiped an idol cast from metal.20They exchanged their Glory for an image of a bull, which eats grass.21They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt,22miracles in the land of Ham and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.23So he said he would destroy them- had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him to keep his wrath from destroying them.24Then they despised the pleasant land; they did not believe his promise.25They grumbled in their tents and did not obey the LORD.26So he swore to them with uplifted hand that he would make them fall in the desert,27make their descendants fall among the nations and scatter them throughout the lands.28They yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods;29they provoked the LORD to anger by their wicked deeds, and a plague broke out among them.30But Phinehas stood up and intervened, and the plague was checked.31This was credited to him as righteousness for endless generations to come.32By the waters of Meribah they angered the LORD, and trouble came to Moses because of them;33for they rebelled against the Spirit of God, and rash words came from Moses' lips.34They did not destroy the peoples as the LORD had commanded them,35but they mingled with the nations and adopted their customs.36They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them.37They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.38They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was desecrated by their blood.39They defiled themselves by what they did; by their deeds they prostituted themselves.40Therefore the LORD was angry with his people and abhorred his inheritance.41He handed them over to the nations, and their foes ruled over them.42Their enemies oppressed them and subjected them to their power.43Many times he delivered them, but they were bent on rebellion and they wasted away in their sin.44But he took note of their distress when he heard their cry;45for their sake he remembered his covenant and out of his great love he relented.46He caused them to be pitied by all who held them captive.47Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise.48Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Let all the people say, "Amen!" Praise the LORD.
Gospel: Matthew 9.9-13
9As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.10While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples.11When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"12On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.13But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on trust in God’s providence and the call to mercy. In the first reading from Genesis, we see Abraham, a man of deep faith, navigating the challenges of burying his wife Sarah and securing a wife for his son Isaac. Abraham’s trust in God is evident as he instructs his servant to find a bride for Isaac from his own kindred, confident that God will guide the process. This story highlights the importance of faith and reliance on God’s plan, even when the path is uncertain. The servant’s obedience and the eventual meeting between Isaac and Rebekah demonstrate how God weaves together human actions to fulfill His purposes.
In the Gospel, Jesus extends mercy and compassion to those often shunned by society—tax collectors and sinners. When the Pharisees question Jesus’ association with such individuals, He responds by emphasizing that His mission is to call sinners to repentance, not to condemn the righteous. This exchange reminds us that God’s mercy is not limited to the “worthy” but is offered to all, especially those who recognize their need for healing and forgiveness. Jesus’ words, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice,” challenge us to prioritize love and compassion over rigid adherence to rules or judgments.
Both readings call us to trust in God’s plan and to live out His mercy in our daily lives. Just as Abraham trusted God to guide Isaac’s future, we too can trust that God is at work in our lives, even when circumstances seem unclear. And just as Jesus reached out to those on the margins, we are called to extend kindness and understanding to those around us, recognizing that we are all in need of God’s grace. Let us strive to live with faith and compassion, allowing God’s mercy to flow through us to others.