Seventh Sunday After The Epiphany

Sunday, 23 February 2025

NOTES ON THE READINGS

The Old Testament – Genesis 45:3-11, 15

Joseph, after toying with his brothers, finally reveals his identity to them. They are utterly shocked and fail to respond due to their disbelief. They had been convinced that he had died or was working as a slave somewhere. Whatever their thoughts were, it certainly wasn’t this.

Famine is in the land, and through God, Joseph was able to interpret Pharaoh’s dream, which had anticipated it. It was a time when everyone was scurrying for food in order to survive—people and animals alike.

Joseph had inherited the enormous task of essentially determining who would live or die, as he was in charge of distributing the food that had been stored during the seven plentiful years.

The Psalm – 37:1-11,40-41

The New Testament – 1 Corinthians 15:35-38,42-50

Paul, in this section of his letter to the Corinthians, speaks about sowing and reaping both in the physical and the spiritual. In a sense, he acknowledges the importance of the physical but emphasises that it is not the only aspect that should be tended to. One may experience lack in the physical, but if the spiritual has been nurtured, a just reward is assured.

Just as humankind are physical beings, they are also spiritual beings. The physical came before the spiritual, and just as we reflect the physical image of God, we also reflect His spiritual image in heaven.

The Gospel – Luke 6:27-38

Jesus, in this instance, calls for the radical idea of loving your enemies. He challenges his followers to go beyond the natural inclination for retaliation and instead embrace a way of life marked by grace, mercy, and selflessness. He asks that we do not return hurt with hurt or seek revenge in any manner, but rather respond with kindness and generosity.

In Luke 6:27-38, Jesus teaches that love should not be limited to those who treat us well. He commands us to love our enemies, do good to those who hate us, bless those who curse us, and pray for those who mistreat us. This love is not merely an emotion but an active choice to reflect God’s mercy. Jesus further illustrates this principle by urging his followers to turn the other cheek, to give freely without expecting repayment, and to treat others as they wish to be treated.

At the heart of this teaching is the call to imitate God’s character. Just as God is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked, we too are called to show mercy. Jesus assures his listeners that those who live by these principles will receive a reward from God. By giving generously, forgiving freely, and judging others with grace, we participate in the boundless love of God, which overflows beyond what we could measure.

This passage challenges us to live with a radical generosity of spirit, trusting that God will provide for us as we seek to reflect His love in the world.

SERMON OUTLINE

In the Genesis narrative, we are confronted with the reality that Pharaoh and, by extension, Joseph control the livelihoods of people because they hold power. An example of this is Joseph’s ability to shift his family’s fortunes from the brink of starvation to abundance, ensuring they and their animals have plenty to eat.

In our day and age, we find that there are still Pharaohs and Josephs—those who make decisions that affect and impact the lives of many, often forgetting how they came to wield such power. In Joseph’s case, God had given him the gift of dream interpretation, and he remained steadfast in his faith throughout his journey. The passage in Genesis ends on a positive note, with a family reunion and the saving of both people and animals from famine.

An old African proverb states: “When elephants fight, the grass (or reeds) gets hurt.” This simple yet profound saying highlights how those in power, when in conflict, cause harm to those beneath them.

A contemporary example in South Africa is the upcoming court battle between bird conservationists, the state, and the commercial pelagic fishing industry. Set for 18–20 March at the Pretoria High Court, the case concerns the endangered African Penguin, which faces imminent extinction. Conservationists argue that the fishing industry has been granted permission to operate dangerously close to the penguins’ food sources, threatening their survival.

While the case is being reviewed in court, the penguins’ food supply remains at risk, while the fishing industry continues to prioritise profit margins. The unfortunate reality is that the fishing industry is responding to market demand—leading us to ask once again: who grants power, and at what cost?

As we approach the Lenten season, may we reflect on what we are fasting for, who we are fasting for, and how, in our daily actions, we attribute power to the “elephants” who may be harming us. Furthermore, if we ourselves are in positions of power, how might we be trampling on fellow humans and living creatures for the sake of personal gain or maintaining control?

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

https://groundup.org.za/article/major-showdown-in-court-over-african-penguins-future/

https://tsavotrust.org/8-english-and-swahili-idioms-and-proverbs-mentioning-elephant/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CNdovu%20wawili%20wakisongana%2C%20ziumiazo%20ni,large%20animals%20and%20not%20elephant.