A Plan for peace

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite contemplation of events in our lives that we might characterize as “all’s well that ends well” and what gifts from God brought a peaceful conclusion to the situation.

Downhill turn?

The reading from the Book of Genesis today concludes with Joseph revealing his identity to his brothers.

* [45:1–28] Joseph reveals his identity and the family is reconciled.1 

Psalm 105 proclaims that during every phase of the national story—the ancestors in the land of Canaan (Ps 105:12–15), Joseph in Egypt (Ps 105:16–22), God remained faithful, reiterating the promise of the land to successive servants.

* [Psalm 105] A hymn to God who promised the land of Canaan to the holy people, cf. Ps 78; 106; 136. Israel is invited to praise and seek the presence of God (Ps 105:1–6), who is faithful to the promise of land to the ancestors (Ps 105:7–11). In every phase of the national story—the ancestors in the land of Canaan (Ps 105:12–15), Joseph in Egypt (Ps 105:16–22), Israel in Egypt (Ps 105:23–38), Israel in the desert on the way to Canaan (Ps 105:39–45)—God remained faithful, reiterating the promise of the land to successive servants.2 

In the Gospel from Matthew, Jesus emphasizes the gift of peace in commissioning the Twelve.

* [10:13] The greeting of peace is conceived of not merely as a salutation but as an effective word. If it finds no worthy recipient, it will return to the speaker.3 

Cindy Constanzo quotes Richard Rohr who writes about how forgiveness reveals goodness.

“Forgiveness reveals three goodnesses simultaneously. When we forgive, we choose the goodness of the other over their faults, we experience God’s goodness flowing through ourselves, and we also experience our own capacity for goodness in a way that almost surprises us. We are finally in touch with a much Higher Power, and we slowly learn how to draw upon this Infinite Source.”4 

Don Schwager quotes “The gift of power to reign with the Lord,” by Hilary of Poitiers (315-367 AD) who reminds us that “a gift freely bestowed should be freely dispensed."

"All the power possessed by the Lord is bestowed upon the apostles! Those who were prefigured in the image and likeness of God in Adam have now received the perfect image and likeness of Christ. They have been given powers in no way different from those of the Lord. Those once earthbound now become heaven-centered. They will proclaim that the kingdom of heaven is at hand, that the image and likeness of God are now appropriated in the company of truth, so that all the holy ones who have been made heirs of heaven may reign with the Lord. Let them cure the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers and cast out devils. Whatever impairment Adam's body had incurred from being goaded on by Satan, let the apostles wipe away through their sharing in the Lord's power. And that they may fully obtain the likeness of God according to the prophecy in Genesis, they are ordered to give freely what they freely have received (Matthew 10:8). Thus a gift freely bestowed should be freely dispensed." (excerpt from commentary ON MATTHEW 10.4)5 

The Word Among Us Meditation on Genesis 44:18-21, 23-29; 45:1-5 comments that Joseph chose mercy, and the results were amazing. Not only did he save his brothers from starving, but he also paved the way for God to bring peace and healing to a family that had been scarred by rivalry, deception, and division.

If God accomplished all this through Joseph’s forgiveness, imagine what he can do when we choose to forgive. He can heal marriages and reunite families. He can reconcile enemies and overcome age-old patterns of sin. He can even bring peace to neighborhoods and nations!
Let’s ask God for the grace to be merciful. Let’s ask him to help us break the cycle of revenge. Let’s echo Jesus’ words from the cross: “Father, forgive them,” and watch to see how history changes (Luke 23:34).6 

Friar Jude Winkler shares the selfless role of Judah in offering to stand in for and be punished in place of his brother Benjamin. The execution of God’s plan can result in good coming out of bad decisions. Friar Jude comments on the choice of a Pharisee to use the Kingdom of Heaven phrase in Matthew’s Gospel.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, quotes “The Prophetic Imagination,” by theologian Walter Brueggemann, who gives voice to the role of the prophet in honoring the ministry of imagination.

The prophet does not ask if the vision can be implemented, for questions of implementation are of no consequence until the vision can be imagined. The imagination must come before the implementation. Our culture is competent to implement almost anything and to imagine almost nothing. The same royal consciousness that makes it possible to implement anything and everything is the one that shrinks imagination because imagination is a danger. Thus every totalitarian regime is frightened of the artist. It is the vocation of the prophet to keep alive the ministry of imagination, to  keep on conjuring and proposing futures alternative to the single one the king wants to urge as the only thinkable one. . . .7 

I have found resonance and consolation in the pattern of the gift of prophecy on my journey. Those difficult situations where my choices and actions run contrary to the status quo cause dissonance that like the story of Joseph and life of Christ eventually show some aspect of good coming out of difficulty.

As we journey through good times and bad we become aware of our gifts, like prophecy, compassion, and forgiveness that are to be dispensed as freely as we have received them from God.

References

1	(n.d.). Genesis, chapter 45 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved July 11, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/genesis/45
2	(n.d.). Psalms, chapter 105 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved July 11, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/psalms/105
3	(n.d.). Matthew, chapter 10 - United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Retrieved July 11, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/matthew/10
4	(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections .... Retrieved July 11, 2019, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
5	(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved July 11, 2019, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
6	(2019, July 11). Saint Benedict, Abbot - The Word Among Us. Retrieved July 11, 2019, from https://wau.org/meditations/2019/07/11/
7	(2019, July 11). Imagination — Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved July 11, 2019, from https://cac.org/imagination-2019-07-11/