Wednesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Today's Mass Readings
The readings today challenge us to look at our own short comings, yet offer us God’s mercy if we place our trust in Him. Ultimately, our openness to God’s ability deliver us from evil allows us to be summoned and then sent forth to be disciples. In the reading from Genesis we find Joseph, think “Technicolor Dream Coat”, who has gone from slave to second in command in Egypt. As governor, Joseph is confronted with an ironic twist of events. The very people who sold him into slavery need Joseph’s help desperately. Although Joseph recognized his brothers immediately, they were unable to recognize him. As opposed to revealing his identity, Joseph utilizes his authority to confront his siblings. First he locks them up for three days. On the third day, he sets all of them free except one brother. He grants their request for food for their whole family and sends them forth with the understanding that the last brother will be released from jail when they have returned with their youngest brother. The issue that confronts the brothers is how do they explain what happened to their youngest brother Joseph. The brothers realize they are reaping what they have sown. “Alas, we are being punished because of our brother.” (Gen 42:21) “Now comes the reckoning for his blood.” (Gen 42:22).
Today’s Gospel from Matthew has Jesus summoning the Twelve Apostles to give them “authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness.” (Mt 10:1b). After Jesus bestows authority on the twelve, He sends them forth to confront the lost of the house of Israel. As they went, they were to proclaim, “The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Mt 10:7). Today’s gospel passage is the only place the word “Apostle” is used in the Gospel of Matthew. The word Apostle means ‘one who is sent.’
Discerning what is right and wrong is not always easy. We live in a culture that often encourages us to give into temptation, to ‘Just Do It!’ or to ‘Chase What You Desire!’ The sales pitch towards giving into to all that we desire only expresses half of the story, as the negative consequences are left to be discovered later. The culture also teaches that our sins are only sins if someone finds out. We know that God in Heaven knows the truth, and that almost always the truth catches up with us, like in today’s first reading. For Joseph’s brothers, they see that the sin of selling their brother into slavery creates great anguish. Fortunately for them and us, anguish is not the end of the story as we see in the readings from the next few days.
As we go about our day, let us reflect upon the ways God is calling us to a reckoning. There may be serious retribution needed, sometimes it is not necessary. What we need is to be aware of is how our merciful Lord wants to heal our every ill and cast out all of our demons.
“Lord you take away the anguish of our hearts, as we place our trust in you. Summon us to be open to all the ways You are trying to take our brokenness and make it whole. Then Lord, with healed spirits, send us forth with shouts of joy to proclaim Your Kingdom has come! In Jesus Holy name we pray, Amen!”
- Michael Montgomery