Mass Readings for July 7, 2023

Genesis 23:1-4,19,24:1-8,62-67
Psalms 106:1-5
Matthew 9:9-13

Genesis 23:1-4,19,24:1-8,62-67
(1) Sarah lived one hundred twenty-seven years. This was the length of Sarah’s life. (2) Sarah died in Kiriath Arba (also called Hebron), in the land of Canaan. Abraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her. (3) Abraham rose up from before his dead, and spoke to the children of Heth, saying, (4) “I am a stranger and a foreigner living with you. Give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.” (19) After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah before Mamre (that is, Hebron), in the land of Canaan. (1) Abraham was old, and well stricken in age. Yahweh had blessed Abraham in all things. (2) Abraham said to his servant, the elder of his house, who ruled over all that he had, “Please put your hand under my thigh. (3) I will make you swear by Yahweh, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you shall not take a wife for my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live. (4) But you shall go to my country, and to my relatives, and take a wife for my son Isaac.” (5) The servant said to him, “What if the woman isn’t willing to follow me to this land? Must I bring your son again to the land you came from?” (6) Abraham said to him, “Beware that you don’t bring my son there again. (7) Yahweh, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house, and from the land of my birth, who spoke to me, and who swore to me, saying, ‘I will give this land to your offspring. He will send his angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. (8) If the woman isn’t willing to follow you, then you shall be clear from this oath to me. Only you shall not bring my son there again.” (62) Isaac came from the way of Beer Lahai Roi, for he lived in the land of the South. (63) Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the evening. He lifted up his eyes and looked. Behold, there were camels coming. (64) Rebekah lifted up her eyes, and when she saw Isaac, she got off the camel. (65) She said to the servant, “Who is the man who is walking in the field to meet us?” The servant said, “It is my master.” She took her veil, and covered herself. (66) The servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. (67) Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent, and took Rebekah, and she became his wife. He loved her. Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

Psalms 106:1-5
(1) Praise Yahweh! Give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever. (2) Who can utter the mighty acts of Yahweh, or fully declare all his praise? (3) Blessed are those who keep justice. Blessed is one who does what is right at all times. (4) Remember me, Yahweh, with the favor that you show to your people. Visit me with your salvation, (5) that I may see the prosperity of your chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation, that I may glory with your inheritance.

Matthew 9:9-13
(9) As Jesus passed by from there, he saw a man called Matthew sitting at the tax collection office. He said to him, “Follow me.” He got up and followed him. (10) As he sat in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Jesus and his disciples. (11) When the Pharisees saw it, they said to his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” (12) When Jesus heard it, he said to them, “Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick do. (13) But you go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ for I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”