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We have three powerful pieces of mercy-mercy shown, mercy received, and mercy for all. Joseph finds the grace to extend mercy to his brothers. Paul holds mercy up as the basis for God’s saving action, and woman boldly goes where few women would dare go-right up to Jesus to claim mercy and walks away with a healed daughter.

Genesis 45:1-15-Coming Undone

Years have passed since last Sunday when we left Joseph abandoned in a well, then pulled out and sold into slavery. Today’s lesson ends the cycle with Joseph revealing his identity to his brothers. After the stirring speech and courageous act of Judah to offer himself in place of Joseph’s blood brother, Benjamin, Joseph changes his tormenting cat and mouse strategy. Actually, he has no choice. He comes undone. “I am Joseph,” he tells his brothers. His earlier dreams have finally come true, though in very unexpected ways. He had thought the dreams were all about arrogating power and ruling over family members, but in the end Joseph discovers that God has had all along a much larger, much grander purpose in mind-to sustain life in the time of drought.

Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32-At the Edge of Doxology

Paul concludes his discussion about Jews, the Gospel, and salvation for all. The rhetorical question-“Did God reject his own people?,” is answered with an unequivocal “No!” through example (Elijah 1 Kg. 19), prophetic voice (Ps. 69), and through a convoluted concluding argument (gentiles disobeyed God in the past but have now been offered mercy . . . such is made possible because of the Jewish rejection . . . which, in light of the mercy offered gentiles, causes Jewish persons to disobey God . . . in order that they may also receive God’s mercy (vs. 30-32).

Matthew 15: (10-20) 21-28-What Great Faith Looks Like

This is the story about Jesus and the bold woman who comes to draw a cup of exorcism from the mercy that Paul talks about in the epistle lesson. This nameless woman appeals to title (v. 22: “Son of David”), promise (v. 22: “Have mercy on me”) and need (v. 22: “my daughter has a demon”). Yet she encounters the silence of Christ (v. 23: “Jesus did not say a word to her”). The disciples-real men here-beseech Jesus to drive her off with harsh words or worse. And true, Jesus seems to favor the silent treatment and name boundaries that keep her on the outside. Such treatment would have torqued most of us enough to be off to a more convenient Jesus. But not this lady! No, she doggedly persists and gains her objective: the healing of her daughter. And the disciples learn a valuable lesson of faith.