July 7, 2027

55When all the land of Egypt became hungry and the people cried to Pharaoh for food, Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians: “Go to Joseph and do whatever he tells you.” 56When the famine had spread throughout the land, Joseph opened all the cities that had grain and rationed it to the Egyptians, since the famine had gripped the land of Egypt. 57Indeed, the whole world came to Egypt to Joseph to buy grain, for famine had gripped the whole world. 5And so the sons of Israel were among those who came to buy grain, since there was famine in the land of Canaan. 6Joseph, as governor of the country, was the one who sold grain to all the people of the land. When Joseph’s brothers came, they bowed down to him with their faces to the ground. 7He recognized them as soon as he saw them. But he concealed his own identity from them and spoke harshly to them. “Where do you come from?” he asked them. They answered, “From the land of Canaan, to buy food.” 17With that, he locked them up in the guardhouse for three days. 18On the third day Joseph said to them: “Do this, and you shall live; for I am a God-fearing man. 19If you are honest men, let one of your brothers be confined in this prison, while the rest of you go and take home grain for your starving families. 20But you must bring me your youngest brother. Your words will thus be verified, and you will not die.” To this they agreed. 21To one another, however, they said: “Truly we are being punished because of our brother. We saw the anguish of his heart when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen. That is why this anguish has now come upon us.” 22Then Reuben responded, “Did I not tell you, ‘Do no wrong to the boy’? But you would not listen! Now comes the reckoning for his blood.” 23They did not know, of course, that Joseph understood what they said, since he spoke with them through an interpreter. 24But turning away from them, he wept. When he was able to speak to them again, he took Simeon from among them and bound him before their eyes.

2Give thanks to the LORD on the harp; on the ten-stringed lyre offer praise. 3Sing to him a new song; skillfully play with joyful chant. 10The LORD foils the plan of nations, frustrates the designs of peoples. 11But the plan of the LORD stands forever, the designs of his heart through all generations. 18Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon those who fear him, upon those who count on his mercy, 19To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive through famine.

15“This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” The Call of the First Disciples.

1Then he summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness. 2The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus; 4Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed him. 5The Commissioning of the Twelve. Jesus sent out these twelve after instructing them thus, “Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town. 6Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’