July 5, 2013

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Friday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time 
Lectionary: 381

Reading 1GN 23:1-4, 19; 24:1-8, 62-67

The span of Sarah’s life was one hundred and twenty-seven years.

She died in Kiriatharba (that is, Hebron)

in the land of Canaan,

and Abraham performed the customary mourning rites for her.

Then he left the side of his dead one and addressed the Hittites:

“Although I am a resident alien among you,

sell me from your holdings a piece of property for a burial ground,

that I may bury my dead wife.”

After the transaction, Abraham buried his wife Sarah

in the cave of the field of Machpelah,

facing Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan.

Sarah, the wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac, died.  So, Abraham bought a tract of land where to bury her.  But Isaac was not yet married.  So, Abraham had not seen the promise yet come to fruition.  The promise that he, through Isaac, would be the father of nations.

Abraham had now reached a ripe old age,

and the LORD had blessed him in every way.

Abraham said to the senior servant of his household,

who had charge of all his possessions:

“Put your hand under my thigh,

and I will make you swear by the LORD,

the God of heaven and the God of earth,

that you will not procure a wife for my son

from the daughters of the Canaanites among whom I live,

but that you will go to my own land and to my kindred

to get a wife for my son Isaac.”

The servant asked him:

“What if the woman is unwilling to follow me to this land?

Should I then take your son back to the land from which you migrated?”

“Never take my son back there for any reason,” Abraham told him.

“The LORD, the God of heaven,

who took me from my father’s house and the land of my kin,

and who confirmed by oath the promise he then made to me,

‘I will give this land to your descendants’–

he will send his messenger before you,

and you will obtain a wife for my son there.

If the woman is unwilling to follow you,

you will be released from this oath.

But never take my son back there!”

So, Abraham made his servant promise to get a wife for Isaac from his own people.  But also to promise never to take Isaac back to that land.  Because God had promised him this land would be his.

A long time later, Isaac went to live in the region of the Negeb.

One day toward evening he went out . . . in the field,

and as he looked around, he noticed that camels were approaching.

Rebekah, too, was looking about, and when she saw him,

she alighted from her camel and asked the servant,

“Who is the man out there, walking through the fields toward us?”

“That is my master,” replied the servant.

Then she covered herself with her veil.

The servant recounted to Isaac all the things he had done.

Then Isaac took Rebekah into his tent;

he married her, and thus she became his wife.

In his love for her, Isaac found solace

after the death of his mother Sarah.

So, the servant went out and brought back for Isaac a wife who could replace the warmth and love of his mother, Sarah.

Genesis 2:24  Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

Responsorial PsalmPS 106:1B-2, 3-4A, 4B-5

R. (1b) Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,
for his mercy endures forever.
Who can tell the mighty deeds of the LORD,
or proclaim all his praises?
R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
Blessed are they who observe what is right,
who do always what is just.
Remember us, O LORD, as you favor your people.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
Visit me with your saving help,
That I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones,
rejoice in the joy of your people,
and glory with your inheritance.
R. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.

Always be thankful to God.  For God has given you everything good.  All good things come from God.  Always give thanks to God.  And the best way to give thanks is by uniting oneself to God in the Holy Eucharist.  His gift of self to us and our gift of self in return to Him.

GospelMT 9:9-13

As Jesus passed by,

he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post.

He said to him, “Follow me.”

And he got up and followed him.

While he was at table in his house,

many tax collectors and sinners came

and sat with Jesus and his disciples.

The Pharisees saw this and said to his disciples,

“Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

He heard this and said,

“Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do.

Go and learn the meaning of the words,

I desire mercy, not sacrifice.

I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

Jesus came to call sinners to repentance.  All of us are sinners.  Even though many of us have repented of our sins and are numbered amongst the righteous.  Yet, within us is a law of sin which wages war against our Spirit.  As the Scripture says:

Galatians 5:17For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.