REFLECTIONS TODAY Joseph, sold as a slave, then turned governor of Egypt, sends his brothers back to Canaan with food for their starving families. Later, he brings his father Jacob and Jacob’s entire family to Egypt and settles them in the pasture land of Goshen. The twelve sons of Jacob, the ancestors of the twelve tribes of Israel, now live together. In the Gospel, Jesus chooses Twelve disciples who will be called Apostles. They are the foundation of the “new Israel”—God’s community. They are primarily tasked to go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, proclaiming God’s reign among them. And like in the case of Joseph, people go to them to hear the good news of Jesus. In turn, the Apostles will later break barriers and boundaries to open to all peoples—both Jews and Gentiles—the universal reign of God.

GOSPEL • MATTHEW 10:1-7

Jesus summoned his Twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness. The names of the Twelve Apostles are these: first, Simon called Peter, and his brother Andrew; James, the son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus; Simon the Cananean, and Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus. Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them thus, “Do not go into pagan territory or enter a Samaritan town. Go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The Kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2021,” ST. PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; Fax 632-895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.