2nd Week of Lent 2023 - Friday - God brings good out of suffering and evil

 On this Friday of the second week of Lent, we hear the story of Joseph betrayed and sold into slavery by his brothers. Joseph foreshadows, certainly how Our Lord was betrayed by Judas and sold for the price of a slave—30 pieces of silver. 

Joseph being sold into slavery is certainly not the end of the story. Things actually got worse for Joseph, before they got better. Joseph, sold into slavery, would go on to serve in the house of Potiphar.  but then, he would be falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife. And for this false accusation, Joseph was imprisoned.

But while in prison—in the darkness of his prison cell—Joseph used his God given gift of interpreting dreams to help his fellow prisoners. Well, one of those prisoners was released, and while employed in the court of the Egyptian king, got Joseph a job interpreting dreams for the pharaoh. 

Soon, Joseph’s talents for administration became evident that he became the right hand of the king and he became so influential in Egypt, that when his brothers come from the holy land to Egypt seeking food, he is able to provide for them, and is even reconciled with them and his father. God brings good out of evil.

The story of Joseph certainly foreshadows the passion of Our Lord. The stone rejected by the builders becomes the cornerstone. Through the evil he suffered, his rejection by his own people, the false accusations, imprisonment, torture, mockery, crucifixion, and death, God would bring about the greatest good: the resurrection of Christ and our redemption.

“All things work together for those who love God,” says Paul. Our sufferings, our imprisonments, the mockery we endure for standing firm in the faith, God will bring good out of it, out of all of it.  The ways of God are mysterious, but God is in charge. Not even the greatest evils can hinder God from bringing about an even greater good.

We willingly undergo penances—minor sufferings, all in all, no—believing that God can bring good out of those sufferings willingly endured—if anything else, he brings about our own sanctification. But my guess is that God uses those penances to bring about much more than that: graces are won by our penances for the softening of hearts hardened toward God’s Son. 

And those sufferings which are beyond our control—like they were beyond the control of Joseph—betrayal from his own family, false accusations—may we keep calm, and keep the faith, trusting that God will bring about great good for those who love Him, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - -  

That the season of Lent may bring the most hardened hearts to repentance and bring to all people purification of sin and selfishness.

For those preparing for baptism and the Easter sacraments, that they may continue to conform themselves to Christ through fervent prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

For success for our upcoming Lenten retreat next week and for blessings upon our retreat leader, Bishop Woost.

That we may generously respond to all those in need: the sick, the suffering, the homeless, the imprisoned, and victims of violence. 

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Grant, we pray, O Lord, that your people may turn to you with all their heart, so that whatever they dare to ask in fitting prayer they may receive by your mercy. Through Christ our Lord.

13th Week in Ordinary Time 2021 - Friday - God brings good out of evil

 Scripture is full of examples of God bringing Good out of Evil. In the story of the sons of Jacob, for example, Joseph is betrayed by his brothers, thrown in a well, sold into slavery, falsely accused and imprisoned, only to be put in the position where he is able to save his family from starvation. 

Over and over, we see the people of Israel falling into the evil of sin and depravity, only for God to reveal his Goodness and Mercy by delivering Israel from slavery and exile.

In today’s readings we see two such stories. God is able to bring something good out of the death of Abraham’s wife Sarah. After all those years, Abraham finally comes into possession of the land promised to Him by God which would become the seed bed of his great progeny. And we even get a glimpse of the new life for the line of Abraham, as Abraham’s son, Isaac, is blessed with a wife.

So, too, in the Gospel. The Lord brings about conversion, and a new way of living, out of the sinful life of the tax collector Matthew. Where there was sin and evil and collaboration with the enemies of Israel, God is able to bring new life and goodness and blessing.

And yet for Joseph and Israel and Abraham and Matthew, the goodness God wishes to bring about in our lives often requires giving something up. For Israel to be delivered from slavery, it had to give up its sin. For Abraham to possess the promised land, he had to give up his homeland. For Matthew to possess discipleship and apostleship, he had to give up his old sinful occupation.

The Lord is able to bring good out of the most tragic events, and in the life of the hardened sinner. But more often than not, something must be given up, left behind. Something at odds with the life of God needs to be set aside. 

What do I need to set aside, leave behind, walk away from, in order for God to manifest his goodness in me, to breathe new life into my stagnate ways, new blessing, new intimacy with Him for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - - -  

That the bishops of the Church will act as true prophets through their faithful teaching, their courageous witness, and their self-sacrificing love. Let us pray to the Lord.

As our nation celebrates independence and freedom this weekend, for the grace to use that freedom to pursue our highest good in every dimension of our civic and national life. Let us pray to the Lord.

For the Church’s missions amongst the poor and unevangelized throughout the world, that the work of Christ may be carried out with truth and love. Let us pray to the Lord.

For all those who share in the sufferings of Christ—the sick, the sorrowful, and those who are afflicted or burdened in any way.  Let us pray to the Lord.

For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for the deceased priests and religious of the diocese of Cleveland, for the poor souls in purgatory, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom. Let us pray to the Lord.

O God, who know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.