No one can obstruct the plan's of God-Homily for Wednesday of the 14th week in ordinary time 12th July 2023

Homily for Wednesday of the 14th week in ordinary time 

Genesis 41:55-57; 42:5-7a,17-24a. Psalm 33:2-3,10-11,18-19. Matthew 10:1-7.

The story of what led Joseph to the position of the  second in command to Pharaoh in Egypt is a clear indication of the fact that no one can obstruct the plans of God in one's life. God has a mission for everyone, and that mission must be fulfilled. The dreams of Joseph to attain greatness while his brothers were bowing to him came to reality in the first reading. "And Joseph's brothers came and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground" (Gen.42:6). As the brothers plotted for this dream not to be fulfilled, they never knew they were working according to God's plan. God sent Joseph ahead of them to prepare them from not dying in hunger as a result of the famine all over the world, which led them to Egypt to buy food. In all that happened to them in the presence of Joseph, they were quick to see the hand of God in Joseph's action.

As God sent Joseph ahead of his brothers on a mission to preserve their lives, through the mission of healing and reconciliation, Jesus in today's Gospel chose twelve men among his many disciples in today's Gospel and sent them to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. He called them 'Apostles', which means someone who is being sent out. Mark 3:14 mentions the reason  why Jesus calls the twelve, namely, so that they may be with him and also that they may be sent out.

In sending the twelve out, Jesus instituted the mission of teaching and healing. Like the twelve Apostles, our faith in Christ has a missionary dimension to teach and to heal. He calls us, too, to spread the good news of his infinite love and mercy in our time and world. We are to bring the good news to others, to lift the broken-hearted and leave them better than we met them.

May God grant us the grace to be faithful to the mission He has entrusted to us to make our world a better place through Christ our Lord. Amen.