Trust God to fulfil His Promises-HOMILY FOR SATURDAY OF THE 13TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME JULY 2023

HOMILY FOR SATURDAY OF THE 13TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Genesis 27:1-5,15-29; Ps.135; Matthew 9:14-17

Trust God to fulfil His Promises

The first reading of today leaves us with so much to wonder about. Rebecca and the son, Jacob plotted against Esau and deceived Isaac in order to steal from Isaac the blessing he intended for Esau. Even as we may frown at such height of injustice, it is even more surprising that God seemed to answer the prayer of Isaac over Jacob. Ordinarily, one would have expected God to either expose the deceptive plot of Rebecca and Jacob or refuse to grant the prayer of Isaac since he was deceived.

Well, God was only sticking to His plan. In Genesis chapter 25:21-23, Isaac prayed to the Lord for his wife when she had no child. God heard his prayer. When the children in her womb struggled together, Rebecca consulted the Lord and the Lord said to her: “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples will be born of you; one nation will be stronger than the other, and the elder shall serve the younger”. This means that even before birth, God has arranged that Jacob will be greater than Esau. Obviously this plan was not as a result of what any of them has done; it was simply how God wanted to carry out the salvation of his people. Therefore, the problem is not that Jacob was more blessed than Esau was but the method through which this happened: deception. Man wanted to play God in his own life.

We are not told if Rebecca told her husband what the Lord told her or if she later told her children; but we can understand why she took the initiative that Jacob should present himself as Esau to the Isaac. Rebecca and Jacob paid a heavy price for their folly. Jacob had to flee and Rebecca never saw her son again.

Beloved, the end does not justify the means. We cannot justify a wrong step with a right goal. When God promises to bless us, he does not do so vaguely; he sure has a plan. We need to trust God that he will do what he has promised. You do not have to steal or indulge in shady practices in order to enjoy God’s blessings or fulfill his plan for you. For us to be truly blessed, we must walk according to God’s plan; we must continue to allow him take the initiative. Only then, will the blessings that come our way not produce negative side-effect.

We pray for the grace to be patient, for God’s time and ways are always the best.