Today is Friday of the Second Week of Lent. The first reading brings to us a typical case of an earthly father figure. We see how Jacob favors Joseph so obviously that the other sons become envious towards Joseph. We have read this passage many times in the past and we are familiar with this passage. And we are quick to judge Jacob to understand that he is definitely not right to be treating his sons. We believe Jacob is to be blamed. As we come to this conclusion, what about our understanding of God’s love towards His children? Do we believe His love for us is like the love of Jacob towards his sons or different?

Our answer to the above question may be a big ‘NO’. But subconsciously, we are envious about people who have more authority, power, or money than us. It may seem to us that they are more favorable in the eyes of God. Our earthly understanding would force us to believe that the Father Almighty may also favour some of His sons and daughters. We may not really spell this out, but when we go through certain crisis or problems, this comes to our minds sub- consciously. We often feel a certain person, or a group of people may be extra privileged than us and may be God is favoring them more. NOT TRUE! We even begin to resent our own brothers and sisters because of this temptation that creeps into our minds.We may have already got caught in this flow of thinking or maybe we are traped in this temptation today. But God is reminding us through the today’s readings. The Gospel too suggests the same. The people who killed the messengers of God and then finally killed the Son of God were also caught in this wrong understanding. They were jealous that someone else might become more favorable than them to God. But the scripture is clear. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” – Isaiah 55:8.

God our father does not think as we do. We cannot compare our thoughts to him. St. Augustine actually came close to understanding the heart of our Heavenly Father when He said, “God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.” Can you believe this love of God.

Prayer: Abba Father, we desire to move beyond the realities of this world and experience our life through Your reality. Amen