A Reflection on the Daily Office Readings
This passage unfolds in the context of Jacob fleeing from Esau. We are told that Jacob left Beer-sheba and went toward Haran. He came to a certain place and stayed there for the night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place. And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And the Lord stood beside him and said, "I am the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring; and your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring. Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you." What an amazing experience this must have been for Jacob to encounter God. We are told that when Jacob woke from his sleep he exclaimed, "Surely the Lord is in this place-- and I did not know it!" We are told that Jacob was afraid of what this all could mean but still found the encounter to be amazing. Jacob said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven." So Jacob rose early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. He called that place Bethel; but the name of the city was Luz at first. Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, so that I come again to my father's house in peace, then the Lord shall be my God, and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house; and of all that you give me I will surely give one tenth to you." The setting up of the pillar and the pouring of oil were outward visible expressions of an inward invisible grace at work.
Have you ever had a dream in the midst of a major crisis in your life? What was that experience like?
What is the purpose of dreams?
The Lord spoke to Jacob through his dream. What was the Lord’s message to Jacob?
Does God speak to us through our dreams? Explain.
Other than through dreams, how has God spoken to you?
How has God’s word to you, either through a dream or some other medium, impacted your life?
This passage gives us examples of faith to help those who are discouraged in life. The Bible makes it clear that many Godly leaders have died in faith, having seen and greeted the promises of God to them from a distance but not actually receiving these promises in their lifetime. This did not frustrate these leaders. Instead, they confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth. Leaders who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had the opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them. By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac. He who had received the promises was ready to offer up his only son, of whom he had been told, "It is through Isaac that descendants shall be named for you." He considered the fact that God is able even to raise someone from the dead-- and figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. By faith Isaac invoked blessings for the future on Jacob and Esau. By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, "bowing in worship over the top of his staff." By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave instructions about his burial.
What helps you move forward when you are discouraged?
Does being faithful guarantee us that we will receive in our lifetime what has been promised to us?
In your opinion, which is better - our home on earth or our home in heaven? Explain.
In this passage, four people are commended for their faith. Who were the four people and how did they express their faith?
Which of the four faithful leaders do you most resonate with and why?
So again Jesus said to them, "Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away-- and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again.
What analogy does Jesus use to describe himself in this passage?
In what ways are the thief and the good shepherd the same? In what ways are they different?
Why might it be important to have only one flock and only one shepherd?
What is the reason why God the Father loves God the Son? How might this truth impact how we define love?
To God be the glory now and forever. Amen.
Fr. Thomas+
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