Homily – Thursday of the 14th Week in Ordinary Time (Cycle II)

📖 Readings: Genesis 44:18–21, 23b–29; 45:1–5 | Psalm 105:16–17, 18–19, 20–21 | Matthew 10:7–15
Theme: “Forgiveness Makes the Mission Credible”

👋🏽 Introduction – The Power of Reconciliation

We all carry scars—some from life, some from others, and some that go back to our own families.
Today’s readings offer us a powerful truth: God can turn the most painful wounds into blessings that restore others.

💔 1. First Reading – Genesis 44–45: Joseph Reveals Himself

Today we reach the emotional climax of the Joseph story.
Joseph, once betrayed and sold into slavery by his brothers, now reveals himself to them:

“I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?”

His brothers are shocked and afraid—but Joseph calms them:

“Do not be distressed… it was not you who sent me here, but God.”

What a moment of grace. Joseph chooses forgiveness over vengeance.
He sees his suffering through the lens of divine purpose: to save lives.

This is the power of reconciliation.
Forgiveness frees the victim from bitterness—and restores relationships broken by guilt and shame.

✝️ 2. Gospel – Matthew 10:7–15: Proclaim the Kingdom with Simplicity

Jesus continues His instructions to the apostles:

“As you go, proclaim: ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.’”

He sends them to bring healing, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, and drive out demons.
But they are to do it with simplicity, generosity, and trust:

“Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give.”

And they are to stay where they are welcomed—and move on where they are not.

Jesus teaches that the Gospel is not just a message—it is a lived experience of mercy, healing, and peace.

🔗 Connecting the Readings

Joseph’s forgiveness made reconciliation possible.
Jesus’ disciples are sent to preach the Kingdom—which begins wherever people experience healing and peace.

We cannot preach forgiveness if we hold onto old grudges.
The mission of the Church becomes credible when it flows from hearts that have been healed.

💬 Quote for Reflection

“To forgive is to set a prisoner free—and discover that the prisoner was you.”
– Lewis B. Smedes

✅ Life Application

• Is there someone I need to forgive in my family or past?

• Do I understand that my pain may be part of someone else’s salvation?

• Am I sharing the Gospel with a heart full of peace—or one weighed down by resentment?

🧎🏽‍♂️ Conclusion – A Mission Rooted in Mercy

We are sent by Christ just like the apostles.
But if we are to be agents of healing and peace, we must let forgiveness take root in our own lives.
Let today be a day to say, like Joseph:

“It was God who brought me through this—not to harm me, but to save many.”

🙏 Prayer for the New Day

“Lord, Help Me Forgive So I Can Truly Be Sent”

Heavenly Father,
As I begin this new day, I carry many things in my heart—
some joyful, some painful.
But today I ask for one special grace:
the grace to forgive.

Like Joseph, help me to see that You can turn my suffering into purpose.
That You can bring healing even from betrayal.
That You can restore even what seemed lost forever.

Send me out today, Lord,
not with heavy baggage, but with a heart made light by Your mercy.

Let me be a bearer of peace,
a witness to reconciliation,
and a sign of Your Kingdom—
not just in what I say, but in how I live.

Where I am welcomed, let me bless.
Where I am rejected, let me move on with grace.
And through it all, help me trust: You are always at work.

Amen.