First Reading

Genesis 44:18-21, 23b-29; 45:1-5

18Then Judah, approaching closer, said confidently: “I beg you, my lord, let your servant speak a word in your ears, and do not be angry with your servant. For you are next to Pharaoh. 19My lord, you questioned your servants before: ‘Do you have a father or a brother?’ 20And we answered you, my lord: ‘There is our father, an old man, and a young boy, who was born in his old age. His brother of the same womb has died, and he alone is left to his mother and father, who truly love him tenderly.’ 21And you said to your servants, ‘Bring him to me, and I will set my eyes on him.’ 22We suggested to my lord: ‘The boy is not able to leave his father. For if he sends him away, he will die.’ 23And you said to your servants: ‘Unless your youngest brother arrives with you, you will not see my face any more.’ 24Therefore, when we had gone up to your servant our father, we explained to him all that my lord had spoken. 25And our father said: ‘Return and buy us a little wheat.’ 26And we said to him: ‘We cannot go. If our youngest brother descends with us, we will set out together. Otherwise, in his absence, we do not dare to see the face of the man.’ 27To which he responded: ‘You know that my wife conceived twice by me. 28One went out, and you said, “A beast devoured him.” And since then, he has not appeared. 29If you take this one also, and anything happens to him on the way, you will lead my grey hairs down with grief to the grave.’

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 104

16And he called a famine upon the land, and he crushed every foundation of the bread. 17He sent a man before them: Joseph, who had been sold as a slave. 18They humbled his feet in shackles; the iron pierced his soul, 19until his word arrived. The eloquence of the Lord inflamed him. 20The king sent and released him; he was the ruler of the people, and he dismissed him. 21He established him as master of his house and ruler of all his possessions,

Gospel

Matthew 10:7-15

7And going forth, preach, saying: ‘For the kingdom of heaven has drawn near.’ 8Cure the infirm, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You have received freely, so give freely. 9Do not choose to possess gold, nor silver, nor money in your belts, 10nor provisions for the journey, nor two tunics, nor shoes, nor a staff. For the laborer deserves his portion. 11Now, into whatever city or town you will enter, inquire as to who is worthy within it. And stay there until you depart. 12Then, when you enter into the house, greet it, saying, ‘Peace to this house.’ 13And if, indeed, that house is worthy, your peace will rest upon it. But if it is not worthy, your peace will return to you. 14And whoever has neither received you, nor listened to your words, departing from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. 15Amen I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city.