WORD 2day: Thursday, 14th week in Ordinary Time
July 11, 2019: Genesis 44:18-21, 23b-29, 45:1-5; Matthew 10: 7-15
As Joseph notes in the last verse of the first reading today, "it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you". It was with a mission that Jesus was sent to us and it is with a mission that Jesus sends us today - he says to each of us: "As the father sent me, so I send you"(Jn 20:21).
Each of us is sent! Sent with the promise of Shalom; Shalom which is fullness of blessings that we wish for every brother or sister in the Lord, or for that matter that is what we wish for the whole world as sons and daughters of the Good Lord. We may wonder, why the whole world... is it not only those who are good to me; those who are my well wishers? But the Lord and the Word today have it otherwise.
We are presented with the example of Joseph who in spite of all that they did to him tells the rest of the sons of Jacob, "I am your brother"! Isn't that the true Christian attitude expected of us. This is possible only if we look at everything from the perspective of God as did Joseph, and of course Jesus! That is shalom... not just being good to those who are good, but being good and... period - irrespective of what others are and what the world is.
Let this day be another opportunity for us to carry the Lord's message today: Shalom to all!