Deacon Larry

 

Thursday of 14th Week in Ordinary Time

Gen 44: 18-21, 23b-29,; 45: 1-5; Mt 10:7-15

Dc. Larry Brockman

Just imagine, your family, your own flesh and blood, selling you into slavery.  What a terrible tragedy!  And yet the story of Joseph has this happy ending that we hear this morning.  Because rather than displaying bitterness and seeking revenge on his brothers, Joseph says something truly amazing that reveals much about the faith that was in his heart throughout his slavery.  He says:  “It was really for the sake of saving lives that God sent me here ahead of you”. 

Wow, what faith this man had in the Lord.  Joseph shows us that even when you are subjected to evil, such as your brothers selling you into slavery, good can come of it, the Kingdom of God can emerge even in the face of such evil.  It depends on how you react to the evil and whether you live your faith when exposed to such a disaster. 

There are lots of similar stories as Joseph’s.  Consider St. Patrick’s story for example.  He was captured and enslaved by the Irish as a young man.  Although Patrick managed to escape that slavery, he returned voluntarily to Ireland as a Priest, and that resulted in the conversion of Ireland to the faith. 

Most of us are touched by some kind of evil during our lives.  God doesn’t will this evil on us, but everybody has free will, and sometimes one of our brothers uses it in evil ways.  And so, innocent people are cheated, or swindled, or the victim of identity theft every day, for example.  Similarly, husbands or wives leave their families suddenly causing great pain and suffering.  Accidents and disease leave many people in difficult situations.  The examples of evil that befalls us are many.  When these seemingly evil things happen to you, it is hard not to be bitter, but, as Joseph demonstrates, it is important to focus on your faith rather than the bitterness and revenge.  God always provides us the grace and the means to build his Kingdom- even in the face of evil. 

The Gospel message is not just meant for the apostles.  Because all of us, too, are being sent out.  However and wherever we end up as a result of the circumstances of our lives, Including those times when we are burdened by evil, we are called to proclaim the Kingdom of God.  In fact, we all have the potential to do great things in the face of evil just like Joseph and Patrick! 

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 9th, 2009 at 8:29 am and is filed under Holy Family Weekday Homilies. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.