Old Testament: Genesis 45:1-15

¹Then Joseph could no longer control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, “Send everyone away from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers.²And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. ³Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed were they at his presence. ⁴Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come closer to me.” And they came closer. He said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. ⁵And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.⁶For the famine has been in the land these two years; and there are five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. ⁷God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. ⁸So it was not you who sent me here, but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. ⁹Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, ‘Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. ¹⁰You shall settle in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. ¹¹I will provide for you there—since there are five more years of famine to come—so that you and your household, and all that you have, will not come to poverty.’¹²And now your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my own mouth that speaks to you. ¹³You must tell my father how greatly I am honored in Egypt, and all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.” ¹⁴Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, while Benjamin wept upon his neck. ¹⁵And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them; and after that his brothers talked with him.

Psalm: Psalm 133

¹ Oh, how good and pleasant it is, *
       when brethren live together in unity!
² It is like fine oil upon the head *
       that runs down upon the beard,
³ Upon the beard of Aaron, *
       and runs down upon the collar of his robe.
⁴ It is like the dew of Hermon *
       that falls upon the hills of Zion.
⁵ For there the Lord has ordained the blessing: *
       life for evermore.

Old Testament: Isaiah 56:1, 6-8

¹Thus says the Lord: Maintain justice, and do what is right, for soon my salvation will come, and my deliverance be revealed. ⁶And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants, all who keep the sabbath, and do not profane it, and hold fast my covenant— ⁷these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples. ⁸Thus says the Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, I will gather others to them besides those already gathered.

Psalm: Psalm 67

¹ May God be merciful to us and bless us, *
       show us the light of his countenance and come to us.
² Let your ways be known upon earth, *
       your saving health among all nations.
³ Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
       let all the peoples praise you.
⁴ Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, *
       for you judge the peoples with equity
       and guide all the nations upon earth.
⁵ Let the peoples praise you, O God; *
       let all the peoples praise you.
⁶ The earth has brought forth her increase; *
       may God, our own God, give us his blessing.
⁷ May God give us his blessing, *
       and may all the ends of the earth stand in awe of him.