-
Homily 65
- The Catholic University of America Press
- Chapter
- Additional Information
HOMILY 65 "They left Egypt, and came to theirfatherJacob in Canaan. They gave him the news, '}Our sonJoseph is alive and is personally in charge of the whole land ofEgypt: Jacob was dumbfounded; he would not believe them."l au [558] saw from what was told you yesterday Joseph's sound values and the unspeakable long-suffering he demonstrated in regard to his brothers, not only by recalling nothing of what had been done to him but also by urging and advising them as they were on the point of returning to their father not to blame one another for their actions against him but to throw off all malice and make theirjourney in harmony. Now, at this point today we need to complete the sequel so as to look both at their return to their father, at Jacob 's journey down to Egypt, and the way [559] the news given him about Joseph caused him to bloom afresh and, so to say, almost made a young man of him. I mean, who could describe the joy he experienced then on learning that Joseph was alive and in fact enjoyed such wonderful notoriety? You know, of course, that it is unexpected blessings that give rise to the keenest surge ofenjoyment. Well, in this case the person he thought for so many years had become the prey of wild beasts he now learnt had attained complete authority over Egypt; so how could he fail to be dumbfounded by the greatness of his joy? After all, what is caused by excessive despair is often the effect also of extreme rejoicing. We can see many people shedding tears from exceeding joy, whereas others are frequently rendered speechless when they see things they did not expect to happen, and suddenly behold alive those they thought to be dead. 1. Gen 45.25-26. 243 244 ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM (2) For our point to become clearer, however, let us listen to the very text that was read. "They left Egypt;' it says, "and came to their father Jacob in Canaan. They gave him the news, 'Your sonJoseph is alive and is personally in charge ofthe whole land of Egypt: Jacob was dumbfounded; he would not believe them:' Do you see, as I said before, that the report ofJoseph seemed so incredible to him as to confound him, so he thought the brothers' story was a lie? After all, they were the ones who produced his tunic stained with the blood ofa kid and who thus convinced their father that he had become the prey of wild beasts; and now they were claiming that he was alive and had control of the whole of Egypt. In his bewilderment he wondered how this could make sense: if the former report were true, this could not be believed; but if the latter were really true, the former had to be false. Yet what confused him most of all was the fact that he had accepted the former story of his sons and now heard a different story from the same people. (3) Seeing, therefore, their father's bewilderment and wishing to bring him to belief and conviction that their story was in fact true, "they told him all Joseph's words and everything he had said to them:'2 Despite these words and the fact that they brought what he had sent, the carts and the gifts sent by Joseph , only with difficulty did they succeed in convincing their father that what they had told him was a lie. In fact, when he saw the carts that had been sent to carry him down to Egypt, "he gained new life;' the text says. This old greybeard, all stooped and bent, suddenly takes on new vigor and heart: "he gained new life;' the text says, note. What is the force of "he gained new life"? Just as the light ofthe lamp, when the supply of oil runs out and it is on the point of going out, suddenly emits a brighter flame after being ready to go out when someone puts in a little oil, in just the same way this old man, practically on the point of expiring from disappointment ("He would not be consoled;' the text said, remember, "saying, 'I shall go down into the underworld in mourning' "3), next learnt 2. Gen 45.27. 3· Gen 37·35· [44.197.195.36] Project MUSE (2024-03-29 08:15 GMT) HOMILY 65 245 that he was...