Homily
for July 13, 2017
When I reflect
on the story of Joseph, I realize that somehow God allows us to experience
suffering because of what he intends for us eventually. In other words, if we
suffer, we never suffer in vain. Every pain we feel, every tear we cry, every disappointment
we face is ultimately for our good.
In today’s
reading, Joseph finally summoned courage to tell his brothers: “You sold me here;
But God sent me before you to preserve your life.” Joseph at this point was no
longer bitter over what his brothers did to him. He read a positive meaning to
an entirely negative situation.
When we
are able to see the hand of God in our sufferings, when we are able to see the
positive sides of our circumstances in life, a lot of healing takes place
within us. The seemingly terrible acts of injustice against us suddenly become
very light.
Some people
never forgive. They live their lives in perpetual sadness and they never stop
narrating what others did to them. Because they can’t forgive, they are always
unhappy and miserable. They never see the positive sides of their
circumstances. At the slightest opportunity to retaliate, they strike back so
hard and so terrible that their actions become worse than what others did to
them.
Joseph had
the option of putting his brothers in prison. He could have decided to hide his
identity forever from them and turn them into slaves since that was what they
did to him. He could have felt justified by his own venom of wickedness. Yet,
Joseph did the very opposite. He forgave his brothers.
When I get
the opportunity to revenge on what others have done to me in the past, will I act
like Joseph? Or will I shoot a fly with an AK47 rifle? Do I see my present
suffering as God working out his plans for my future? Or do I go about wishing I
was someone else?
Joseph went
from pit to Potipher and then to prison and before palace. No wonder St. Paul would say: “We know that in
everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according
to his purpose.” Romans 8:28.
Again the
book of Hebrews says: “"My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of
the Lord, nor lose courage when you are punished by him. For the Lord
disciplines him whom he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives…For the
moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant; later it yields the
peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:1-12
Let
us pray: Lord Jesus, teach me to forgive and let go and never to retaliate for
wrongs done to me in the past. Amen
*Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith.
It is well with you. God bless you. (Thursday of the 14th week in
Ordinary Time. Year A. Bible Study: Genesis 44:18-21,23-29;45:1-5
and Matthew 10:7-15).*
Fr. Abu.
No comments:
Post a Comment