The brothers certainly have vivid imaginations don’t they? “It is because of the money, which was
replaced in our sacks the first time, that we are brought in, so that he may
assault us and fall upon us to make us servants and seize our donkeys.” The steward of the house reassures them that
he had received their money the first time round but in a strange way, “Peace
to you, do not be afraid. Your God and the God of your father has put treasure
in your sacks.." Peace to you, do
not be afraid. We heard those words
yesterday in our Gospel reading about Jesus and the disciples in the boat
didn't we? What does this steward mean
though by speaking of your God and the God of your father? Does he know anything about that God? The meal is far more than they could possibly
have imagined, a wonderful feast in the midst of famine. Joseph is overcome with emotion and yet
continues to test his brothers by sending Benjamin, his full brother, far more
food than the others.
Can you imagine what it would look like to see about two
thousand pigs running pell mell but very determinedly down a steep bank and
into the sea? It would certainly be a
frightening thing to see, particularly if you were one of the herdsmen of the
pigs. Jesus came to the country of the Gerasenes, a land most Jews avoided
altogether, for one reason, to cure this man.
He entered not only the land but also the worst possible scene for an
observant Jew, a place of the dead, with pigs, and a man of whom even pagans
were afraid. His compassion was so great
for this man that he took every risk and went to him to heal him. The result was that now these people feared
Jesus more than they feared the man. They
got a glimpse of the same thing the disciples saw in our Gospel reading
yesterday, the power of Jesus over what caused them fear. The man, however, became a witness to the power
of God in a pagan land.
Paul's admonitions here relate to converts to the faith and
practical questions of life. What was
your state when became a Christian? Whatever
that is, you weren't called out of it simply because of your faith. Marriage is to be held sacred and not to be
put asunder lightly. Nowhere does Paul
countenance divorce in this passage. He is
okay with separation if the other, non-believing party seeks it but only when
that is true. We are to be witnesses
wherever we are in life, salt and light everywhere. Joseph had, it seems to me, clearly been a witness
in Egypt, even to his own household steward, and the man infested with a legion
of demons was not allowed to come with Jesus and the disciples. Where are you being salt and light in your
life?
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