14TH WEDNESDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Matthew 10:1-7) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

“Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: 'The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.'.” (Mt 10,6-7)

FIRST READING - 41:55-57; 42:5-7a, 17-24a

A reading from the Book of Genesis

When hunger came to be felt throughout the land of Egypt

and the people cried to Pharaoh for bread,

Pharaoh directed all the Egyptians to go to Joseph

and do whatever he told them.

When the famine had spread throughout the land,

Joseph opened all the cities that had grain

and rationed it to the Egyptians,

since the famine had gripped the land of Egypt.

In fact, all the world came to Joseph to obtain rations of grain,

for famine had gripped the whole world.

The sons of Israel were among those

who came to procure rations.

It was Joseph, as governor of the country,

who dispensed the rations to all the people.

When Joseph's brothers came and knelt down before him

with their faces to the ground,

he recognized them as soon as he saw them.

But Joseph concealed his own identity from them

and spoke sternly to them.

With that, he locked them up in the guardhouse for three days.

On the third day Joseph said to his brothers:

"Do this, and you shall live; for I am a God-fearing man.

If you have been honest,

only one of your brothers need be confined in this prison,

while the rest of you may go

and take home provisions for your starving families.

But you must come back to me with your youngest brother.

Your words will thus be verified, and you will not die."

To this they agreed.

To one another, however, they said:

"Alas, we are being punished because of our brother.

We saw the anguish of his heart when he pleaded with us,

yet we paid no heed;

that is why this anguish has now come upon us."

Reuben broke in,

"Did I not tell you not to do wrong to the boy?

But you would not listen!

Now comes the reckoning for his blood."

The brothers did not know, of course,

that Joseph understood what they said,

since he spoke with them through an interpreter.

But turning away from them, he wept.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - 10:1-7

From the Gospel according to Matthew

Jesus summoned his Twelve disciples

and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out

and to cure every disease and every illness.

The names of the Twelve Apostles are these:

first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew;

James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John;

Philip and Bartholomew,

Thomas and Matthew the tax collector;

James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus;

Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot

who betrayed Jesus.

Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus,

"Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town.

Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

As you go, make this proclamation: 'The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.'"

14TH WEDNESDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Matthew 10:1-7)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

The Word of God for today tells the story of Jesus choosing and naming the twelve apostles. Each apostle was specially chosen by God and had a unique role in His plan.

The twelve apostles are God's extended arms, sent out to save souls and gather the harvest to bring back to Him. When they went out, God gave them His power and strength, granting them full authority over Satan, to drive out demons who were fighting for and stealing the souls of God's children.

Because of God's love for humanity, He chose and sent the apostles to continue the mission of preaching the Gospel of God, calling people to repentance, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. After God gave the twelve apostles this special mission, He instructed and sent them out, saying: “Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” God knew that the lost sheep of the house of Israel were suffering greatly, bound by Satan.

He also advised His disciples: “Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town.” The pagan here refers to souls who worship Satan; they will not listen to God's call to abandon worshipping Satan and return to Him.

Therefore, He taught the apostles that to fulfill the mission God had given them, they should go to the lost sheep and help them return to God because they were going astray and far from God.

Now, He sent the apostles to these lost ones, bringing with them the image of Jesus Christ, who died and was resurrected, a Jesus Christ of love who came to love, share, and lead the lost sheep back to God.

Continuing the mission of the apostles, today, in the work of the House of God the Father, God has also sent twelve stones, which are the apostles in this era, the era of the Holy Spirit, to go out and find the lost sheep and help them return to God.

The apostles of God carry within them a loving Jesus Christ to warm the hearts of the lost sheep who are cold and in need of God's help.

Let us go! Go out and fulfill the mission that God has given us to lead many lost sheep back to the God of love. God always watches over, accompanies, provides for, and protects His apostles as they are on their way to preach the Gospel.

Therefore, He sends the apostles out with peace of mind to lead many souls back to God every day so that those souls may attain happiness with their merciful Father.

Thanks be to God. Amen.