In truth we are guilty concerning our brother

 

When we help a person, we help ourselves.

Reflection on Today’s Readings, Wednesday of 14th Week in Ordinary Time, Year I, July 12th, 2023
Texts: Genesis 41:55-57; 42:5-7a. 17-24a; Psalm 33:2-3.10-11.18-19; Matthew 10:1:7

                   In truth we are guilty concerning our brother

We live in a world where truth easily eludes us. Many of us live on falsehood. Whether we live on falsehood or reality is clear in our behaviours. Many of us live on the falsehood that  everyone is the sole beneficiary of his/her own goodness. Another person's fortune easily resents this group of people. The consequence of such attitude is what we see in today’s first reading. The brothers of Joseph suffered the consequence of living on falsehood, thinking that Joseph fortune was for his own good.

The truth is that the good of a person benefits all. The bad of a person also affects everyone. Whatever a person turns to be, whether asset or liability, everyone will share from it. It is because of this that whatever we do to a person comes back to us. If we do bad to a person bad will come back to us. If we do good to a person, good will come back to us. Let us seek the truth and live on it. When we hinder a person we hinder ourselves. When we help a person, we help ourselves. 

 In truth we are guilty concerning our brother

We see today that the brothers of Joseph regretted the evil they did to Joseph. We read, "Then they said to one another, 'In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he besought us and we would not listen; therefore is this distress come upon us.' And Reuben answered them, "Did I not tell you not to sin against the lad? But you would not listen. So now there comes a reckoning for his blood.'”  Let us do good that good may come to us. Let us live on the truth to make life beautiful. 

Jesus gave authority to the apostles in today’s gospel reading: "Jesus called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every infirmity."  The authority Jesus gave to them was for the benefit of the people of God, not for themselves. We read, "These Twelve Jesus sent out, charging them, 'Go nowhere among the Gentiles, and enter no town of the Samaritans, but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And preach as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’”

Prayer

God our Father, grant that we may not walk in the darkness of error; make us always walk in the bright light of truth, that we may help and not hinder. Amen

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke