It Is About Passion

 

The path to fulfil a dream is rough.

Reflection on Today’s Readings, Friday of 2nd Week of Lent B, March 1st, 2024
Texts: Genesis 37: 3-4, 12-13a, 17-2a8; Psalm 105: 16-21; Matthew 21: 33-43,45-46 

Today’s readings are not about repentance, forgiveness, charity or prayer, it is about passion. It reminds us that Lent is also about sharing in the passion of Christ. The first reading is about the display of wickedness, jealousy, envy, hatred, betrayal and disappointment. Joseph bore the brunt of his brothers’ wickedness, hatred, betrayal, jealousy and envy.  

I could just imagine the shock of Joseph as his brothers pulled off his clothes and cast him into the well. They were the persons he loved and trusted most among men. They sold him for money, twenty shekels of silver. He would have been lost in utter confusion, betrayal and disappointment. 

We shall see what will become of his dreams

His brothers hated him for the love their father had for him and for his dream. We read, “But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him.” His brothers said, "Here comes this dreamer. Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; then we shall say that a wild beast has devoured him, and we shall see what will become of his dreams."  

We learn in the story of Joseph that hatred does come from the other side of love. If a person loves us, it provokes hatred in another person. We also learn that the path to fulfil a dream is rough. Today’s Psalm says, “His feet were weighed down in chains, his neck was bound with iron, until what he said came to pass, and the word of the  Lord proved him true.” We should not allow what comes our way in the pursuit of our dreams weigh us down.  

Prayer 

Grant, we pray, almighty God, that, purifying us by the sacred practice of penance, you may lead us in sincerity of heart to attain the holy things to come. Amen  

Fr. Andrew Olowomuke