Daily Scripture Reflection & Prayer: July 10, 2025

Date: Thursday of the 14^th Week in Ordinary Time

Scripture Text:  Genesis 44:18-21, 23b-29; 45:1-5

Judah approached Joseph and said: "I beg you, my lord, let your servant speak earnestly to my lord, and do not become angry with your servant, for you are the equal of Pharaoh. My lord asked your servants, 'Have you a father, or another brother?' So, we said to my lord, 'We have an aged father, and a young brother, the child of his old age. This one's full brother is dead, and since he is the only one by that mother who is left, his father dotes on him.' Then you told your servants, 'Bring him down to me that my eyes may look on him. Unless your youngest brother comes back with you, you shall not come into my presence again.' When we returned to your servant our father, we reported to him the words of my lord.

"Later, our father told us to come back and buy some food for the family. So, we reminded him, 'We cannot go down there; only if our youngest brother is with us can we go, for we may not see the man if our youngest brother is not with us.' Then your servant our father said to us, 'As you know, my wife bore me two sons. One of them, however, disappeared, and I had to conclude that he must have been torn to pieces by wild beasts; I have not seen him since. If you now take this one away from me, too, and some disaster befalls him, you will send my white head down to the nether world in grief.'"

Joseph could no longer control himself in the presence of all his attendants, so he cried out, "Have everyone withdraw from me!" Thus no one else was about when he made himself known to his brothers. But his sobs were so loud that the Egyptians heard him, and so the news reached Pharaoh's palace.

"I am Joseph," he said to his brothers. "Is my father still in good health?" But his brothers could give him no answer, so dumbfounded were they at him. "Come closer to me," he told his brothers.

When they had done so, he said: "I am your brother Joseph, whom you once sold into Egypt. But now do not be distressed, and do not reproach yourselves for having sold me here. It was really for the sake of saving lives that God sent me here ahead of you."

Breaking the text open – background and summary:

The first reading for today from Genesis opens for us the truth of the LORD’s grace that brings good out of bad. The LORD didn’t choose the hateful actions of Joseph’s brothers to sell him into slavery to get rid of him because of their jealousy. However, the LORD did work to bring good out of that evil. And Joseph underscores that gift of the LORD’s love when he tells his brothers that the LORD used the bad choice to bring forth good through Joseph.

Meditating on the text with personal questions:

Am I open to the LORD working in my life to help me bring forth good from bad situations? Do I put myself at the disposal of the LORD’s Spirit?

Praying:

LORD, Almighty Father, Beloved Son Jesus Christ, Most Holy Spirit, we lift our minds and hearts to You this morning full of thanksgiving and love. In our awe we recognize that You are always and everywhere bringing forth through those open to your love and grace goodness, even in the midst of sorrow. Grant that we may open our minds, our hearts, our whole selves to your transformative love and allow You to guide us as your instruments in this world. May we this day and all days be beings whose lives point to your love and your power and your presence. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.