Thursday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time/Saint Augustine Zhao Rong, priest and martyr, and his companions, martyrs

Today's Mass Readings

During these past few weeks we have been following the exciting narratives in the book of Genesis. Today’s passage about Joseph is a particularly poignant story. You may recall that Joseph was sold into slavery by his jealous brothers. Joseph underwent great hardship, only to later rise to a position of power within the household of Pharaoh. Now he is in a position to help his family, along with all the people in that region. The story of Joseph’s being sold into slavery by his brothers is one that likely strikes us with disgust. How could anyone be so cruel to a sibling? If we read that story by itself, we might think that there is nothing good about this story at all. It is simply a tale of jealousy, anger, and sin.

Today’s passage, however, is a story of redemption. We find that God’s grace has worked through this awful event to save the lives of many people. By God’s guidance, Joseph has endured many trials and has become a trusted advisor to the Pharaoh. God has taken the evil done to Joseph by his brothers and has made good come of it. Hence the responsorial psalm response: “Remember the marvels the Lord has done” (Ps. 105:5a). As he is reunited with his family, Joseph attests to God’s grace, which sent Joseph to Egypt that he might save many lives.

We know another person who was sent to save many lives, namely Jesus. And in this person of Jesus, we once again see the grace of God at work. As God transformed Joseph’s situation from one of evil to good, so Jesus transforms situations by proclaiming the Kingdom of heaven. The sick, the dead, lepers, those possessed by demons: all of these are evils capable of becoming goods. And their true transformation comes because they are signs of God’s saving love in Christ Jesus.

Today we celebrate a feast that is new to our American liturgical calendar: St. Augustine Zhao Rong and companions. This feast celebrates the martyrdom of numerous Chinese Christians in 1815. Martyrdom no doubt seems strange to us in our current situation; we can practice our faith without worrying about persecution. For today’s saints, however, their faith was regarded as strange and threatening by others around them. These people paid the ultimate sacrifice for the faith because they had been transformed by the message described above. They knew that God’s grace had worked in Christ to save them and overcome death. Hence they were able to stand firm to the faith in the face of death.

And again, we see God’s grace at work. This situation of evil, of persecution, has brought forth exemplary models for us – models who are not simply models, but who are saints, able to pray for us and for their fellow countrymen and for all who continue to face persecution in their faith. The power of their witness is once again a testament to the psalm response: “Remember the marvels the Lord has done” (Ps. 105:5a).

While we may not face martyrdom or persecution for Christianity, we often find ourselves in difficult situations, whether of sickness, unemployment, death of a loved one, and so on. So often we are tempted to look at these situations as curses, or to ask “Why? How can God allow this?” While doubt and grief are natural and just feelings, our readings today draw our attention to the redemption that can come from evil situations. God can overcome and has overcome the worst of situations. When we are tempted to despair, we ought instead to draw strength from our knowledge of God’s saving power.

Today, take some time to recall a difficult time in your life. How can you see that some good has come from this? How has it been a redemptive experience? If it is something you are struggling with now, pray that you might know God’s grace in the midst of trial, and that you might always be confident of his saving love in Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.

- Maria Morrow