Everyone
“loves a happy ending!” Today we see the continuation of the happy
ending of the “Joseph Story.” Yesterday, though preempted by the feast of St
Benedict, the ferial reading told of how Joseph revealed himself to his
brothers, finally, and how they all wept with joy at their unexpected reunion;
today we see the conclusion of the story when the brothers present Joseph to
their father who has prayed for, hoped and longed for such a reunion to happen
before his death! It was an amazing, tearful scene. Sometimes, it takes a long
time, and many twists and turns for God’s plan to unfold in the positive way –
but patience will profit her children,
and the Presence of God’s Finger will be felt – encouraging all!
In
the gospel passage today we see on the contrary, that a ‘happy
ending” may not be so easily attained. Jesus sends out his Apostles to announce
the arrival of the Kingdom, the arrival of God’s Truth, the arrival of God’s
kind of Justice, the arrival of God’s kind of Law – and he tells them that they
will most definitely be opposed, hated, tortured – and some will be put to
death! But this is the way that is has to be: the genuineness and the
authenticity of the Message demands it. This is after all the battle between God and the evil force present in the world, so
how could it play out otherwise.
It would be a great mistake
for us in 2015, to think that this was all over and done with in Jesus’ day –
and that we can go merrily on our way. Absolutely not! We must be even more
vigilant, more aware and more ready and willing to proclaim the same GOSPEL to
an even more decadent, immoral and paganized world. What makes it more
dangerous than ever is the subtlety
that the Father of Lies engages in dispatching his troops! He makes it seem
that wrong is right, bad is good, hate is love – and the unsuspecting, the
vulnerable and the unwilling to have their minds and hearts rightly educated in
the ways of God – fall into his trap every single time – and then they wonder
why their lives are so miserable!
May we be apostles on the side
of the truly happy ending, where the
head of Satan will be crushed and we all will live happily ever after in the
Father’s kingdom – prepared for those who want it, and are willing to work for
it!
Turn
from evil and do good that you may abide forever.
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