The Feast of St Bonaventure OFM, Bishop and Doctor of the Church.
"Jacob gave his sons this charge: “Since I am about to be taken to my people, bury me with my fathers in the cave that lies in the field of Ephron the Hittite, the cave in the field of Machpelah, facing on Mamre, in the land of Canaan, the field that Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite for a burial ground.
"There Abraham and his wife Sarah are buried, and so are Isaac and his wife Rebekah, and there, too, I buried Leah—the field and the cave in it that had been purchased from the Hittites.”
"Now that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers became fearful and thought, “Suppose Joseph has been nursing a grudge against us and now plans to pay us back in full for all the wrong we did him!”
So they approached Joseph and said: “Before your father died, he gave us these instructions: ‘You shall say to Joseph, Jacob begs you to forgive the criminal wrongdoing of your brothers, who treated you so cruelly.’ Please, therefore, forgive the crime that we, the servants of your father’s God, committed.”
"When they spoke these words to him, Joseph broke into tears. Then his brothers proceeded to fling themselves down before him and said, “Let us be your slaves!” But Joseph replied to them: “Have no fear. Can I take the place of God? Even though you meant harm to me, God meant it for good, to achieve his present end, the survival of many people.
"Therefore have no fear. I will provide for you and for your children.” By thus speaking kindly to them, he reassured them.
"Joseph remained in Egypt, together with his father’s family. He lived a hundred and ten years. He saw Ephraim’s children to the third generation, and the children of Manasseh’s son Machir were also born on Joseph’s knees.
"Joseph said to his brothers: “I am about to die. God will surely take care of you and lead you out of this land to the land that he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”
"Then, putting the sons of Israel under oath, he continued, “When God thus takes care of you, you must bring my bones up with you from this place.” Joseph died at the age of a hundred and ten."
(Genesis: 49:29-32; 50:15-26a)
Saturday 15th of July 2023 in the 14th Week of Ordinary Time is the feast of St Bonaventure, OFM.
St Bonaventure (1221 - 1274). Italian. Franciscan, Bishop, Cardinal and Doctor of the Church. Bonaventure is known as the Seraphic Doctor because of his mastery of mystical theology. He became friends with St Thomas Aquinas, another doctor of the Church in the University of Paris. St Bonaventure who succeeded St Francis of Assisi as the Superior General of the Franciscans. He wrote the first thorough biography of the great saint.
St Bonaventure, a great man of God by all standards was a very meek and humble man. Although Superior General of the Franciscans for 17 years, Cardinal of the Church, eminent Theologian and Professor of Theology at the University of Paris and later to become one of the 37 Doctors of the Church, Bonaventure is childlike in character.
Today we close the chapter on Jacob and Joseph and his brethren. Genesis ends in Chapter 50 with God establishing a family with the Call of Abraham and choosing Jacob as a strong link in the chronology of Jesus Christ, the Son of Abraham, Son of David.
We note how God established Joseph as type and shadow of Jesus Christ.
Consider these traits of Joseph.
Joseph was the favorite of his father, Jacob.
He was envied by his brothers.
Joseph was sold for 20 silver pieces. Jesus was sold for 30.
Both Jesus and Joseph were imprisoned, tortured and humiliated.
Joseph was elevated and promoted to become the Prime Minister of Egypt.
Jesus was raised from the dead and became Head of the Church and King of the Universe.
Genesis is above all the story of God's powerful, merciful and mysterious Providence. This Divine Providence rules all things benevolently from beginning to end.
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
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