the future now
"When his brothers saw that their father loved him best of all his sons, they hated him so much that they would not even greet him." —Genesis 37:4
Isaac and Rebekah were not the best parents. They each favored different sons (Gn 25:28). This created division in their family. Eventually, Rebekah helped her favorite son, Jacob, deceive Isaac and steal the birthright of his favorite son, Esau (Gn 27:6ff).
Jacob was not the best parent. Like his parents, he favored one of his sons, Joseph (Gn 37:3). This created more division in his family. Eventually, his less favored sons attempted to murder Joseph (Gn 37:19ff). They changed their minds and sold Joseph into slavery (Gn 37:28), lied to their father for years (Gn 37:31-32), and broke his heart (Gn 37:34-35). "What goes around, comes around." "Those who plow for mischief and sow trouble, reap the same" (Jb 4:8).
By injustice, division, and deception, are we setting the stage for catastrophes in our family for generations? Do we teach our sons and daughters how to be holy fathers and mothers, husbands and wives, by our own example and witness? Let us break the vicious cycles of sins by being born again in Baptism and by living our Baptisms. Only in Christ will we be freed from being victims of past generations. "This means that if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old order has passed away; now all is new!" (2 Cor 5:17)
Prayer: Father, make our families holy to the thousandth generation (see Ex 20:6).
Promise: "The Stone Which the builders rejected has become the Keystone of the structure. It was the Lord Who did this and we find it marvelous to behold." —Mt 21:42; Ps 118:22-23
Praise: Fred's example prompted his grandchildren to come into the Church.
Rescript: †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, May 10, 2017
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