This week, we hear a section of the Joseph story that makes up a good part of Genesis. This is one of my favorite stories in the Old Testament and one I find continues to have relevance to my life today. I love how Joseph reframes his ordeals and therefore easily forgives his brothers. In case you have forgotten the story I will share with you the short version.
Joseph is one of the twelve male children of Jacob. As a child Joseph dreams that his brothers will bow down to him, which does not sit well with them. Plus, he is the favorite son, so they decide to kill him. But instead, they sell him into slavery and assume that is the last of him. The evil brothers fool their father Jacob by putting goat blood on Josephs very special robe that his father had made for him and tell Jacob that Joseph has been killed by wild animals. Meanwhile Joseph ends up at the house of a wealthy man, but his wife tries to sleep with him and when he won’t, she accuses him of attempted rape. Off he goes to prison. There he translates the dreams of two of the Pharoah’s top guys who are just doing a short stay behind bars and the interpretations are correct (one of them will be honored one will be hanged).
When the Pharoah has two dramatic dreams which no one is able to interpret he sends for Joseph who tells him what they mean. Joseph tells the Pharoah that there will be seven years of bountiful crops followed by seven years of famine. The Pharoah believes him and empowers Joseph to run the country preparing for the famine. Due to this, Joseph saves countless lives and makes the Pharoah very wealthy.
During this time his brothers are facing starvation, so they come to Egypt to buy grain. This is where we are in today’s reading when Joseph reveals himself to them. His brothers must have been terrified of their now powerful brother who they are indeed bowing to. But Joseph is holding no grudge towards his brothers as he sees their actions as part of God’s plan to save lives.
How is it that Joseph can so easily forgive those who sought to kill him? What happened to Joseph over these years that kept him from longing for revenge? How is Joseph acting with compassion and with reverence for God’s saving Grace when he has been through so much?
What I have experienced in my life is that the hard stuff I have gone through has helped me to grow into a better human being. When I look back at some of the most difficult times of my life, I see how they led me to greater compassion and wisdom. Now when I feel challenged, I try to see where God is leading me or trying to show me instead of becoming reactive and angry.
I see this in the groups I facilitate in the California Men’s Colony prison. For many the hardship of their lives has led them to a deep desire to change and become better versions of themselves. They want to attend programs that will help them heal and transform their lives. They are no longer angry, instead they are seeking to be candid and open about the harm they have endured and the harm they have caused. In our listening circles they develop empathy for what others have gone through and the courage to tell their own stories. This self-understanding leads to maturity, compassion, even love for others. Many have a deep faith and have surrendered to God living their lives united to God’s Grace.
It is a horrible thing to have caused harm and be like the brothers in Joseph's story. They were jealous of Joseph and acted out in anger. But great shame comes with causing harm. Harming others and disappointing loved ones has a heavy cost. But Joseph doesn’t berate them or shame them, in fact he says to his brothers, “Do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.” He has reframed the story from one of being a victim to one of being an agent of God’s mercy. His utter forgiveness comes as he sees God’s hand in his story.
My friend Nora has reframed her story in order to be free herself from the role of the victim and in her desire to serve God. This Friday Nora will drive up from Los Angeles and come into prison with me so that she can tell the men the story of her 18-year-old son. He was innocently standing outside a corner store when a pickup truck drove by and a gang member stood up and shot into the store accidently killing Nora’s boy, Nico. She will tell these men, many of whom were gang members, in great detail and with emotion, the events of that day and the weeks to come and how devastated she was and still is. It will break their hearts - open.
Nora does this in prisons all over California and has become somewhat a legend. Often this is a turning point for the men as they finally allow in the pain their actions have caused. For many this is the first time they felt the necessary empathy needed to change. Often men recount the effect of her story at their parole hearings. Nora is one of my sheroes. She tells the men she is proud of them, because they are doing the hard work of looking at themselves, attending groups, and working on becoming better men. This is what victims want. They want to know that no one else will be hurt like they were. At the end she tells them that she forgives them.
This is exactly what Jesus asks of his followers in today’s gospel: to love our enemies. What a tall order. How can we be expected to have compassion for those who have hurt us?
Radical Jesus asks a lot of his followers. And many of us fall far short of the teachings. But we can all rest assured that even in our feeble attempts to live into the character of Jesus we are somehow pleasing him.
I ask myself what enemy might I love? Who am I not forgiving? Can I try a bit harder to find compassion for them?
It isn’t easy, but it is the path to freedom. And Jesus is the great liberator.
Amen.
Sister Greta