0:07
Reading from the book of Genesis. In
0:10
those days, Judah approached Joseph and
0:12
said, "Sorry, my lord. Let your servants
0:16
speak plainly so that you may not be
0:18
angry with me. You are like Pharaoh." My
0:22
lord asked his servants, "Do you still
0:24
have a father or any other brother?" And
0:27
we answered, "My lord, we have an old
0:29
father and a boy born in his old age,
0:32
whose brother has died. He is his
0:34
mother's only son left, and his father
0:36
loves him dearly." And you said to your
0:39
servants, "Bring him to me that I may
0:42
see him. Unless your youngest brother
0:44
comes with you, you will no longer see
0:47
my face." So when we returned to your
0:49
servant, our father, we told him
0:51
everything my lord had said. Later our
0:54
father said to us, "Go back and buy us
0:57
some grain." And we answered him, "We
1:00
cannot go unless our youngest brother
1:02
goes with us. Otherwise, we cannot go
1:05
before the man." Your servant, our
1:08
father answered, "You know that my wife
1:10
bore me only two sons." One of them went
1:13
out of the house, and I said, "A wild
1:16
animal has devoured him, and he has not
1:19
yet been seen. If you take this one also
1:22
from me, and something happens to him,
1:24
misfortune on the way, you will bring my
1:27
gray hair down to Shol in dismay. Then
1:30
Joseph could no longer contain himself
1:32
before all those around him, and he
1:34
cried out, "Have everyone leave." And so
1:37
no one was left with him when he made
1:39
himself known to his brothers. Joseph
1:42
wept so loudly that the Egyptians and
1:44
all Pharaoh's household heard him. And
1:47
Joseph said to his brothers, "I am
1:49
Joseph. Is my father still alive?" But
1:53
his brothers could not answer him, for
1:55
they were seized with terror. But he
1:58
filled with compassion said to them,
2:00
"Come near to me." When they came near,
2:03
he said, "I am Joseph, your brother,
2:06
whom you sold into Egypt. But do not be
2:08
distressed or displeased because you
2:10
sold me into this land. For it was for
2:13
your salvation that God sent me before
2:15
you into Egypt. The word of the Lord.
2:28
Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus
2:30
Christ according to St. Matthew. Glory
2:33
to you, Lord. At that time Jesus said to
2:36
his disciples, "As you go, proclaim, the
2:39
kingdom of heaven is near. Heal the
2:42
sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who
2:45
have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely
2:48
you received, freely give. Do not take
2:51
gold, silver, or money in your belts, or
2:54
a bag for your journey, or two tunics,
2:57
or sandals, or a staff. For the laborer
3:00
has a right to his living. Whatever town
3:02
or village you enter, inquire about who
3:05
is worthy there. Stay with him until you
3:08
leave. When you enter a house, greet it.
3:12
If the house is worthy, let your peace
3:14
come upon it. If it is not worthy, let
3:16
your peace return to you. If anyone will
3:19
not welcome you or listen to your words,
3:21
leave that house or town and shake the
3:23
dust off your feet. Truly, I tell you,
3:26
it will be more bearable for the cities
3:28
of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that
3:30
city. on the day of judgment. Word of
3:33
salvation. Glory to you, Lord.
3:44
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
3:47
imagine yourself standing before a
3:49
closed door. On the other side, you know
3:52
there is someone who has deeply hurt
3:54
you, who has betrayed you, who has
3:56
abandoned you at the time you needed the
3:58
most. The key to open that door is in
4:00
your hands, but using it requires
4:02
something that seems impossible.
4:05
Forgiveness. This powerful image
4:07
prepares us for the extraordinary
4:09
lessons our readings today offer about
4:11
the transformative power of forgiveness
4:13
and the Christian mission. In the first
4:15
reading, we encounter one of the most
4:17
moving scenes in all of scripture.
4:20
Joseph, now governor of Egypt, stands
4:22
before his brothers, the same ones who
4:25
sold him into slavery years ago. They
4:27
don't recognize him, but he knows
4:30
exactly who they are. Four entire
4:32
chapters, Joseph tested them, provoked
4:35
them, created situations that forced
4:38
them to reveal the state of their
4:39
hearts. But now, at the climactic moment
4:42
of this extraordinary narrative,
4:44
something breaks within Joseph. Judah
4:47
has just made a desperate plea, offering
4:50
to take Benjamin's place, demonstrating
4:52
a profound transformation of character.
4:55
It is this moment of genuine repentance
4:57
that unleashes Joseph's response. Joseph
5:00
could no longer contain himself before
5:02
all those around him. What a powerful
5:05
image. The most powerful man in Egypt,
5:08
the one who controlled the destinies of
5:10
millions, can no longer contain the
5:12
torrent of emotions he has pent up for
5:14
so long. He orders everyone out and then
5:17
alone with his brothers, reveals
5:19
himself, I am Joseph. Imagine the shock,
5:24
the terror, the confusion of those men.
5:26
The brother they thought they had freed
5:28
themselves from forever was there before
5:30
them with the power of life and death
5:33
over their heads. But Joseph's next
5:35
words reveal something that transcends
5:37
all human expectations.
5:39
Do not be grieved or angry with
5:40
yourselves because you sold me, for it
5:43
was to preserve my life that God sent me
5:45
ahead of you. What a revolutionary
5:47
perspective. Joseph does not minimize
5:50
the evil his brothers did. He does not
5:53
pretend it didn't hurt, but he can see
5:56
beyond human betrayal to perceive divine
5:58
providence. Where his brothers saw only
6:01
jealousy and an opportunity to rid
6:03
themselves of a nuisance, God was
6:05
orchestrating a plan of salvation for an
6:07
entire family, an entire nation. This is
6:10
the wisdom that comes from a deep
6:12
intimacy with God, the ability to see
6:14
his hand at work even in the most
6:16
painful circumstances. Joseph is not
6:19
being naive or denying the reality of
6:21
evil. He is demonstrating a mature faith
6:24
that recognizes that God can use even
6:26
evil to accomplish his purposes for
6:28
good. But Joseph goes further. He not
6:32
only forgives, he comforts those who
6:34
have hurt him. Do not be grieved. He
6:37
cares about their well-being, about the
6:40
weight of guilt they carry. This is
6:42
forgiveness in its highest form. not
6:44
just releasing the offender from the
6:46
debt, but actively seeking their
6:48
restoration and healing. Now, let's turn
6:51
our attention to the gospel where Jesus
6:53
presents us with a mission that at first
6:56
glance may seem disconnected from
6:58
Joseph's story. Jesus is sending out his
7:01
disciples with specific instructions.
7:03
Proclaim the kingdom of heaven is at
7:06
hand. But there is a profound connection
7:09
between these passages. Joseph in his
7:12
ability to forgive and see God's hand in
7:14
the most difficult circumstances was
7:16
demonstrating that the kingdom of God
7:18
was already present even in the midst of
7:20
suffering and betrayal. When we forgive
7:23
as Joseph did, we are proclaiming that
7:25
the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Jesus
7:28
gives his disciples instructions that
7:30
may seem strange. Heal the sick, raise
7:33
the dead, cleanse those who have
7:35
leprosy, drive out demons. But realize
7:38
that Jesus is not just talking about
7:40
physical miracles. He is describing the
7:43
kind of transformation that the kingdom
7:45
of God brings. Healing for the wounded,
7:48
life for the spiritually dead,
7:49
purification for the impure, liberation
7:52
for the oppressed. Joseph did all of
7:55
this in his reunion with his brothers.
7:57
He healed deep wounds with his
7:59
forgiveness. He brought spiritual life
8:02
back to those who were dead in guilt and
8:04
shame. He purified relationships tainted
8:07
by sin. He freed his brothers from the
8:10
captivity of their own consciences.
8:12
Jesus continues, "Freely you have
8:15
received, freely give." This is a
8:18
fundamental instruction for all
8:20
Christians. Everything we have, our
8:23
salvation, our gifts, our ability to
8:25
forgive and love, all comes from God's
8:28
grace. Therefore, we must share this
8:31
grace freely with others. Joseph
8:34
perfectly exemplifies this principle. He
8:37
didn't charge his brothers for
8:38
forgiveness. He didn't demand payment
8:43
He didn't impose humiliating conditions.
8:46
He simply opened his heart and poured
8:48
out grace on those who had hurt him. But
8:51
Jesus also warns us about the reality of
8:53
rejection. If anyone will not welcome
8:56
you or listen to your words, leave that
8:58
house or town and shake the dust off
9:00
your feet. Not everyone will accept our
9:03
message of forgiveness and
9:06
Some people will not be ready to receive
9:08
the grace we offer. This doesn't mean we
9:11
should harden our hearts or become
9:12
cynical. It means we need to trust God
9:15
for the results. Offering his grace
9:17
freely but not forcing anyone to accept
9:20
it. My dear brothers and sisters, today
9:23
we are challenged to live as Joseph
9:24
lived and to missionize as Jesus
9:27
instructed us. We are called to be
9:29
agents of forgiveness in a world full of
9:31
wounds and divisions. We are invited to
9:34
see God's hand at work even in the most
9:36
difficult circumstances of our lives.
9:39
Perhaps you have your own brothers who
9:41
need forgiveness. Perhaps they are
9:43
family members who have disappointed
9:45
you, friends who have betrayed you,
9:47
colleagues who have wronged you.
9:49
Joseph's example shows us that
9:51
forgiveness is not only possible but can
9:53
be the means by which God works miracles
9:56
of restoration and healing. But
9:58
forgiveness, as Joseph demonstrated, is
10:01
not a one-time act. It is a process that
10:04
requires time, prayer, and a
10:06
supernatural perspective. We need to ask
10:09
the Holy Spirit to give us Joseph's eyes
10:12
to see beyond the immediate pain and
10:14
perceive how God may be working through
10:16
our circumstances. Furthermore, we are
10:19
called to be missionaries of
10:20
forgiveness. Wherever we go, in our
10:23
homes, workplaces, communities, we carry
10:26
with us the power to proclaim that the
10:28
kingdom of heaven is at hand. We do this
10:30
not only with words, but with our
10:32
actions, our ability to forgive, our
10:35
willingness to seek reconciliation. And
10:38
like Joseph, we must do this freely. We
10:41
cannot charge people for our
10:43
forgiveness. We cannot demand that they
10:46
earn our grace. We must offer it freely
10:50
just as God freely offered it to us. May
10:53
we be like Joseph, able to see God's
10:56
hand even in betrayal. May we be like
10:58
the disciples sent by Jesus, proclaiming
11:01
through our lives that the kingdom of
11:03
heaven is at hand. May we be instruments
11:05
of healing, restoration, and
11:08
reconciliation in a world that
11:10
desperately needs God's grace. And may
11:12
the peace of God which surpasses all
11:15
understanding guard your hearts and
11:17
minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
11:29
St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in
11:31
battle. Be our protection against the
11:34
wickedness and snares of the devil. May
11:36
God rebuke him, we humbly pray. And do
11:40
thou, O prince of the heavenly host, by
11:43
the power of God, cast into hell Satan
11:46
and all the evil spirits who prowl
11:49
throughout the world seeking the ruin of
