Genesis 46:1-7, 28-30 / Matthew 10:16-23
Stories of courage and bravery in the face of danger and death are usually very inspiring.
Those kind of stories, especially when they are real life stories, stirs in our hearts the sentiments that people make in self-sacrifice and makes us think about whether we would do the same if we were in their shoes.
In the gospel we heard Jesus beginning His instruction of the Twelve with this line: Remember, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; so be cunning as serpents and yet as harmless as doves.
Following which is a description that will make us shrink if we were to imagine that it would really happen to us.
But we may silently ask ourselves if it is that worth it to go through all this.
Can there be another way out in that we just live our lives quietly and have just some faith to do good to others? Can that just be enough?
But as Jesus said, the man who stands firm to the end will be saved. Yes, when we stand firm in the face of difficulties and danger, we will be rewarded.
In the 1st reading, we hear how Joseph was rewarded for his perseverance in all his trials. He was finally reunited with his father Jacob after more than twenty years, and when they finally met, Joseph threw his arms around Jacob's neck and for a long time wept on his shoulder.
It was indeed a very moving moment of reunion and the pain of trials and difficulties and danger don't seem to matter any more.
So let us stand firm in our trials on earth. Eventually when we are reunited with God our Father, He will wipe away every tear from our eyes.