Thursday Readings

Acts 7:9-16
“And the patriarchs, jealous of Joseph, sold him into slavery in Egypt; but God was with him and rescued him from all his afflictions. He granted him favor and wisdom before Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, who put him in charge of Egypt and (of) his entire household. Then a famine and great affliction struck all Egypt and Canaan, and our ancestors could find no food; but when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our ancestors there a first time. The second time, Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph’s family became known to Pharaoh. Then Joseph sent for his father Jacob, inviting him and his whole clan, seventy-five persons; and Jacob went down to Egypt. And he and our ancestors died and were brought back to Shechem and placed in the tomb that Abraham had purchased for a sum of money from the sons of Hamor at Shechem.

John 16:20-24
Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the world rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy. When a woman is in labor, she is in anguish because her hour has arrived; but when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the pain because of her joy that a child has been born into the world. So you also are now in anguish. But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you. On that day you will not question me about anything. Amen, amen, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you. Until now you have not asked anything in my name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.

Hope helps us to persevere through any suffering. Joseph was able to persevere through slavery because of hope, a woman is able to persevere through childbearing because of hope. All of the suffering and pain we encounter in this world will be as nothing compared to the joy that is to come. This is a hard saying, especially for those who have experienced great suffering, “how can anything overcome this suffering that I have suffered? Why would God let me suffer in this way?” What Jesus promises us is that the faithful will enter into His joy, and “no longer remember he pain.” Yet the suffering endured will not be forgotten, rather it will be glorified as the sufferings of Jesus were glorified.

PRAYER – Third Prayer from the Psalmody for Safro for the Memorial of a Confessor according to the Prayer of the Faithful of the Maronite Rite
Lord, have mercy on us and save us. O God, guide our steps in the paths of your saints and let our deeds be like theirs, a witness to your living Spirit, so that seeing us, people may glorify you as the saints have done, now and forever. Amen.