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Reading from the book of Genesis. In
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those days, all Egypt began to be
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hungry. And the people cried out to
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Pharaoh for food. He replied, "Go to
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Joseph and do whatever he tells you."
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When the famine spread throughout the
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land, Joseph opened the storehouses and
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sold grain to the Egyptians. because the
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famine was severe in them. People from
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all over the country came to Egypt to
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buy food because the famine was severe
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throughout the land. The Israelites went
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into the land of Egypt with others who
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were also buying grain because there was
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a famine in Canaan. Joseph was governor
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in the land of Egypt. And grain was sold
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to the people according to his will.
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When Joseph's brothers came and fell
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face down before him, Joseph recognized
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them and put them in prison for 3 days.
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On the third day, he said to them, "Do
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what I have told you, and you will live,
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for I fear God. If you are sincere, let
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one of your brothers remain in prison
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here, and you go and take the grain you
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have bought to your homes." But bring
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your youngest brother to me so that I
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may prove the truth of your words, and
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you will not die." They did as Joseph
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had told them. And they said to one
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another, "We have suffered this because
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we sinned against our brother. We saw
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his distress when he cried out to us for
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mercy and we did not listen. That is why
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this trouble has come upon us. Reuben
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said to them, "Did I not warn you? Do
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not sin against the boy, and you did not
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listen. And now you are demanding an
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account of his blood from us." Now they
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did not know that Joseph understood
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them, for he spoke to them through an
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interpreter. Then Joseph went away from
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them and wept. The word of the Lord.
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Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus
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Christ according to St. Matthew. Glory
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to you, Lord. At that time, Jesus called
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the 12 disciples and gave them authority
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to drive out evil spirits and to cure
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every disease and every illness. These
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are the names of the twel apostles.
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First, Simon called Peter and Andrew his
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brother. James the son of Zebedee and
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John his brother, Philip and
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Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax
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collector, James the son of Alfus and
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Thaddius, Simon the Zealot, and Judas
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Ice Scariot who betrayed Jesus. Jesus
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sent these 12 with the following
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instructions. Do not go to the Gentiles,
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nor enter any town of the Samaritans. Go
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instead to the lost sheep of the house
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of Israel. As you go, proclaim, "The
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kingdom of heaven is near." The word of
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the Savior. Glory to you, Lord.
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Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
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imagine yourself lost in a sandstorm in
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the desert. The wind howls. The dark
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sand completely obscures your vision.
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And you feel like you are walking in
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circles. Suddenly, through the storm,
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you glimpse a distant light, an oasis, a
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city, a refuge. This light is not just
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hope. It is salvation. Today, through
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the story of Joseph and the calling of
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the apostles, we discover how God calls
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us to be that light in the midst of
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life's storms. In the first reading, we
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find Joseph, the son of Jacob, in an
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extraordinary position. Sold into
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slavery by his own brothers. He now
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rules over all Egypt, controlling the
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granaries that will feed not just one
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nation, but the known world. The whole
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earth came to buy grain from Joseph
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because the famine was severe throughout
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the land. What a dramatic turn of
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events. The young man who was thrown
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into a sistern by his jealous brothers
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has now become the savior of the
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nations. But Joseph is not just a
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historical figure. He is a type, a
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prefiguration of Christ. Just as Joseph
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was rejected by his own and became the
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savior of the Gentiles, so Jesus was
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rejected by his own and became the
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savior of the world. The famine that
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plagues the earth is not just physical.
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It is a powerful image of the spiritual
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hunger that consumes humanity. In every
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generation, in every heart, there is a
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deep hunger that only God can satisfy.
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And it is through human instruments like
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Joseph, like the apostles, like each of
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us that God chooses to feed that hunger.
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Note the divine irony. Joseph's brothers
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who tried to destroy him now come to him
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seeking salvation. They do not recognize
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him. How is it possible that this dreamy
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boy they sold into slavery is now the
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powerful ruler of Egypt? But Joseph
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recognizes them immediately. Joseph
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recognized his brothers, but did not
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make himself known. What a moving
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moment. Imagine the conflicting feelings
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that must have flooded Joseph's heart.
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The pain of betrayal, the joy of
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reunion, the temptation for revenge, the
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urge to forgive. All of this
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concentrated in a single moment. But
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Joseph does not act on impulse. He puts
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them in prison for 3 days. Not out of
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cruelty, but out of wisdom. Sometimes
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God allows us to go through times of
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trial, not to punish us, but to prepare
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us for the blessing that is to come.
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Those three days in prison were for
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Joseph's brothers a time of reflection,
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of repentance, of preparation for what
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was to come. And then on the third day,
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a significant number in scripture,
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Joseph speaks to them, "Do this and you
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will live for I fear God." What a
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powerful statement. Joseph does not use
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his power for revenge, but for
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restoration. His authority is grounded
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not in human pride, but in the fear of
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God. This is where we see the deep
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connection with the gospel. Jesus calls
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the 12 and gives them authority over
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unclean spirits and to heal all manner
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of diseases. This authority is not to
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dominate but to serve. It is not to
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exalt oneself but to set others free. Go
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to the lost sheep of the house of
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Israel. Jesus instructs them. Preach
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saying the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
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What an extraordinary mission. Just as
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Joseph was sent to feed the world with
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physical wheat, the apostles are sent to
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feed the world with the bread of
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spiritual life. But let us note
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something important. Jesus does not send
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them everywhere at once. He sends them
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specifically to the lost sheep of the
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There is a divine order, a heavenly
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strategy. God has a specific plan for
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each person, each family, each
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community. My dear brothers and sisters,
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today we are invited to view our own
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lives through this lens of divine
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purpose. Just as Joseph could not have
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imagined that his sale into slavery
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would lead him to a position where he
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could save nations, we too cannot always
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see how God is working through our
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circumstances. How often do we
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misinterpret the difficulties in our
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lives? How often do we see only the pit,
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the captivity, the prison, and lose
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sight of the greater purpose God has for
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us? The story of Joseph reminds us that
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God can use even betrayal and injustice
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to accomplish his redemptive purposes.
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Perhaps today you feel like Joseph in
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prison, facing circumstances that seem
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unjust or incomprehensible.
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Remember, God wastes nothing. Every
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experience, every pain, every challenge
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can be used by God to prepare us for a
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greater purpose. Or perhaps you feel
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like Joseph's brothers, carrying the
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weight of guilt for past wrong choices.
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The message today is clear. It is never
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too late to turn back. God knows our
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hearts better than we know ourselves.
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And his mercy is greater than our guilt.
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And we are all called to be like the
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apostles, sent with divine authority to
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proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is
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at hand. This is not a mission for
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clergy or especially holy people. It is
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a calling for every baptized person, for
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every person who has experienced the
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transforming love of Christ. Notice that
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Jesus not only gives authority to the
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apostles, he also defines their message.
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The kingdom of heaven is at hand. This
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is not just a statement about the
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future. It is a proclamation about the
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present reality. Wherever we go,
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wherever we are, we can manifest the
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kingdom of God through our actions, our
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words, our very presence. When we
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comfort the afflicted, we are
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demonstrating that the kingdom is at
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hand. When we forgive an offense, we are
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proclaiming that the kingdom is at hand.
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When we feed the hungry, visit the sick,
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welcome a stranger, we are making the
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kingdom a tangible reality. Just as
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Joseph fed the world with wheat during
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the physical famine. So, we are called
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to feed our world with love, hope, and
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truth during the spiritual famine of our
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time. our family, our friends, our
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colleagues, our community, all of the
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lost sheep to whom we are sent. But
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remember this authority we have received
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is not our own. It is delegated by
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Christ and it must be exercised with the
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same spirit as Joseph. I fear God. Our
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authority as Christians must always be
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grounded in humility, service, and love.
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Today my dear brothers and sisters, you
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are sent. You leave here not just as
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people who have heard a message but as
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messengers not just as people who have
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been blessed but as channels of
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blessing. Not just as people who have
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received love but as instruments of
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God's love. In your work be Joseph using
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your position not for personal gain but
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to serve and save. In your family, be
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the apostles, proclaiming with life and
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word that the kingdom of heaven is at
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hand. In your community, be the light in
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the storm, offering hope and direction
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to those who are lost. And always
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remember, just as Joseph was prepared
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through his trials to save many lives.
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So God is preparing each of you through
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your experiences to fulfill his purposes
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in your generation. May we, like Joseph,
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use our authority with wisdom and godly
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fear. May we like the apostles boldly
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proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is
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at hand. And may we be instruments of
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salvation in a world hungry for hope and
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love. May the Lord bless you and keep
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you. May he make his face shine upon you
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and grant you peace today, tomorrow, and
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St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in
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battle. Be our protection against the
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wickedness and snares of the devil. May
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God rebuke him, we humbly pray. And do
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thou, O prince of the heavenly host by
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the power of God, cast into hell Satan
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and all the evil spirits who prowl
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throughout the world seeking the ruin of
