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| “Jacob Receiving the Bloody Tunic of Joseph” Jan Lievens, c. 1660 |
Reading 1: Genesis
46:1-7, 28-30
When he arrived at
Beer-sheba,
he offered sacrifices to the
God of his father Isaac.
There God, speaking to Israel
"Jacob! Jacob!"
He answered, "Here I
am."
Then he said: "I am God,
the God of your father.
Do not be afraid to go down
to Egypt
for there I will make you a
great nation.
Not only will I go down to Egypt
I will also bring you back
here, after Joseph has closed your eyes."
So Jacob departed from
Beer-sheba,
and the sons of Israel
put their father and their
wives and children
on the wagons that Pharaoh
had sent for his transport.
They took with them their
livestock
and the possessions they had
acquired in the land
of Canaan
Thus Jacob and all his
descendants migrated to Egypt
His sons and his grandsons,
his daughters and his granddaughtersB
all his descendants—he took
with him to Egypt
so that he might meet him in Goshen
On his arrival in the region
of Goshen
Joseph hitched the horses to
his chariot
and rode to meet his father Israel in Goshen
As soon as Joseph saw him, he
flung himself on his neck
and wept a long time in his
arms.
And Israel
now that I have seen for
myself that Joseph is still alive."
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Commentary on Gn 46:1-7, 28-30
After being told
years earlier that his son Joseph had been killed and shown the bloodied coat
he had given Joseph (Genesis 37:20-36), Jacob (Israel) and his son are reunited and the promise
of God is fulfilled. Jacob travels to Egypt
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Responsorial Psalm: Psalm
37:3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40
R. (39a) The salvation of the just comes from the
Lord.
Trust in the LORD and do
good,
that you may dwell in the
land and be fed in security.
Take delight in the LORD,
and he will grant you your
heart’s requests.
R. The salvation of the
just comes from the Lord.
The LORD watches over the
lives of the wholehearted;
their inheritance lasts
forever.
They are not put to shame in
an evil time;
in days of famine they have
plenty.
R. The salvation of the
just comes from the Lord.
Turn from evil and do good,
that you may abide forever;
For the LORD loves what is
right,
and forsakes not his faithful
ones.
R. The salvation of the
just comes from the Lord.
The salvation of the just is
from the LORD;
he is their refuge in time of
distress.
And the LORD helps them and
delivers them;
he delivers them from the
wicked and saves them,
because they take refuge in
him.
R. The salvation of the
just comes from the Lord.
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Commentary on Ps 37:3-4, 18-19, 27-28, 39-40
A didactic
Selection from Psalm 37 promises the salvation of those who hear God’s voice
and trust in Him. Central to this
passage is the fidelity of God to those who are faithful. Salvation for them is assured if they trust in
him and take refuge in their faith. The author responds to the question; why to
the wicked prosper. In these strophes the song continues the plea to be
faithful to God and remain steadfast in the time of adversity. The psalmist
adds that those who turn away should return and God will give them salvation.
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Gospel: Matthew
10:16-23
Jesus said to his Apostles:
"Behold, I am sending
you like sheep in the midst of wolves;
so be shrewd as serpents and
simple as doves.
But beware of men,
for they will hand you over
to courts
and scourge you in their
synagogues,
and you will be led before
governors and kings for my sake
as a witness before them and
the pagans.
When they hand you over,
do not worry about how you
are to speak
or what you are to say.
You will be given at that
moment what you are to say.
For it will not be you who
speak
but the Spirit of your Father
speaking through you.
Brother will hand over
brother to death,
and the father his child;
children will rise up against
parents and have them put to death.
You will be hated by all
because of my name,
but whoever endures to the
end will be saved.
When they persecute you in
one town, flee to another.
Amen, I say to you, you will
not finish the towns of Israel
before the Son of Man
comes."
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Commentary on Mt 10:16-23
Jesus concludes
his instruction to the Apostles in this selection from Matthew’s Gospel. We begin to hear about the persecutions that
attend the spreading of the Gospel.
Those who spread that Good News are encouraged not to worry about an
apologetic but rather to trust in the Holy Spirit, the Father “speaking through you.”
Matthew’s final
statement, referring to the coming of the Son of Man, has a couple of possible
explanations. First it could be
referring to the return of Christ after his crucifixion; it could also mean the
punishment of the unbelieving Jewish people by the destruction of the Temple
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Reflection:
“See how they love one another.” (While this sounds biblical it is
actually popularized form of a quote from Tertullian’s noted Apology [39.6]
written in the Third Century.) The
implication is that non-Christians would be able to identify us by the way we
behaved toward one another (and others as well since the injunction to love
one’s neighbor does not simply mean other Christians). This action of “loving one another” is an
outward sign of an interior faith. There
are a number of factors that must be present before we demonstrate to the world
that we are Christian through our actions.
In the story unfolding in
Genesis we see Jacob (Israel
In St.
Matthew’s Gospel Jesus warns the disciples that they will have their faith
tested as well. He tells them “I am sending you like sheep in the midst of wolves.” Indeed, all
but one of the twelve will be killed by those to whom they are sent. In all cases, the Apostles are elevated to
that same holy status as Jacob; all save one – Judas. Judas’ failure was not that he turned Jesus
over to be executed. His failure was
that he negotiated on a key point of faith.
He could not accept that Jesus was meant to fulfill the prophecy of the
Messiah in the way he ultimately did – through humble service.
As in these two examples
(Jacob and the disciples), each of us also faces challenges to our faith. Like Judas, we are offered the option of
negotiating the core values that make us Christian. We can choose an easier path; ignoring the
poor and marginalized, choosing our own comfort over the greater good of our
neighbors, selfishness over generosity.
These choices face us each day and our selections define us as either
faithful Christians or pretenders. We
pray today for the faith of those who have gone before us in faith; may we be
steadfast in our love of God and neighbor, thereby maintaining our friendship
with Christ.
Pax
[1]
ALTRE
[2]
The picture is “Jacob Receiving the Bloody Tunic of Joseph” Jan Lievens, c.
1660
[3]
The readings are taken from the New American Bible with the exception of the
Psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for
English in Liturgy (ICEL). This re-publication is not authorized by USCCB and
is for private use only.
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