The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to ponder the promise we maintain in our faith in the love and mercy of God.
The reading from Genesis describes Sarah’s death and burial and the marriage of Isaac and Rebekah.
* [24:1–67] The story of Abraham and Sarah is drawing to a close. The promises of progeny (21:1–7) and land (chap. 23) have been fulfilled and Sarah has died (23:1–2). Abraham’s last duty is to ensure that his son Isaac shares in the promises. Isaac must take a wife from his own people (vv. 3–7), so the promises may be fulfilled. The extraordinary length of this story and its development of a single theme contrast strikingly with the spare style of the preceding Abraham and Sarah stories. It points ahead to the Jacob and Joseph stories. (Genesis, CHAPTER 24, n.d.)
Psalm 106 is a confession of Israel’s Sins.
* [Psalm 106] Israel is invited to praise the God whose mercy has always tempered judgment of Israel (Ps 106:1–3). The speaker, on behalf of all, seeks solidarity with the people, who can always count on God’s fidelity despite their sin (Ps 106:4–5). (Psalms, PSALM 106, n.d.)
The Gospel of Matthew describes the calling of Matthew.
* [9:9] A man named Matthew: Mark names this tax collector Levi (Mk 2:14). No such name appears in the four lists of the twelve who were the closest companions of Jesus (Mt 10:2–4; Mk 3:16–19; Lk 6:14–16; Acts 1:13 [eleven, because of the defection of Judas Iscariot]), whereas all four list a Matthew, designated in Mt 10:3 as “the tax collector.” The evangelist may have changed the “Levi” of his source to Matthew so that this man, whose call is given special notice, like that of the first four disciples (Mt 4:18–22), might be included among the twelve. Another reason for the change may be that the disciple Matthew was the source of traditions peculiar to the church for which the evangelist was writing.
* [9:10] His house: it is not clear whether his refers to Jesus or Matthew. Tax collectors: see note on Mt 5:46. Table association with such persons would cause ritual impurity.
* [9:11] Teacher: see note on Mt 8:19.
* [9:13] Go and learn…not sacrifice: Matthew adds the prophetic statement of Hos 6:6 to the Marcan account (see also Mt 12:7). If mercy is superior to the temple sacrifices, how much more to the laws of ritual impurity. (Matthew, CHAPTER 9, n.d.)
Barbara Dilly comments that the Gospel today reminds us that getting closer to Jesus does not mean joining a club of the sanctimonious righteous. It means sitting down with sinners.
And it means more than just sitting there. To follow in the healing work of Jesus with our fellow sinners, Jesus tells us we need to learn the meaning of the words, “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” To sacrifice is to offer something meaningful to God. That is not necessarily a bad thing to do. It is a way of setting priorities in our relationship with God. But Jesus wants us to also set priorities in our relationships with others. Jesus calls us to show compassion, kindness, and forgiveness to others, just as he does for us. That is a big challenge. It can be a lot of work and often a real burden. It surely helps me to remember the words Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Dilly, 2023)
Don Schwager quotes “Matthew did not delay when called by Jesus,” by Chromatius (died 406 AD).
"The Lord, about to give salvation to all sinners believing in him, willingly chose Matthew the former publican. The gift of his esteem for Matthew stands as an example for our salvation. Every sinner must be chosen by God and can receive the grace of eternal salvation if one is not without a religious mind and a devout heart. So Matthew was chosen willingly by God. And though he is immersed in worldly affairs, because of his sincere religious devotion he is judged worthy to be called forth by the Lord ("Follow me"), who by virtue of his divine nature knows the hidden recesses of the heart. From what follows, we know that Matthew was accepted by the Lord not by reason of his status but of his faith and devotion. As soon as the Lord says to him, "Follow me," he does not linger or delay, but thereupon "he arose and followed him." (excerpt from TRACTATE ON MATTHEW 45.1)
[Note: Chromatius was an early Christian scholar and bishop of Aquileia, Italy. He was a close friend of John Chrysostom and Jerome. He died in 406 AD. Jerome described him as a "most learned and most holy man."](Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on Genesis 23:1-4, 19; 24:1-8, 62-67 comments that as he did with Abraham, God has made promises to us. He promises to be with us always (Matthew 28:20). He promises us forgiveness of our sins (John 20:23). And he promises eternal life to all who believe (5:24). As we look back over our lives, we are sure to see signs of God’s faithfulness to these promises. Maybe it was an unexpected sense of peace in the midst of a trying time. Maybe it was a sense of freedom after you confessed your sin. Or maybe it was a sudden feeling of eager expectation for heaven. All these are proofs that God is watching over us and blessing us.
God is faithful. Let that truth help you, like Abraham, respond to him with your own faithfulness. Let it convince you that you can count on his provision for you and your family long into the future.
“Father, thank you for your promises. Help me to look back on your faithfulness and move forward with hope!” (Meditation on Genesis 23:1-4, 19; 24:1-8, 62-67, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler relates an ancient legend about the details of the death of Sarah. The only part of the Promised Land owned by Abraham is the burial plot for Sarah and Isaac is not married and the descendants of Abraham are not yet visible. Friar Jude notes how we maintain the Pharisee’s sense of the contagion of evil in some of our family practices.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Episcopal priest and author Adam Bucko, who reminds us of the Gospel call to solidarity with the poor, who reveal Christ.
The Christian spiritual tradition is very clear about how we are to relate to those who are fragile, who have been rejected and forgotten, and who are standing on the bread lines waiting for food. We are to see them as Christ and approach them with the same kind of reverence and willingness to say yes. This identification of Christ with the poor is such that an old Anglo-Catholic saying, often cited in the context of the slum priest movement of the 1920s, tells us that unless we are willing and able to see Christ on the highways and byways of our cities in those who are rejected, homeless, and poor, we have no business talking about meeting him in the Eucharist. Our faith cannot be complete unless we have connected the two. As one theologian said, “The real presence of Christ, which is hidden in the bread and wine, is visibly manifested in his social presence in the poor who are the sign and image of his ongoing passion in the world.” [1]
We are prompted by the Spirit to be merciful and kind to people who we encounter who may be among the forgotten and neglected in our society.
References
Dilly, B. (2023, July 7). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved July 7, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/070723.htm
Genesis, CHAPTER 24. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved July 7, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/genesis/24
Matthew, CHAPTER 9. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved July 7, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/9?
Meditation on Genesis 23:1-4, 19; 24:1-8, 62-67. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved July 7, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/07/07/728791/
Psalms, PSALM 106. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved July 7, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/106?1
Rohr, R. (n.d.). The Real and Holy Presence. CAC Daily Meditations 2023. Retrieved July 7, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-real-and-holy-presence-2023-07-07/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). I Desire Mercy - Not Sacrifice. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved July 7, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=jul7
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