Gen 44:18-21, 23b-29;45:1-5

Mt 10:7-15

July 9
Thursday

14th Week in Ordinary Time
Augustine Zhao Rong and Companions

1st Reading: Gen 44:18-21, 23b-29; 45:1-5
    Judah then went forward and said, "My lord, allow your servant to speak. Do not be angry with your servant, although you are equal to Pharaoh him-self. The last time you questioned your servants saying: `Have you a father or a brother?' We said to my lord: `We have an aged father who had a child in his old age. His brother is dead and he is the only one left of his mother's children. And his father loves him.' Then you said to us: `Bring him down so that I can see him for myself.'
    You then told us that if our youngest brother did not come with us, we would not be admitted to your presence. All this we said to our father on returning there. So when he told us to come back and buy a little food, we said: `We cannot go down again unless our youngest brother is with us. We shall not be admitted to the lord's presence unless our brother is with us.' Then my father said: `You know that my wife had two children. One went away from me and has surely been torn to pieces since I have not seen him anymore. If you take this one from me and something happens to him you will bring my gray hair in sorrow to the grave.'
    Now Joseph could no longer control his feelings in the presence of all those standing by and he called out, "Leave my presence, everyone!" And only his brothers were with him when Joseph made himself known to them. He wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard and the news spread through Pharaoh's house.
Joseph said to his brothers, "I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?" And his brothers could not answer because they were terrified at seeing him. Joseph said, "Come closer," and they drew nearer. "I am Joseph your brother, yes, it's me, the one you sold to the Egyptians. Now don't grieve and reproach yourselves for selling me, because God has sent me before you to save your lives.

Gospel: Mt 10:7-15
    Jesus said to his disciples, "Go and proclaim this message: The kingdom of heaven is near. Heal the sick, bring the dead back to life, cleanse the lepers, and drive out demons. You received this as a gift, so give it as a gift. Do not carry any gold, silver or copper in your purses. Do not carry a traveler's bag, or an extra shirt, or sandals, or walking stick: workers deserve their living.
    "When you come to a town or a village, look for a worthy person and stay there until you leave.
    "As you enter the house, wish it peace. If the people in the house deserve it, your peace will be on them; if they do not deserve it, your blessing will come back to you.
"And if you are not welcomed and your words are not listened to, leave that house or that town and shake the dust off your feet. I assure you, it will go easier for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than it will for the people of that town."

REFLECTION
    Joseph loved his brothers in spite of themselves. He let Judah go on and on and listened to all he had to say. He found his brothers humbled by their sins against himself. Now they were ripe for the comfort he offered, when he made himself known to them as their long lost brother. Joseph shed tears of tenderness and strong affection and, with these, threw off the anger, with which he had hitherto behaved toward his brothers. This humbled them because of their sin in selling him, but encouraged them to hope for kind treatment.
    Christ is the great antitype of Joseph. He humbles us, even after we've had a taste of His loving kindness. He shows us our sins, so that we might repent and realize how much we owe to His mercy. Christ makes Himself known to us out of the sight and hearing of the world, and encourages us to draw near to Him with a true heart. Whereas we must be angry with ourselves for our sins, Christ is so armed against despair that we can rejoice in whatever God, through Christ, has brought about in our lives.

PRAYER

"Lord Jesus, may the joy and truth of the gospel transform my life that I may witness it to those around me. Grant that I may spread your truth and your light wherever I go."

Psalm 80:1-3,14-15

1 Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, thou who leadest Joseph like a flock!  Thou who art enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth
2 before E'phraim and Benjamin and Manas'seh! Stir up thy might, and come to save us!
3 Restore us, O God; let thy face shine, that we may be saved!
14 Turn again, O God of hosts! Look down from heaven, and see;  have regard for this vine,
15 the stock which thy right hand planted.

Sources:

http://www.bible.claret.org

http://www.rc.net/wcc/readings/

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Daily WORD via Text*

Thu 9 Jul 09

DAILY WORD

Gen 44:18-21, 23b-29;45:1-5

Mt 10:7-15

Jesus said- Go and proclaim this message:The kingdom of heaven is near

source: http://www.groups.yahoo.com/group/Dailywordviatext/

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Additional Meditation Links

RCNet http://www.rc.net/wcc/readings/jul9.htm

The Word Among Us http://www.wau.org/meditations/current/

Fullness of Life http://www.junmanacsa.blogspot.com/

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