Reading 1
Gn 49:29-32; 50:15-26a
Jacob gave his sons this charge:
“Since I am about to be taken to my people,
bury me with my fathers in the cave that lies
in the field of Ephron the Hittite,
the cave in the field of Machpelah,
facing on Mamre, in the land of Canaan,
the field that Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite
for a burial ground.
There Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried,
and so are Isaac and his wife Rebekah,
and there, too, I buried Leah–
the field and the cave in it
that had been purchased from the Hittites.”
Now that their father was dead,
Joseph’s brothers became fearful and thought,
“Suppose Joseph has been nursing a grudge against us
and now plans to pay us back in full for all the wrong we did him!”
So they approached Joseph and said:
“Before your father died, he gave us these instructions:
‘You shall say to Joseph, Jacob begs you
to forgive the criminal wrongdoing of your brothers,
who treated you so cruelly.’
Please, therefore, forgive the crime that we,
the servants of your father’s God, committed.”
When they spoke these words to him, Joseph broke into tears.
Then his brothers proceeded to fling themselves down before him
and said, “Let us be your slaves!”
But Joseph replied to them:
“Have no fear. Can I take the place of God?
Even though you meant harm to me, God meant it for good,
to achieve his present end, the survival of many people.
Therefore have no fear.
I will provide for you and for your children.”
By thus speaking kindly to them, he reassured them.
Joseph remained in Egypt, together with his father’s family.
He lived a hundred and ten years.
He saw Ephraim’s children to the third generation,
and the children of Manasseh’s son Machir
were also born on Joseph’s knees.
Joseph said to his brothers: “I am about to die.
God will surely take care of you and lead you out of this land to the land
that he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”
Then, putting the sons of Israel under oath, he continued,
“When God thus takes care of you,
you must bring my bones up with you from this place.”
Joseph died at the age of a hundred and ten.
105:1-2, 3-4, 6-7
Responsorial PsalmR. (see Psalm 69:33)
Be glad you lowly ones; may your hearts be glad!
Give thanks to the LORD, invoke his name;
make known among the nations his deeds.
Sing to him, sing his praise,
proclaim all his wondrous deeds.
R. Be glad you lowly ones; may your hearts be glad!
Glory in his holy name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
Look to the LORD in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.
R. Be glad you lowly ones; may your hearts be glad!
You descendants of Abraham, his servants,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!
He, the LORD, is our God;
throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
R. Be glad you lowly ones; may your hearts be glad!
Gospel
Mt 10:24-33
Jesus said to his Apostles:
“No disciple is above his teacher,
no slave above his master.
It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher,
for the slave that he become like his master.
If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul,
how much more those of his household!
“Therefore do not be afraid of them.
Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed,
nor secret that will not be known.
What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light;
what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.
And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul;
rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy
both soul and body in Gehenna.
Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin?
Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge.
Even all the hairs of your head are counted.
So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
Everyone who acknowledges me before others
I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father.
But whoever denies me before others,
I will deny before my heavenly Father.”
Meditation: Matthew 10:24-33
“What you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops… . You are worth more than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:27,31)
Do you know that God really likes you? It’s easy to say, “God loves me.” But he likes you too. He appreciates your unique personality, even the little quirks that help make up who you are. Excited over the gifts and talents he has given you, he fashioned a plan for your life, paying the utmost attention to every detail. You are not a mistake or an afterthought. No, you are worth “more than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:31).
God likes you so much, in fact, that he loves to share his secrets with you. He likes speaking to your innermost heart, giving you words of wisdom, insight, and love. Jesus is so close to you, and you are so precious in his sight, that he can’t help but share with you the treasures of his gospel message. He can’t help but show you new aspects of his love, his perfect plan, and the life that he wants to pour out on everyone who comes to him.
As you pray and ponder Scripture today, try to picture Jesus sitting next to you and speaking to you confidentially. Imagine him opening his heart to you, as he would to a trusted friend. Let his words sink in. Accept them as a gift, as the privilege that he gives only to those who love him and believe in him. Accept them, too, as wisdom that he wants you to share with your friends, insights that he wants you to “proclaim on the housetops” as you go through your everyday life (Matthew 10:27). They are not meant to be guarded jealously but to be shared, poured out as generously as he gives them to you.
You are important to the Lord! He values you! Let this truth penetrate your mind and set you free from worry and anxiety. He treasures you and is committed to giving you everything you need to live in this world. He has so much to tell you. So listen carefully, then go and proclaim the good news to everyone who will hear.
“Jesus, I don’t want to miss a word you have to say to me. You are my strength, my hope, and my love. I want to tell everyone about the treasure I have found in you.”
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