Contemplating today's Gospel
Today's Gospel + homily (in 300 words)
Now that their father was dead, Joseph's brothers became fearful and thought, «Suppose Joseph has been nursing a grudge against us and now plans to pay us back in full for all the wrong we did him!». So they approached Joseph and said: «Before your father died, he gave us these instructions: ‘You shall say to Joseph, Jacob begs you to forgive the criminal wrongdoing of your brothers, who treated you so cruelly’. Please, therefore, forgive the crime that we, the servants of your father's God, committed». When they spoke these words to him, Joseph broke into tears. Then his brothers proceeded to fling themselves down before him and said, «Let us be your slaves!». But Joseph replied to them: «Have no fear. Can I take the place of God? Even though you meant harm to me, God meant it for good, to achieve his present end, the survival of many people. Therefore have no fear. I will provide for you and for your children». By thus speaking kindly to them, he reassured them.
Joseph remained in Egypt, together with his father's family. He lived a hundred and ten years. He saw Ephraim's children to the third generation, and the children of Manasseh's son Machir were also born on Joseph's knees. Joseph said to his brothers: «I am about to die. God will surely take care of you and lead you out of this land to the land that he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob». Then, putting the sons of Israel under oath, he continued, «When God thus takes care of you, you must bring my bones up with you from this place». Joseph died at the age of a hundred and ten.
Glory in his holy name; rejoice, o hearts that seek the Lord! Look to the Lord in his strength; seek to serve him constantly.
You descendants of Abraham, his servants, sons of Jacob, his chosen ones! He, the Lord, is our God; throughout the earth his judgments prevail.
“Therefore do not be afraid of them. Nothing is concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be known. What I say to you in the darkness, speak in the light; what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna. Are not two sparrows sold for a small coin? Yet not one of them falls to the ground without your Father’s knowledge. Even all the hairs of your head are counted. So do not be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father.”
“No disciple is above his teacher”
Fr. Raimondo M. SORGIA Mannai OP (San Domenico di Fiesole, Florencia, Italy)Today, the Gospel invites us to ponder over the relationship student/teacher: “No disciple is above his teacher, no slave above his master” (Mt 10:24). Amongst us it is not impossible a student can excel over the teacher who taught him the basics of a given subject. We have instances in History like the painter Giotto who quickly surpassed his teacher Cimabue, or Manzoni, excelling over abbot Pieri. But the key to supreme wisdom is to be found only in the hands of the Man-God, where all of us can share it, although with a possibility to absorb it at different levels: from the great theologian St. Thomas Aquinas down to the boy getting ready for his First Communion. We may adorn it with as many different styled ornaments as we wish, but they will never amount to anything of essence that may enrich the intrinsic value of the doctrine. And, on the other hand, there are chances we may fall into some kind of heresy.
We must be careful not to try any mixtures that may distort us without any substantial contribution to the Good News. St. Augustine says, “We must abstain from meals, but even more so should we be fasting in errors.” One time, someone lent me a book about the Guardian Angels where mention is made of some esoteric doctrines, such as the metempsychosis, and of an incomprehensible need of redemption allegedly affecting these pure spirits confirmed in goodness.
Today's Gospel opens our eyes to the unavoidable fact the student may, at times, be misunderstood, face obstacles or even be persecuted for declaring himself a follower of Christ. Jesus' life was a continuous service in defense of truth. If He was even named “Beelzebul”, it is not surprising that in quarrels, in cultural confrontations or in TV debates we are called retrogrades. Our faithfulness to Christ-Master is the maximum acknowledgement, which we can be proud of: “Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father” (Mt 10:32).
Thoughts on Today's Gospel
“Yes, O Lord, make your face to shine upon us for good in peace, that we may be shielded by your mighty hand... We praise you through the High Priest and Guardian of our souls, Jesus Christ, through whom be glory and majesty to you both now and from generation to generation and for evermore. Amen." (Saint Clement of Rome)
“Anyone who does not know God, even though he may entertain all kinds of hopes, is ultimately without hope.” (Benedict XVI)
“The term ‘soul’ ... refers to the innermost aspect of man, that which is of greatest value in him, that by which he is most especially in God's image: ‘soul’ signifies the spiritual principle in man.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, Nº 363)
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