Wednesday of the
Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
(Genesis 41:55-57.42:5-7a.17-24a; Matthew 10:1-7)
“Food security” has
been defined as all people having access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious
food. It is a modern idea but an ancient
problem. In today’s first reading food
insecurity brings Joseph’s brothers to Egypt.
Experiencing famine in their native land, they turn to the region’s
giant producer.
Today agricultural science has kept the supply of food well
ahead of population growth. Still populations
can go hungry because of a disruption of food supplies. Wars and despotic governments may cause a
lack of access to food and resulting famine.
These conditions testify that the good news of God’s kingdom has not
been heeded. In the gospel Jesus sends out
twelve chosen disciples to preach that message.
When we embrace God’s kingdom, we no longer worry about
food. We understand that God will
provide all that we need for happiness.
God’s kingdom summons us to assist one another – family, first, but never
exclusively. God, the King, invites us
to assist Him in relieving the burdens of the needy.
