Remember the marvels the Lord has done
Psalm 105:16-21. March 10, 2023 - Friday, 2nd Week of Lent
Psalm 105 is a meditation on the history of Israel which is filled with God’s divine interventions. It begins with the call of Abraham and moves to Jacob and his family (see Ps 105:8-16). In the next section the psalmist meditates on the story of Joseph (Ps 105:17-24) and then on the story of Exodus (see Ps 105:25-36). Finally, the author recollects the journey of people through the desert and ends with the entry to the Promised Land (see Ps 105:37-44).
The part that we hear today recalls the story of Joseph. Envied by his brothers for being the beloved son of their father, Jacob, they sold him to Egypt. But, as the narrative tells us, in every stage of Jospeh’s journey, God was with him. We can say that the tragic experiences shaped Joseph into the person God wanted him to become. From a teenager who spied on his brothers and bragged about his dreams in which he is always the first among them, to a leader who prevented a national disaster and a forgiving and caring brother.
The psalmist sees the entire story as one great miracle of the Lord. The Lord sends the famine upon the earth and Joseph to Egypt. With the approaching famine, the liberator of Egypt is being prepared for his role through one suffering after another. When Joseph is ready, he is finally called onto the stage. From a prisoner, he is elevated to the second in command in Egypt. The psalmist sees the role of Jospeh not only as a liberator of Egypt but also as a teacher of wisdom (see Ps 105:22).
The figure of Joseph points to Jesus Christ, the liberator of the world. But this time, the liberation is not from famine but from the power of sin. The figure of Joseph as the one having dreams reminds us of the foster father of Jesus, Saint Joseph. The dreams of Saint Joseph were also proven true by the word of the Lord. For example, the divine conception of Jesus in the womb of Mary is explained by the text from Isaiah 7:14: “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (see Matt 1:18-23).
Someone said that “in remembrance there is salvation”. The Church recalls the mighty deeds of God during the Eucharist. We listen to the story of the Gospel and we experience Jesus’ saving death for our salvation and His mighty resurrection for our justification in the Sacrament of His Body and Blood. It lifts our faith, sustains our hope, and enkindles our hearts with divine love.