The choice of the theme for our reflection today is inspired by the story of the brothers of Joseph in the first reading.
It is an error for an elder brother who naturally should protect the younger one, turns out to a hunting dog to kill his younger brother. This was the case of Joseph and his brothers.
However, from the readings, it is evident that God works in mysterious ways and also confirms His word that “His ways are not our ways…” (Isaiah 55:8-9)
Both the first and the gospel readings have something to share in common.
In the first reading, we read the story of Jospeh the dreamer and how his brothers betrayed him because of the love of their father, they hated him and wanted to kill him but eventually sold him into slavery. “Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, but let us not do any harm to him. After all, he is our brother and our own flesh.’ His brothers agreed…”
In the gospel, it was Jesus who was the object of hatred for the chief priests and elders of the people. “…the chief priests and the scribes realised he was speaking about them, but though they would have liked to arrest him, they were afraid of the crowds, who looked on him as a prophet.” Eventually, they were able to arrest Jesus, suffered him, and killed him.
The selling out of Joseph brought about the realisation of his dreams, and he became the saviour of his family at the time of great famine.
In the same vein, the death of Jesus brought about the salvation of the whole world. For “the stone rejected by the builders that became the keystone. This was the Lord’s doing, and it is wonderful to see…”
We must know that the selling out of Joseph and the killing of Jesus resulted from jealousy of the heart.
The brothers of Joseph felt like Joseph is going to inherit their father’s alone. They forgot that it is natural for every parent to love their last child even more than others.
Also, the chief priests and scribes and the elders of the people felt like their position in the society is threatened by the presence of Jesus, and so plotted to get rid of him.
Like the brothers of Joseph, and the chief priests, the scribes and elders of the people as found in the readings of today, many of us have sold out our brothers and sisters and friends and are plotting ways to eliminate others just because we allowed our heart to be driven in the wrong direction into envy and jelousy.
We must learn to control our thoughts so that we may not regret any action that follows our thoughts.
We must also learn docility and abandonment to the will of God, believing in the transformative power of God who can turn every situation around for good no matter how difficult there may appear.
We pray that God may give us the grace for true repentance and may our fasting be acceptable in His sight.
Peace be with you 🙏🏾🙌🏾
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