Daily Reflection Wednesday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Scripture, like life, always reverts to family misunderstandings and squabbles! Earlier in another reflection, I referred to a Jewish custom in the book of Genesis. Men were allowed to have more than one wife in order to propagate the Jewish nation. Joseph and Benjamin were sons of Jacob’s second wife, Rachel. Unfortunately, their half-brothers nurtured a jealousy towards these two younger brothers. The back story tells us that this hatred for Joseph sold him to the Egyptians. As with anything that God reveals to us in Scripture, what are we to learn again from family bickering and misunderstandings?

    As a reader of Scripture, each of us can easily see the gross envy of the brothers toward Joseph. He is young and talented and favored by their father. Perhaps this situation sounds familiar in today’s culture. Since his being sold to the Egyptians, Joseph has had time to build a new life and struggle with his brothers’ betrayal. Joseph is tempted to make life hard for them when they come to Egypt for food. Yet, his own relationship with God through the years brings peace to Joseph’s heart. He treats his brothers with justice and later with kindness as he reveals his true identity.

    God has a way of communicating with us in the words of all Scripture through stories, proverbs, and miracles. Because of our original sin, we have had family misunderstandings and squabbles for centuries. These arguments and refusal to speak not only hurt everyone involved, they fracture our own intimacy with God.

    Fear of the Lord is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit that we have received in Baptism. The word, “fear,” is not a negative reaction. When I love a person, I certainly don’t want to hurt that person. So, fear means that I love God so much that I do not want to do anything to separate me from God. We ask God to use this gift when our feelings are hurt and we have a difficult time making amends to those—especially in our family—whom at times, we have difficulty loving. Hurt feelings often prompt us to unkind words, slander, and gossip. One negative aspect of social media is that these hurtful conversations can go viral among family members.  “But turning away from them, he wept.” Joseph’s contact with his brothers resurrects his love for them. We will see later in Genesis that their familial relationship is restored.

     In our gospel reading today, Jesus tells his disciples to drive out unclean spirits and cure every kind of disease. Jesus knows that his chosen followers, who are his extended family, will eventually desert him in his time of ultimate need, as did Joseph’s brothers. Yet, he focuses on their goodness and works with them in spreading the Good News. Our takeaway from today’s Scripture readings? Let us spend time in prayer, reflecting on those relationships that have been tarnished by envy, hurt, gossip. What does each of us need to do to change this perspective? Hatred and ill-will do not give us life.  Sharing in the sacrificial love of Jesus does.