Homily: July,14, 2023 Friday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time (Final resting place)

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 "Not only will I go down to Egypt with you; I will also bring you back here, after Joseph has closed your eyes."

With this promise of God, Jacob was greatly comforted and confident to follow God’s direction to leave the land of Canaan and move to Egypt. Why so?

In Oriental cultures, it is a tradition for people to be buried on their family property, within their home ground. You can imagine there could be generations of forefathers buried in the backyard of every house, resting in peace. 

Thus, people would never sell their property nor move out of it because their forefathers were buried there, and it would also be their final resting place.

Many people who went overseas to work would insist on being sent back to their home countries and be buried in their home ground when they die.

Jacob had that same concern. He wanted to be buried in the same cave at Machpelah where Abraham and Sarah, and Isaac and Rebecca were buried. Otherwise, he believed he would not rest in peace. 

God knows and thus He assures Jacob that his son Joseph would bring his body back to be buried and God is faithful to His promises.

God has a long-term plan all worked out for His people.

In chapter 50 of the Book of Genesis, Jacob died in Egypt with Joseph by his side. Joseph embalmed his body for forty days, carried it back to the land of Canaan and buried him in the family property, the same resting place of his forefathers. Joseph then returned to Egypt.

Finally, four hundred years later, God brought all the Israelites our of Egypt and back to the promised land.

God has a long-term plan for us too and for our next generations. Do you trust Him enough to follow His loving plan?

Do you believe that the greatest blessings which God wants to shower upon us could take a few hundred years to realize?

God has a vantage point of view, He knows what will happen generations ahead of us. It is definitely wiser to trust Him, than to trust ourselves who can’t be certain what will happen even just one day ahead.

Trust God and follow, with patience. By the way, if I die here, I wish to be buried here. Please do not send my body back to India.

God bless you. Amen.


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Homily: November 2, 2026, The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls)

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