THE SUFFERING OF THE JUST

Friday, Second week of Lent
Reflection from Friar Nicholas Okeke, OP


Theme: The Suffering of the Just Man

The story of Joseph and his brothers is another demonstration of the deep sorrow a just soul suffers when betrayed by his own people. Just as in the case of the Son of Man, who found solace in his firm trust in the love and protection of his heavenly Father, Joseph placed his faith in God, who knows and directs all things. Joseph did nothing to provoke the hatred of his brothers, unlike many of us who provoke people's attack by our way of life. His offence was that their father Jacob loved him more than others. That is hardly of his making; it just happened that he is the child of his old age. “But his brothers, seeing how his father loved him more than all his other sons, came to hate him so much that they could not say a civil word to him.” Another crime they accused him of was his dreams, which he shared freely and innocently with them. The dreams came to him from God, for they were revelations of what would come to pass in future; they were symbols of the salvific role he would play in the life of his family and others. Joseph had his father's love and the favours of God. God ordained that these privileges would be for the good of his family and many others. He trusted in God through his tribulations, which was central to fulfilment of divine plan in his life. All the evil he suffered: his brothers hatred, hardship of slavery, temptation to immorality, etc. did not destroy him, but moulded him to play his God given role. 


The story of our Lord, which has a similar path, is the light that illuminates all the sufferings of just souls who overcame their adversaries through their firm trust in God. The parable the Lord used to foretell his coming passion in the gospel is illuminating. The landowner who planted a vineyard and employed the tenants, did all for the good of the tenants. Though the proceeds go to the owner, the vineyard is for good of the tenants, who make their living from the vineyard. We are the tenants in God's vineyard. Consider all the good things God has entrusted to us for our wellbeing: the material goods, the good of family life, friends, the good of order and the society, etc. We do not merit any of these; they do not belong to us. We are all called to be stewards and tenants in God’s world. What he requires from us is just faithfulness and gratitude to him. We and our gifts are all part of God’s provision for the common good and salvation. There is never any reason for us to usurp the position of God in our individual or collective life. God made us to be the inheritance of his Only Begotten Son. We will ultimately inherit God as his adopted sons through his Son, if we are faithful and grateful for all his gifts and provisions. “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come on, let us kill him and take over his inheritance.’ So they seized him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.” We act like these wicked tenants when we serve self instead of God.

Let us pray: Grant us, heavenly Father, to understand how you have gifted us with every heavenly blessing in Jesus Christ, that we may serve you with deep gratitude every day.  


 

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