14th Week, Saturday, July 15
Genesis 49:29-33; 50:15-26 / Matthew 10:24-38
Joseph's brothers fear retaliation; Joseph said, "Have no fear."
In December 1983, the news media gave widespread coverage to a meeting between John Paul Il and his attempted assassin, Mehmet Ali Agca. The Associated Press reported it this way: "Pope John Paul II met 'as brothers' Tuesday with Mehmet Ali Agca in a stark prison cell and personally pardoned the Turk terrorist who shot him. "Agca shot John Paul on May 13, 1981, but the pope said that 'providence led things their own way.' " In a similar fashion, Joseph forgave his brothers for their terrible sin against him. And in a similar way, "providence led things their own way" for Joseph and his brothers.
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How forgiving are we toward those who have hurt us in some way? "[Forgive] one another as the Lord has forgiven you." Colossians 3:13
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One of the real tests of family relationship and unity, and especially of sibling relationship and unity, is when the parents pass on. With the passing of the parents, one of the areas of contention will be that of inheritance. And no doubt when it comes to money and what they can get, sibling rivalry can turn really ugly when they bring each other to court in order to get more than their share and even to cut off the other siblings from the parents' will. But in the 1st reading, with the death of Jacob, the matter at hand was not about inheritance and how much the twelve brothers are each going to get.
In fact, other than Joseph, the other eleven brothers were fearing what they could lose - their very lives. With their father not around anymore, they feared that Joseph will begin to exact revenge on them for the ill-treatment he received from them in the past.
And here is where Joseph showed what kind of a brother he is to them, and he also taught them what is the essential factor in sibling unity and relationship - forgiveness. And with that he touched their hearts and their fears were dispelled and the lesson of forgiveness is one that they will pass down to the next generation.
Indeed, forgiveness must be proclaimed from the rooftops, and to forgive and to be forgiven is worth more than hundreds of sparrows
May forgiveness begin with the family. In that way, we declare Jesus and become His witnesses to those closest to us.
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“Do not be afraid,” said Joseph to his brothers. He forgave them, realizing that his sufferings caused by them were the seed of the future of God’s people.
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“Do not be afraid.” says Jesus to his disciples three times. Even when persecuted and apparently failing in their mission, like Jesus, their master, they are in God’s hands. God takes care of his own. God’s kingdom cannot be built up without crosses and sacrifices, not without being contested by a world that wants to create its own future.
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Another answer to the question why the message is not accepted is: “We”. We have to make a decision for or against Christ. We have to renounce Satan. This is not only a pious formula used for a baptism. It is a decision, a personal choice which everyone has to make.
Our whole existence depends on it. It is dangerous. Jesus does not conceal the danger but he suggests us four motives to give him our vote of confidence. Do not be afraid of those who can kill the body. Our real life our eternal life is safe. Every martyr has accepted this in concentration camps, under police questioning, in torture, in prison cells and on the way to the execution. If we declare ourselves for him before men, he will declare that we belong to him before the Father. To be persecuted is carrying our Cross after him. It is imitation of Christ. By bearing our Cross we share in the redemption of the world. It is Christ who identifies himself with every one of his messengers.
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Prayer
Dependable God, you are present with us in all things, even in our miseries, and you take care of your own. Deepen our trust in you and make us afraid of only one thing: to become instruments of evil. Make us instead messengers of the good news that evil can be overcome and that your goodness and justice will prevail. Give us this faith and trust through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
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Saint Bonaventure
Bonaventure was born about 1221 in Italy, not far from Naples. He was baptized John. The story is told that when he was about four years old, he was deathly ill. His mother begged Francis of Assisi to come and cure him. Francis touched the boy, and he was cured instantly. As an adult, Bonaventure entered the Franciscan order. He went to Paris, where he met Thomas Aquinas. They both studied at the University of Paris. Bonaventure became the head of the Franciscan order. He was appointed a cardinal shortly before his death in 1274. After Bonaventure’s death, it was reported, “At the funeral there was much sorrow and tears; for the Lord had given him this grace, that all who saw him were filled with an immense love for him.”
