Mercy and Freedom

Comments on the texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary for today.

Called in Community

The Reading from Genesis 23:1-4, 19; 24:1-8, 62-67 describes the need for a burial site for Sarah.

* [23:1–20] The occasion for purchasing the land is the need for a burial site for Sarah, for it would be unthinkable to bury Sarah outside of the promised land. One of the two great promises to Abraham, that of progeny, has been fulfilled (21:1–7). And now the promise of land is to be fulfilled, through a kind of down payment on the full possession that will take place only with the conquest under Joshua and during the reign of David. This purchase has been prepared for by Abimelech’s recognition of Abraham’s claim to the well at Beer-sheba (21:22–34). Among the ancestral stories this narrative is one of two that are entirely from the P source (chap. 17 being the other). The Priestly writers may have intended to encourage the generation of the exile to a renewed hope of repossessing their land. (Genesis, CHAPTER 23 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 106 praises the God of mercy.

* [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). Confident of God’s mercy, the speaker invites national repentance (Ps 106:6) by reciting from Israel’s history eight instances of sin, judgment, and forgiveness. (Psalms, PSALM 106 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Matthew 9:9-13 describes the Call 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.

* [9:12] See note on Mk 2:17.

* [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.

Steve Scholer shares the Daily Reflection July 4, 2025

Don Schwager I Desire Mercy - Not Sacrifice

Friar Jude Winkler comments on the texts for July 4, 2025

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, teaches that a deeper understanding of freedom and liberation are needed today.

References

Genesis, CHAPTER 23 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 4, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/genesis/23?1 

Matthew, CHAPTER 9 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 4, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/9?9 

Psalms, PSALM 106 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 4, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/106?1