St. Benedict, abbot 

＊＊＊1st Reading＊＊＊   Gen 44:18–21, 23b–29; 45:1–5*

Judah then went forward and said, “My lord, allow your servant to speak.(……)  

You then told us that if our youngest brother did not come with us, we would not be admitted to your presence. All this we said to our father on returning there. So when he told us to come back and buy a little food, we said: ‘We cannot go down again unless our youngest brother is with us.

We shall not be admitted to the lord’s presence unless our brother is with us. Then my father said: ”You know that my wife had two children.     One went away from me and has surely been torn to pieces since I have not seen him anymore. If you take this one from me and something happens to him you will bring my gray hair in sorrow to the grave.(…..)

Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?”    And his brothers could not answer because they were terrified at seeing him. Joseph said, “Come closer,” and they drew nearer. “I am Joseph your brother,

yes, it’s me, the one you sold to the Egyptians. Now don’t grieve and reproach yourselves for selling me,  because God has sent me before you to save your lives.

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

  Mt 10:7–15

  “Go and proclaim this message: The kingdom of heaven is near.      Heal the sick, bring the dead back to life, cleanse the lepers, and drive out demons. Freely have you received, freely give. Do not carry any gold or silver or money in your purses. Do not take a traveling bag, or an extra shirt, or sandals, or a walking stick: workers deserve to be compensated.

 “When you come to a town or a village, look for a worthy person, and stay there until you leave.When you enter the house, wish it peace. If the people are worthy people, your peace will rest on them; if they are not worthy people, your blessing will come back to you.

And if you are not welcomed, and your words are not listened to, leave that house or that town, and shake the dust off your feet. I assure you, it will go easier for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment, than it will for the people of that town.

 

Reflection gospel：

“TO PROCLAIM AND ADVANCE THE KINGDOM.”

The gospel passage outlines what entails the mission to proclaim the Kingdom of God. it identifies the tasks that the disciples ought to accomplish. One may notice that these are the same activities that Jesus did during his public ministry. They are now extended to the disciples. This means that the same heavenly powers are to operate to fulfill the tasks. The disciples now share in the powers of Jesus.

Today, these powers are operative in the Church. They work in people touched by the Spirit. How does the Spirit inspire and empower us? What are we being called and sent to do to advance the Reign of God? We may not have the power to cure diseases and sickness, to raise the dead back to life, and so forth. But one thing is certain – we are gifted to do something for the Kingdom of God. and that something is specific to us to do.