July 9, 2011
Saturday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
But Joseph replied to them: "Have no fear. Can I take the place of God? Even though you meant harm to me, God meant it for good, to achieve his present end, the survival of many people. Therefore have no fear. I will provide for you and for your children." By thus speaking kindly to them, he reassured them. Genesis 50:19-21
Therefore do not be afraid of them. Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Matthew 10:26-28
Piety
"Take and Receive"
Take, O Lord, and receive my entire liberty,
my memory, my understanding and my whole will.
All that I am and all that I possess You have given me.
I surrender it all to You
to be disposed of according to Your will.
Give me only Your love and Your grace;
with these I will be rich enough, and will desire nothing more.
~St. Ignatius of Loyola
Study
Reassurance. Jesus and Joseph both offer reassurance to their friends.
No matter how bad life became for Joseph when he was sold into slavery, the reunion with his brothers was marked with the surprising forgiveness. The brothers feared that Joseph may have had "an eye for an eye" attitude. Yet, instead, Joseph accepted his position as the will of God and reveled in the reunification with his family. He had surrendered his liberty to the Egyptians and to the Lord. So there was no hatred in his heart for his brothers. The love and grace of God made him rich enough in this life.
Jesus also addresses the fears of his disciples. He encourages them to assume a "Joseph-like" "No Fear" attitude. No matter what happens in the world, your fate is in the hands of God who loves you and takes care of you. Just as God loves the smallest creatures on earth, so does He love His children. That love will protect us in times of trouble. It does not mean we will never face any trials in life. However, when we do, we should not fear that we are facing them alone.
Action
Modeling the reassurance and forgiveness that Jesus and Joseph model for us is difficult. When someone mistreats us, a more human response is to seek revenge, not to offer forgiveness. Who has hurt you in your life? Can you wipe the slate clean and offer to them your unilateral forgiveness?
