Wednesday, July 12, 2023

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.