December 8th - Joseph

Joseph

Genesis 37:23-28; 45:3-15

Today's symbol is a multicoloured tunic, representing Joseph and the great love his father had for him. There are a number of ways in which Joseph could be compared to Jesus. At Christmas we are celebrating the arrival of God's son, whom He would refer to as beloved. And, like Joseph, Jesus was betrayed by those closest to him, sold for silver coins. Yet both forgave those who had harmed them.
Jesus was to be called Prince of Peace, a title that reminds us of His message of love and forgiveness, the pinnacle of which came in His death on the cross. Christmas is a celebration of life and birth, but in it we must remember that Jesus came to die. One of the gifts Jesus received from the wise men was myrrh - a balm used for anointing the dead - a symbol of what was to come. Jesus lived a life of love, and died that we all might live in that love.

This Christmas let us try to love those around us a bit better than we usually do. It's hard - Christmas can be stressful, with family members spending long periods of time crammed together in small spaces. We may well get to the point where we would like to sell our siblings to a hairy bunch of Ishmaelites, as Joseph's brothers did!

So, pray with me: "Dear God, let my love be stronger than my anger; help me love my brothers and sisters."