Friday of Second Week in Lent
(Genesis 37:3-4.12-13a.17b-28a; Matthew 21:33-43.45-46)
A prototype serves as a functional model. It leads to the final product but lacks the latter's fullness. Shortly before the advent of the personal computer, IBM marketed a typewriter with memory. That short-lived invention was a proto-type. The readings today contain another.
Pairing the Old Testament reading with the gospel today reveals Joseph as a prototype of Jesus. Like Joseph, Jesus is betrayed by his own people, handed over to foreigners, and suffers hardship despite his being completely innocent. Also, both the story of Joseph and that of Jesus turn out glorious. However, the outcome in Jesus’ case, soars beyond Joseph’s. Where Joseph merely thrives in captivity, Jesus rises from the dead.
Both narratives also remind us that our destiny is not in the hands of the people who do us injustice. God will make the ultimate decision regarding our lives. Whether we look out over the city from a spacious office or sweep floors in the basement, we want to live in a way that gives God glory. We then may hope that He will forgive any faults that we have, recognize our good efforts, and redeem us from even death itself.
