Daily Readings - Fri Jul 07 2017

First Reading - Genesis 23.1-4, 19; 24.1-8, 62-67

¹Now Sarah lived for one hundred and twenty-seven years²And she died in the city of Arba, which is Hebron, in the land of Canaan. And Abraham came to mourn and weep for her³And when he had risen up from the funeral duties, he spoke to the sons of Heth, saying⁴"I am a newcomer and a sojourner among you. Give me the right of a sepulcher among you, so that I may bury my dead.¹⁹So then, Abraham buried his wife Sarah in the double cave of the field that overlooked Mamre. This is Hebron in the land of Canaan

Chapter 24

¹Now Abraham was old and of many days. And the Lord had blessed him in all things²And he said to the elder servant of his house, who was in charge of all that he had: "Place your hand under my thigh³so that I may make you swear by the Lord, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live⁴But that you will proceed to my land and kindred, and from there take a wife for my son Isaac.⁵The servant responded, "If the woman is not willing to come with me into this land, must I lead your son back to the place from which you departed?⁶And Abraham said: "Beware that you never lead my son back to that place⁷The Lord God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my nativity, who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, ‘To your offspring I will give this land,’ himself will send his Angel before you, and you will take from there a wife for my son⁸But if the woman is not willing to follow you, you will not be held by the oath. Only do not lead my son back to that place.⁶²Then, at the same time, Isaac was walking along the way that leads to the well, whose name is: ‘of the One who lives and who sees.’ For he dwelt in the southern land⁶³And he had gone out to meditate in the field, as daylight was now declining. And when he had lifted up his eyes, he saw camels advancing from afar⁶⁴Likewise, Rebekah, having seen Isaac, descended from the camel⁶⁵And she said to the servant, "Who is that man who advances to meet us through the field?" And he said to her, "That is my lord." And so, quickly taking up her cloak, she covered herself⁶⁶Then the servant explained to Isaac all that he had done⁶⁷And he led her into the tent of Sarah his mother, and he accepted her as wife. And he loved her so very much, that it tempered the sorrow which befell him at his mother’s death

Gospel - Matthew 9.9-13

Matthew

Chapter 9

⁹And when Jesus passed on from there, he saw, sitting at the tax office, a man named Matthew. And he said to him, "Follow me." And rising up, he followed him¹⁰And it happened that, as he was sitting down to eat in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners arrived, and they sat down to eat with Jesus and his disciples¹¹And the Pharisees, seeing this, said to his disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?¹²But Jesus, hearing this, said: "It is not those who are healthy who are in need of a physician, but those who have maladies¹³So then, go out and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the just, but sinners.

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on trust, faith, and God's providence. The first reading from Genesis presents Abraham, a man of deep faith, who entrusts God with two significant life events: the burial of his wife Sarah and the marriage of his son Isaac. Abraham's trust in God is evident as he instructs his servant to find a wife for Isaac from his own kin, believing that God will guide the process. This trust is rewarded when Rebekah, a kind and generous woman, agrees to leave her home and marry Isaac, symbolizing God's faithfulness to His promises. The Gospel reading from Matthew shifts our focus to Jesus, who embodies God's mercy and compassion. Jesus calls Matthew, a tax collector, to follow Him, and later dines with tax collectors and sinners. The Pharisees question Jesus' actions, but He responds by emphasizing that His mission is to call sinners to repentance, not to condemn the righteous. Jesus' words, "I desire mercy, not sacrifice," remind us that God's heart is for those who are broken and in need of healing. These readings remind us that faith and trust in God's plan are essential for our lives. Like Abraham, we are called to trust God even when the future seems uncertain. Like Jesus, we are called to extend mercy and compassion to those around us, recognizing that we are all in need of God's grace. May we learn to trust in God's providence and to live out His mercy in our daily lives.