Joseph the Patriarch’s story shows there is freedom in forgiveness

“Joseph making himself known.” A print from the Phillip Medhurst Collection of Bible illustrations in the possession of Revd. Philip De Vere at St. George’s Court, Kidderminster, England. (Philip De Vere |The Phillip Medhurst Collection/Wikimedia Commons)

Over the last couple of weeks, we have been hearing excerpts from the books of Genesis and Exodus as the first readings at weekday Masses. This year, I was particularly struck by the story of Joseph the Patriarch.

Joseph, who had shared with his brothers, many of them older than he, that he had experienced dreams implying he would rule over them, was attacked and captured by these same brothers and sold as a slave. Their first inclination was to kill him, but they had decided this was the more appropriate option for one who was their brother. It is hard to imagine the deep wounds of rejection, fear, powerlessness, and even abandonment that Joseph must have felt at the hands of his own brothers.

But Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams resulted not only in his release from bondage but also in his being placed in a position of high authority in the land of Egypt. Thus, when his brothers came to Egypt years later, desperately seeking food in a time of great famine, he was the official in charge of distributing grain. At their interview, Joseph recognized them, although, with his new position, they did not recognize him. His dreams had now come true, and he was in fact ruling over them. He could have responded to them in any way, for he now had the power and authority to repay them in any way he chose and could have even done so anonymously. And yet, we see him respond with absolutely no bitterness or resentment.

This was not because Joseph was no longer feeling hurt by their wrongdoing. In fact, he still felt it keenly enough that multiple times in his story, even years later after their father Jacob had died, we see him breaking down weeping whenever what his brothers did that day was mentioned. From where then did his forgiveness, his lack of bitterness and resentment, spring?

We find the answer in Joseph’s own words to his brothers: “But now do not be distressed, and do not be angry with yourselves for having sold me here. It was really for the sake of saving lives that God sent me here ahead of you… So it was not really you but God who had me come here” (Gen. 45:5, 8a). And, “Do not fear. Can I take the place of God? Even though you meant harm to me, God meant it for good, to achieve this present end, the survival of many people. So now, do not fear. I will provide for you and for your children” (Gen. 50:19-21). Joseph’s forgiveness goes so far as to desire that his brothers no longer even reproach themselves, without, however, excusing the evil they had done to him. He harbors no bitterness or resentment toward them because he can see with the eyes of faith the hand of God at work even in his darkest moments. He can see that God used his brothers’ evil actions toward him to bring about an even greater good not only for him, as second-to-pharaoh, but “for many” whose lives were saved precisely because he was in Egypt to plan and provide during the famine. It is his faith in the providential designs and power of God that enables Joseph to extend the hand of forgiveness toward his brothers.

Who is someone in your life who has hurt you? Can you choose to believe, even if you cannot see how as clearly as Joseph could yet, that somehow in that place of pain, God intends to bring about a greater good? Will you then, for love of the Lord and in His Name, choose to forgive the one who hurt you, to the point of letting go of any hatred, bitterness, or resentment? Joseph was freer in his forgiveness of his brothers than he had ever been before they sold him into the chains of slavery. We, too, can be free, but only if we choose forgiveness over bitterness, a forgiveness that would embrace the chance of reconciliation with the other person were it ever to become possible, a forgiveness that would go so far as to say, “Do not reproach yourselves… [for] you meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.” Will you choose today the freedom of forgiveness?

Sr. Mary Martha Becnel is a member of the Ann Arbor-based Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist.



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