Monday, August 10, 2015

Genesis, Chapter 50, Verse 15-19

¹⁵ Now that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers became fearful and thought, “Suppose Joseph has been nursing a grudge against us and now most certainly will pay us back in full for all the wrong we did him!” ¹⁶ So they sent to Joseph and said: “Before your father died, he gave us these instructions: ¹⁷ ‘Thus you shall say to Joseph: Please forgive the criminal wrongdoing of your brothers, who treated you harmfully.’ So now please forgive the crime that we, the servants of the God of your father, committed.” When they said this to him, Joseph broke into tears. ¹⁸ Then his brothers also proceeded to fling themselves down before him and said, “We are your slaves!” ¹⁹ But Joseph replied to them: “Do not fear. Can I take the place of God?

So Joseph now had his brothers within his power to crush them and he did not.

No, Joseph wept and made peace with his brothers knowing the intent of God is that all men be free in mind, body and spirit. Joseph knew that only free men can sow their gifts before
God and that “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly,
and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Cor. 9:7-8)

You cannot give what you do not own; therefore each must be free to give back to God; Joseph is the precursor of Christ who fulfills the gospel of abundance proclaim by our loving God.

Here Joseph was able to find the peace that only God can give by sincerely wanting God’s will. Joseph found this peace only by trusting and having courage to live entirely by God’s way.

Today’s Saint Lawrence emulates this in his martyrdom. Today would be a good day to have a BBQ in honor of St. Lawrence.