Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/158

 Love and  respect  for  parents.  This  story  shows  us  the  love  and respect which  Joseph  had  for  his  father. Joseph acted  as  he  did, although his  father  was  a shepherd,  and  shepherds  were  despised  in Egypt. Moreover, by  reason  of  the  famine,  Jacob  had  become  poor. Joseph, however,  was  not  ashamed  of  the  humble  and  poor  condition of his  father,  but  showed  him  every  open  mark  of  respect  that  he  could.

Respect for  old  age. King  Pharao  paid  respect  to  Jacob,  not  only because he  was  Joseph’s  father,  but  because  of  his  old  age. We should always respect  old  age. “Rise up  before  the  hoary  head,  and  honour the person  of  the  aged  man”  (Lev.  19,  32).

Prayer for  light.  Jacob  prayed  and  offered  up  a sacrifice,  in order  to  learn  God’s  will. If we  are  in  doubt,  we  should  seek  counsel not only  from  our  parents,  confessor  &amp;c.,  but  we  should  pray  to  the Holy Ghost  for  light.

Consolation in  suffering.  Once  both  Jacob  and  Joseph  wept  for sorrow; now  they  wept  for  joy. After the  rain  comes  sunshine,  and after sorrow  comes  joy,  often  in  this  world,  but  most  certainly  in  the next, if  the  sufferings  are  borne  with  patience  and  resignation. “God shall wipe  away  all  tears  from  their  eyes: and  death  shall  be  no  more, nor mourning  nor  crying”  (Apoc.  21,  4).

Life is  a pilgrimage.  God’s  servants  know  that  they  are  stranger, and pilgrims  on  earth. “The years  of  my  pilgrimage  have  been  few and evil”,  said  old  Jacob. His life  had,  indeed,  been  one  of  unrest, pain, and  danger. He had  had  to  leave  his  home,  when  he  was  quite young, and  live  for  many  years  in  exile  and  servitude. After his  return home, there  fell  on  him  the  heavy  blow  of  Joseph’s  loss. Then came the great  famine;  and  now,  towards  the  end  of  his  life,  he  found himself once  more  in  a strange  country,  far  from  the  Promised  Land. He looked  back  sadly  on  his  years  of  pilgrimage,  and  told  the  king that they  had  been  evil. But, at  the  same  time,  he  looked  onward  to that  better  and  imperishable  home,  which  is  the  aim  and  end  of  our earthly pilgrimage. Comparing his  life  in  this  world  with  that  which is eternal,  he  said  that  his  long  years  of  pilgrimage  had  been  few. “For we  have  not  here  a lasting  city”  (Hebr.  13,  14);  we  are  but pilgrims on  the  road  to  eternity. Heaven is  our  home. We should not, therefore,  cling  to  the  things  of  this  earth,  but  should,  above  all things, seek  the  kingdom  of  God. St. Peter  writes:  “I  beseech  you, as strangers  and  pilgrims,  to  refrain  yourselves  from  carnal  desires” (1 Pet  2,  11).

God's Wisdom,  shown  by  His  guidance  of  the  Israelites.  Why  did Almighty God’s  wise  Providence  send  Jacob  and  his  family  into  Egypt ? In order  that  Jacob’s  descendants,  His  chosen  people,  should  not  be led  into  idolatry. The danger  of  this  would  have  been  very  great  in Chanaan,  where  they  lived  surrounded  by  idolaters. Esau had  already made himself  one  with  the  children  of  Heth. Had Jacob’s  descendants