Further Reflections on the Life of Our Father Jacob

Main Idea

This reflection discusses the story of our father Jacob, explaining the difference between human ways, in which a person relies on intelligence and schemes, and divine ways, which are based on faith in God and trust in His promises. Jacob wanted to obtain the birthright and the blessing, but he resorted to wrongful methods, such as taking advantage of his brother Esau’s hunger and deceiving his father Isaac to obtain his blessing. Although he obtained what he wanted, he faced troubles and deception throughout his life, being deceived by his uncle Laban and by his own sons. These events show that the goodness of a goal does not make a wrongful method acceptable before God.

Spiritual Message

This reflection teaches us that God is faithful to His promises, and that a delay in fulfilling them, from a human perspective, does not mean that God has forgotten or neglected us. A person needs patience, waiting, and faith in God’s wisdom and providence instead of resorting to lying, exploitation, or cunning to achieve personal goals. The reflection also explains that human methods may appear successful and produce quick results, but they do not guarantee the outcome that God desires. Sound spiritual methods, even when they require more time, give a person peace of conscience and align with God’s will.

Educational Lesson

The reflection emphasizes that a good deed must be good in itself, in its methods, and in its objectives. A person should not justify wrongdoing by claiming to be following someone else’s advice; instead, one must remain faithful to conscience and truth. It also warns against methods such as bribery, hypocrisy, pressure, deception, and exploiting others, because they reflect reliance on human schemes rather than trust in God. The reflection also explains that the devil may use different approaches with different people: he may lead one person to disregard the blessing, while leading another to pursue it through any wrongful means.

Practical Application

We should learn to wait with confidence and not become anxious or troubled when God’s answer is delayed according to our human timing. We must walk in God’s ways and reject lying, deception, and exploitation, even when these methods appear to achieve our goals more quickly. We must also practice controlling our senses and maintain our attention and behavior in a manner appropriate to the spiritual life. The reflection encourages us to seek the work of God’s grace and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, responding to this grace through repentance, love, obedience, and virtue. The goal is to receive God’s blessing and live in peace with Him, trusting that His providence will be fulfilled at the proper time, in the fullness of time.

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