today's readings are Genesis 37: 3-4, 12-13, 17-28; Psalm 105 and Mt. 21: 33-43, 45-46
The character and story of Joseph is one that has been near and dear to the hearts of many. Joseph, the bold and brash favoured son of Jacob and Rachel, is blessed with the gift of dreams. However, one of those dreams, in verses 5-8 of Genesis 37, ensures that his brothers, who have resented him, finally try to get rid of him, first with the thought of killing him, then throwing him into a pit, and finally settle on selling him for 20 pieces of silver. But as the story unfolds in the following chapters of Genesis we see that he will later save his people as he becomes the #2 man of the Pharaoh of Egypt.
It is easy to see how St. Matthew, who wrote his gospel specifically for the Jewish people, would have been delighted by the story of Joseph, and he would draw parallels with today's Old Testament story and many other stories and prophecies and links them with the mission of Jesus. Inspired by Matthew gospel, the early Christian community saw the ministry, life, passion and death of Jesus as the fulfillment of the stories of the Law and the Prophets.
Today, we the descendants of our ancestors in the faith, are called to be mindful that the story of Jesus and His Church has not come to an end, and that we too are called and invited to take our place in the story.