The Feast of St Kateri Tekakwita, Virgin and Lay Religious.
Jacob tasted the faithfulness of God.
"Israel set out with all that was his. When he arrived at Beer-sheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.
"There God, speaking to Israel in a vision by night, called, “Jacob! Jacob!” He answered, “Here I am.”
"Then he said: “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you a great nation.
"Not only will I go down to Egypt with you; I will also bring you back here, after Joseph has closed your eyes.”
"So Jacob departed from Beer-sheba, and the sons of Israel put their father and their wives and children on the wagons that Pharaoh had sent for his transport.
"They took with them their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in the land of Canaan.
"Thus Jacob and all his descendants migrated to Egypt.
"His sons and his grandsons, his daughters and his granddaughters—all his descendants—he took with him to Egypt.
"Israel had sent Judah ahead to Joseph, so that he might meet him in Goshen.
"On his arrival in the region of Goshen, Joseph hitched the horses to his chariot and rode to meet his father Israel in Goshen.
"As soon as Joseph saw him, he flung himself on his neck and wept a long time in his arms. And Israel said to Joseph, “At last I can die, now that I have seen for myself that Joseph is still alive.”
(Genesis 46:1-7, 28-30).
Friday 14th July 2023 in the 14th Week of Ordinary Time is the feast of St Kateri Tekakwita.
The Church commemorates the life of St Kateri Tekakwita.
St Kateri Tekakwita (1656 - 1680). Born near New York. Daughter of a Mohawk chief. Kateri died at the age of 24. She had great devotion to the Eucharist and Jesus Crucified. She is known as the "Lily of the Mohawks" and is the patron saint of ecologists, environmentalists, and Native Americans.
In our key Scripture for today from Genesis 46, we begin to discern the character of God. Remember that Jacob is the son of Isaac and Isaac is the son of Abraham. So Jacob and his forebears are new believers in God. They are learning who this God of Abraham is.
God is revealing His personality through His conversations with Jacob.
"Then he said: “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you a great nation.
"Not only will I go down to Egypt with you; I will also bring you back here, after Joseph has closed your eyes.”
LESSON #1 OF GOD TO JACOB: GOD IS FAITHFUL TO HIS PROMISES.
What does it mean that God is a Father who keeps His promises?
You grow in faith when you learn from experience that God is faithful to His promises.
As you read the word of God, note and mark the verses and passages that celebrate God's faithfulness to His promises. In our key Scripture for today, when Israel (Jacob) saw his son Joseph face to face, he celebrated God's faithfulness.
God promised Simeon that he would not die until he sees Jesus. When Simeon carried Jesus in his arms, he said:
"Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace." (Luke 2: 29).
As you start storing the truth of God's faithfulness in your mind, the power of the word of God starts affecting the way you think and act. "His words are spirit and life; they effect what they mean as does any divine word," says Blessed Charles de Foucauld.
God kept all His promises to Abraham, Isaac, Israel, David, Mary, Simeon, etc. God is a Father who keeps His promises. Trust Him.
"The word of the Lord remains for ever: What is this word?
It is the Good News that has been brought to you." (1 Peter 1: 25).
The Church honors the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ in July.
For Devotion, Litany of the Most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ and other prayers, click the link below:
http://seekfirst.blogspot.com/2023/04/devotion-to-most-precious-blood-of.html?m=1
No comments:
Post a Comment
23-Psalm1to2