Forvigen, Forgiving

Genesis 42.18-28

On the third day Joseph said to them, ‘Do this and you will live, for I fear God: if you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay here where you are imprisoned. The rest of you shall go and carry grain for the famine of your households, and bring your youngest brother to me. Thus your words will be verified, and you shall not die.’ And they agreed to do so. They said to one another, ‘Alas, we are paying the penalty for what we did to our brother; we saw his anguish when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this anguish has come upon us.’ Then Reuben answered them, ‘Did I not tell you not to wrong the boy? But you would not listen. So now there comes a reckoning for his blood.’ They did not know that Joseph understood them, since he spoke with them through an interpreter. He turned away from them and wept; then he returned and spoke to them. And he picked out Simeon and had him bound before their eyes. Joseph then gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to return every man’s money to his sack, and to give them provisions for their journey. This was done for them.


They loaded their donkeys with their grain, and departed. When one of them opened his sack to give his donkey fodder at the lodging-place, he saw his money at the top of the sack. He said to his brothers, ‘My money has been put back; here it is in my sack!’ At this they lost heart and turned trembling to one another, saying, ‘What is this that God has done to us?’


Reflection

The breviary from which our Lenten passages have been drawn offers readings for three hours of the day: lauds (morning), vespers (evening), and compline (night). To this point, all of our readings have been those for the morning. Today, since this reflection is being sent out in the evening, I have chosen a passage for Vespers.


Today’s Scripture is drawn from the encounter between Joseph, Pharaoh’s right hand man, and his brothers. These verses are powerful, filled with raw emotion. Most striking is the centrality of forgiveness to the unfolding story, both for those being forgiven and for the one offering the forgiveness. This Lent, as we look to make amends and set right our hearts, I hope that each of us will be blessed to both forgive and be forgiven.

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