💖 HOMILY - JULY 9 💖

First Reading - Genesis 41:55-57,42:5-7,17-24

Gospel - Matthew 10:1-7

The mission of God often unfolds through human history in mysterious and unexpected ways. Today’s readings highlight how God calls and sends people to be instruments of His providence and mercy, even in the face of suffering, betrayal, and uncertainty.

In the first reading from Genesis, we encounter Joseph, a man who had suffered deeply at the hands of his own brothers. Sold into slavery and imprisoned unjustly, Joseph rises to a position of power in Egypt through God’s providence. When famine strikes, the very brothers who betrayed him unknowingly come to him seeking help. Though Joseph recognizes them, he does not reveal his identity immediately. What is striking in this scene is not just the dramatic irony, but the quiet work of God’s hand in reconciling what was broken. Joseph’s journey teaches us that God can turn betrayal into blessing and suffering into salvation, not only for one person but for many.

In the Gospel, Jesus calls and sends out the twelve apostles. This is the beginning of their mission—to go out to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, to proclaim that the Kingdom of God is near, and to heal and restore. These twelve were ordinary men with faults and weaknesses, but they were chosen and sent by Jesus Himself. Their authority and mission came not from their own strength but from the one who called them.

Dear friends, we are reminded today that each of us is called and sent by God. Like Joseph, we may carry wounds or burdens from the past, but God can use even our suffering as part of His saving plan. Like the apostles, we may feel unworthy or unprepared, yet Jesus sends us just as we are, empowering us to bring hope, healing, and peace to the people around us.

Let us not underestimate what God can do through our lives. In the small and large moments, in the pain and in the healing, He is at work. May we open ourselves to His calling and respond generously to the mission He entrusts to us.