Gen.28,10-22
1 –“ The Church is strict about the principles, doctrine, because she believes. But she is tolerant on the practice because she loves.
- The enemies of the Church, are very tolerant, about principles, because they don’t believe but they are very strict on the practice because they don’t love
- The Church forgives the sinners… But…
- The enemies of the Church forgive the sins ”. Garrigou La Grange
* This teaching is very important for all the stories that we will considerer from now on, because we will know many sins and sinners…
- For each of them, God’s deal, will be very different because he will give, to every person, the chance for salvation .
2 –The first word of God was creation. Gen.1,3
- After that, God carried on his dialogue with humankind through revelation
ccc.50-73 , B… Dreams… Prophets… Messiah… Church…
- For each event, God choose a different way to talk, according the circumstances, knowledge, feeling, mentality of the person.
- In any cases, God revealed not curiosities but, the eternal truths only.
- So, disasters, disease, sins… can be God’s voices, calling us to conversion.
- St.GasparBertoni called suffering God’s school.
- It depends on us if we want to receive God’s teaching or… to refuse…
- Many persons react to God’s voice, with suicide, euthanasia.
Doing that, they do not resolve their problems but, like devil… they will create new obstacles for God’s salvation . Ccc.2851-2.
- Jesus sent demons into pigs… And people refuses Jesus. Mt.8,28-34
- Each Bible’s event has a very deep teaching for all of us.
3 – Jacob deceiver, according the Talion law, will be deceived by his sons
- But God will protect Jacob w.15 because through him… and the sinners
David.. Jonah… Judas… Peter… the history of salvation must be fulfilled
4 –In the B. the names of places… persons… help us to understand God’s Providence who takes care for all the persons and sinners.
* Jacob, left Beersheba and set out for Haran 28,10 … Mesopotamia. 29,1
- During the long journey he stopped in the desert and in a dream saw a ladder which stood on the earth with its top reaching to heaven and on it angels of God going up and coming down . Yahweh was standing there . 28,13.
- Ladder so, man and God, are in communion and, could reach each.
5 –God renew the promises to give this land to Jacob and… all the believers.
- Blessings and long genealogies Mt.1,1-17 are not curiosities but, very important documents, to prove, that the cave of Macpela, Gen.23,10 and land of Palestine belonged to the Israelites, forever, because God gave to Abraham and all his descendants . Gen.17,1-8 ; 28,13-15.
6 – After the dream Jacob rose and took the stone he had under his head and set it up a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. 28,18.
It means that he consecrated that stone… Lev.26,1 D.16,21
it was forbidden to do that, because could be an act of superstition.
- God is spirit cannot be on the stone… Ark… Temple… but he will be everywhere and specially in the heart of believers. I will give you a new heart. Ez.11,19 ; 36,25-27 ; Jer.4,4.You will worship
God not on the mountain Garizim… Jerusalem… but in spirit.Jn.4,20-24.
* “ Jesus our brother is teaching to love. Using our body with wisdom and heart. Listen to the spirit who guides our life ”. ( Responsory )
7 – Jacob, called that place Bethel, the house of God. w.19.
The gate to heaven but… the only bridge will be Jesus. Jn.1,51
* Then Jacob made a vow : “ If Yahweh will help him during this journey…
If he gives me bread… clothes… if I return…
Yahweh will be my God… And of all that you give me…
I will give back a tenth ”. Gen.28,20-22
8 – Once again, we can see that Jacob is very selfish... Asking…
- To the people that, like Jacob, are hungry for money and want to see their names on the list of the most rich in the world, with 3 trillion $ in the bank
- James will say : You rich weep… Your wealth has rotted away… Your clothes eaten by the moths… Your gold, have rusted.
The wages of your workers are crying… You lived in luxury and pleasure…You have killed the innocent… Jas.5,1-6
* God cannot bless you because you spend your wealth on your passions.
* Jesus has his house, job,food, and beatiful tunic woven in one piece from top to bottom so, the soldiers did not divide it but cast lots. Jn. 19,23-25
* God is not against life, possessions, houses, cars, honest commodities… only exhorts against the wrong way of using our life or possessions.
- The merciful Jesus, will pray and forgive rich and poor who did something wrong because of ignorance. Lk.23,34….
- Jesus always gives the chance of salvation until the last moment
Tiff . Lk.23,29-43… Nicodemus… J.Arimatea. Jn.19,38-42
9 –It is a desire of all, to see God : Lucifer.. Adam… Jacob… Moses…
Zaccheus… Maddalena… Apostles… Let us sees the Father. Jn.14,9.
- God, revealed himself through creation, nature .Sir.43,1-33, conscience
But, God’s face, will see on the eternal life. Ex.33,20-23 ; 1Cor.1,9 ; Rv.3,14-22.
10 -Like Jacob, we are journey from this world to heaven…
We should not pretend visions ccc.65 We should not be selfish like Jacob but, to help all mankind to know God. 1Jn.1,1 ; 2Pt.1,16.
11 –Dreams : All of us want to interpret our dreams…. But most of the time dreams… telepathy… reveal what is going on in our subconscious.
- When God wants to communicate with us through a dream we know it by its consequences . God himself will give the interpretation filling us with a sense of complete joy and peace. Mary-Joseph M.1,18-25.
- So, we should not give to dreams the same importance of revelation.
- The Devil, can disguise himself as an angel… God… 2Cor.12,10.
* The B. condemns people who believe dreams… astrologers… necromancers fortune tellers… Is.19,3 ; Lv.19,31 ; 20,6 ;
Dt.18,10-11 ; Jer.29,8 ; Sir. 24,1 ; 1Sam.28,3.7 ; Dn.2,2.
* We have to pray for them to find the real light of Jesus.
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