In Genesis Ch 28-33 - Jacob is the second son of Isaac. He steals the blessing from his older brother Esau, by deceiving his blind father Isaac. After twenty years Jacob decides to reconcile with God and Esau. Awaiting his fate, a messenger of God wrestles with Jacob until dawn. This messenger asks Jacob to let him go. Jacob said, "I will not let you go unless you bless me". The messenger said, "What is your name?" He answered "Jacob!" (Gn 32: 27-28). Jacob finally owns up to who he is, not pretending anymore.
Among other things, the last 1/3 of Genesis is about Joseph - the son of Jacob. His brothers sold Joseph into slavery. Yet he ascends to prominence and sits at the right hand of Pharaoh. He is deeply loved by all the Israelites in Egypt. About 400 years before the Exodus, Joseph made the sons of Israel swear on his deathbed saying (Gn 50: 25b): "God will visit you, and you shall carry my bones from here" (to the Promised Land). Furthermore, "Moses took the bones of Joseph with him" (Ex 13: 19a). They took "The bones of Joseph which the people of Israel brought up from Egypt were buried at Shechem" (Joshua 24:32).
From both stories, the gift of Holy Spirit is always helping me to be an authentic disciple (warts and all) and not to harden my heart. To do what I can, while I can and advocate for Peace and Justice.
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I thought about Peace & Justice in the 60's and still do today...
In the late 60's while in high school
in Akron, Ohio, I was thinking about becoming a Missionary with the
United Church of Christ - a very progressive Protestant denomination. I volunteered in Port-au-Prince ,
Haiti when I was a senior, and knew that being a Missionary was
not my call.
The idea to become Catholic began in 1978, when I was reading about the courage of Pope John Paul II. He was traveling the world and told the poor "that God loves you and you have dignity and self-worth." This is the 1st principle of Catholic Social Teaching: The Dignity of the Human Person. He was giving people hope and faith. He made me think about becoming Catholic. I already embraced the theology behind the dignity of the human person and Peace & Justice. In 1985, I was received into full communion in the Catholic Church.
My interest in Peace & Justice has grown steadily. My parish - Annunciation Catholic Church in Altamonte Springs, Florida requested I start a Peace & Justice Committee. To do so, I was Commissioned by the Bishop as a "Lay Ecclesial Minister" after completing a three year intensive academic and formation program called the "Foundation for Lay Ministry". My work is still on-going today. You are reading some of the results.
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"Now is the acceptable time, not tomorrow, not some more convenient season. It is today that our best work can be done and not some future day or future year. It is today that we fit ourselves for the greater usefulness of tomorrow".
W.E.B. Dubois (1868 - 1963) American Civil Rights Activist.
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