Short Reflection
Joseph and his brothers: a second meeting
On Sunday, we heard about the final reunion of Joseph with his father, skipping the passage in today’s first reading.
So we travel back in time a bit.
Nine of the ten brothers have returned to their father with the grain, leaving Simeon in Egypt.
Time goes on; they’ve eaten all the grain and need to go to Egypt again to buy more. Only this time they have to take Benjamin with them.
Jacob is most grieved. He’s lost Joseph and Simeon and is about to lose Benjamin too.
What about God’s promise? Has God turned away from him?
Yet he lets his sons go, all 11 of them, sending with them an offering to Egypt’s governor: the best fruits of the land, honey, gum, resin, pistachio nuts and almonds, as well as double the money to make up for what they had found in their sacks from the previous outing.
The story reaches its climax tomorrow!
The Council of Jerusalem
Meanwhile, we whizz forward to the 1st century AD, when Paul and Barnabas are defending the mission to the Gentiles, which has been under attack from some in the Jerusalem camp.
Yes, even in those early days, the Church experienced those who would divide the followers of Jesus.
Form and essence; one gift, many ways
The Rector of Holy Trinity, Stirling provided a useful concept for us yesterday, distinguishing between form and essence.
The essence here is the irrevocable gift of God, no matter to whom it is addressed; the form is the way or means by which this gift is communicated.
There is one essence, one gift, but many forms, many ways to reach that gift.
And our journeys, our ways
are each unique,
tailored by God for each one of us,
including you and me, praying at home today.
As Paul writes,
in the Reign of God
There is no longer Jew or Greek,
there is no longer slave or free,
there is no longer male and female;
for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.
And if you belong to Christ,
then you are Abraham’s offspring,
heirs according to the promise.
Galatians 3:28
And that gift is irrevocable: once given, it cannot be taken back, no matter what we do.
As Abraham’s offspring, then, we can share in this paean of joy:
O Israel, hope in the Lord!
For with the Lord there is steadfast love.
Psalm 129 (130):7
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You can listen to Rev Christoph Wutscher’s sermon here
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