Sunday Vigil

Reading of the Word of God

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Whoever lives and believes in me
will never die.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Genesis 49,29-33; 50,15-26

Then he gave them these instructions, 'I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my ancestors, in the cave that is in the field of Ephron the Hittite, in the cave in the field at Machpelah, facing Mamre, in Canaan, which Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite as a burial site of his own. There Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried. There Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried; and there I buried Leah- the field and the cave in it which were bought from the Hittites.' When Jacob had finished giving his instructions to his sons, he drew his feet up into the bed, and breathing his last was gathered to his people. Seeing that their father was dead, Joseph's brothers said, 'What if Joseph intends to treat us as enemies and pay us back for all the wrong we did him?' So they sent this message to Joseph: 'Before your father died, he gave us this order: "You are to say to Joseph: Now please forgive the crime and faults of your brothers and all the wrong they did you." So now please forgive the crime of the servants of your father's God.' Joseph wept at the message they sent to him. Then his brothers went to him themselves and, throwing themselves at his feet, said, 'Take us as your slaves!' But Joseph replied, 'Do not be afraid; is it for me to put myself in God's place? The evil you planned to do me has by God's design been turned to good, to bring about the present result: the survival of a numerous people. So there is no need to be afraid; I shall provide for you and your dependants.' In this way he reassured them by speaking affectionately to them. So Joseph stayed in Egypt with his father's family; and Joseph lived a hundred and ten years. Joseph saw the third generation of Ephraim's line, as also the children of Machir son of Manasseh, who were born on Joseph's lap. At length Joseph said to his brothers, 'I am about to die; but God will be sure to remember you kindly and take you out of this country to the country which he promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.' And Joseph put Israel's sons on oath, saying, 'When God remembers you with kindness, be sure to take my bones away from here.' Joseph died at the age of a hundred and ten; he was embalmed and laid in a coffin in Egypt.

 

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

If you believe, you will see the glory of God,
thus says the Lord.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Jacob has found his beloved son, Joseph. He asks his family to bury him where Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, and Leah also lie. His death is described as reuniting with ancestors. Just as we are given life in the midst of a story, so too death is a birth into a life where we rediscover those who bore us, together with the One who is the creator and author of life. Joseph's brothers begin to be afraid. Despite the reconciliation that had occurred, sin always leaves us with much fear. It causes us to see evil where there is none; it becomes a shadow that conditions us, fills us with mistrust and suspicion, encourages thinking evil, and inspires us to defend ourselves. Sin seems always more convincing than forgiveness. The brothers wonder whether Joseph will treat them as enemies after their father's death, returning to them all the evil that they had done to him. They try to defend themselves using their father to defend the fraternity that they themselves had destroyed. We often think we are intelligent and able to defend ourselves form evil. But in reality, we remain its prisoners. The brothers have difficulty believing in reconciliation and mercy. They still think that Joseph follows the same logic as they do. But Joseph truly is different, and, like all men and women who are truly believers and respectful of paternity, he does not let himself be conditioned by evil: "Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today." Evil multiples evil and pollutes love, but only love can break its chains and the reasoning that sustains it.