Great Monday
HOLY PATRIARCH
Joseph the All-Comely
Holy Martyr Claudius and those with him
Fast Day
Joseph was the son of the Patriarch Jacob, born to him by Rachel. Being envied by his brethren on account of certain of his dreams, he was first concealed in a dug-out pit, and his father was tricked by a bloody garment and the deceit of his children into thinking that he had been devoured by some beast.
Joseph was then sold to some Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver; they, in turn, sold him to Potiphar, captain of the eunuchs of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. His wife was enraged by the young man's chastity, because not wishing to commit sin, he fled from her, leaving behind his garment. She slandered him to his master, and he was put into bonds in a harsh prison.
Afterwards, he was released because of his ability to interpret certain dreams; he was brought before the king and appointed governor of the whole land of Egypt. Later, he was made known to his brethren through his distribution of grain. Having spent the whole of his life well, he died in Egypt, recognized as being great in his chastity and kindness toward others. He is, moreover, a prefiguring of Christ. Christ was also envied by His own people, the Jews: He was sold by a disciple for thirty pieces of silver and was imprisoned in the dark and gloomy pit of the grave, whence He broke out by His own power, triumphing over Egypt, that is, over every sin. In His might He conquered it, and He reigns over all the world. In His love for mankind He redeemed us by a distribution of grain, inasmuch as He gave Himself up for us, and He feeds us with Heavenly Bread, His own Life-bearing Flesh. For this reason, Joseph the All- comely is brought to mind at this time. He is also commemorated on the Sunday before the Nativity of Christ.
Through the prayers of St. Joseph the All-comely, O Christ our God, have mercy on us and save us. Amen.
READINGS
St. Matt. 21:18-43; Pr. Ezek. 1:1-20;
Exod. 1:1-20 Pr. Job 1:1-12; St. Matt. 24:3-35
Joseph as a Type of Christ
by St. Ephraim the Syrian
by St. Ephraim the Syrian
And just as Joseph’s harsh brothers, as soon as they saw him approaching, began to devise evil against him, though he was bringing them peace from their father, so the Jews also, ever hard of heart, as soon as they saw the Saviour, said, ‘This is the heir [St Matt 21:38], let us kill him, and all will be ours’.
And just as Joseph’s brothers said, ‘Let us do away with him, and let us be set free of his dreams’, [Gen 37:20] in the same way too the Jews said, ‘Come, let us kill him and lay hold on his inheritance’. [ St Matt 21:18]
Joseph’s brothers, while eating, sold him, slaying him with intent.
Jn the same way too the abominable Jews, while eating the Passover, slew the Saviour.
The descent of Joseph into Egypt signifies the descent to earth of our Saviour.
And as Joseph within the marriage chamber trampled down all the strength of sin, putting on the bright prizes of victory, against the Egyptian woman, his mistress, so too the Lord, the Saviour of our souls, by his own right hand, descending into Hell, destroyed there all the power of the dread and near invincible tyrant.
When Joseph had conquered sin he was put in prison until the hour of his crowning; so too the Lord, that he might take away every sin of the world, was placed in a grave.
Joseph in prison spent two whole years, passing his time in great freedom [cf Gen 39:21-23] while the Lord, as powerful, remained in the tomb for three days, not undergoing corruption.
Joseph, on Pharaoh’s order, was brought out graciously from prison, as a true type, when he easily interpreted the meaning of the dreams, indicating the abundance of grain that was going to be; while our Lord [Jesus Christ] was raised from the dead by his own power, despoiling Hell, offering to the Father our liberation, proclaiming resurrection and everlasting life.
Joseph took his seat in Pharaoh’s chariot, having received authority over the whole of Egypt; while our Saviour, king before the ages, ascending into heaven on a cloud of light, took his seat with glory at the Father’s right hand, above the Cherubim, as Only-begotten Son.
When ruling over Egypt, Joseph having received authority against his enemies his brothers were brought willingly before the tribunal of the one who had died through them; they were brought to prostrate with fear and trembling before the one who had been sold by them to death; and with fear they prostrated before Joseph, whom they had not wanted to be king over them.
But Joseph, recognizing his brothers, revealed them as murderers by a single word; but they, when they realized, stood dumbfounded in great shame, not daring to utter, not having anything at all to say in their defense, knowing exactly their own sin at the moment when they sold him; while he, who seemed to have been destroyed by them in Hades, was suddenly found to be ruling over them.
So too on that fearful day, when the Lord comes on the clouds of the air, he takes his seat on the throne of his kingdom, and all his enemies are brought bound by fearsome Angels before the judgement seat, all those who did not want him to rule over them.
For the lawless Jews thought then, that if he were crucified, he would die as a human; the wretches not being persuaded that God had come, for salvation, to save our souls.
Just as Joseph said quite openly to his brothers, making them fear and tremble, ‘I am Joseph, whom you sold [into slavery], but now I rule over you, though you did not want it’. [Cf. Gen 45:4]
So too the Lord shows the Cross in an image formed of light to those who crucified him, and they recognize the Cross itself and the Son of God who was crucified by them.
Joseph became a true type of his own Master.
No comments:
Post a Comment