Thursday, XIV Week of Ordinary Time
(Genesis 44-45)
The appeal of Joseph’s lies in its parallel to the gospel and also its mirror image of a perennial human situation. Joseph is Jacob’s favorite son. Out of jealousy his brothers try to kill him. But God spares him so that he might grant them sustenance in Egypt. The Christ story follows the same course. Jesus, God’s only begotten son, is crucified because of our sins. God, however, intervenes; He raises Jesus from the dead to bring us salvation.
Many years ago a popular song sounded a similar note of betrayal between loved ones. “You always hurt the one you love,” the lyrics read, “the one you should not hurt at all.” In a world marked by human failure our first and often most grieved victims are the very people we share bread with. Perhaps we utter harsh words or belittle a significant effort of a loved one. Our misdeed results in the fracture of a relationship which we need for stability like a sailing ship needs ballast.
But the song ends on a happy note. The narrator can tell her loved one that she loves him most of all. Just so, Joseph is reconciled to his brothers and God adopts us into His family with the forgiveness of our sins. The result is not “natural.” It requires God’s grace and our acceptance of the divine initiative. But the result does manifest the glory of being human.
