When Isaac was so old that his eyesight had failed him, he called his older son Esau and said to him, "Son! ""Yes father!" he replied. Isaac then said, "As you can see, I am so old that I may now die at any time. Take your gear, therefore–your quiver and bow–and go out into the country to hunt some game for me. With your catch prepare an appetizing dish for me, such as I like ,and bring it to me to eat, so that I may give you my special blessing before I die." Rebekah had been listening while Isaac was speaking to his son Esau. So, when Esau went out into the country to hunt some game for his father, Rebekah [then] took the best clothes of her older son Esau that she had in the house, and gave them to her younger son Jacob to wear; and with the skins of the kids she covered up his hands and the hairless parts of his neck. Then she handed her son Jacob the appetizing dish and the bread she had prepared. Bringing them to his father, Jacob said, "Father!"" Yes?" replied Isaac. "Which of my sons are you?" Jacob answered his father: "I am Esau, your first-born. I did as you told me. Please sit up and eat some of my game, so that you may give me your special blessing." But Isaac asked, "How did you succeed so quickly, son?" He answered, "The LORD, your God, let things turn out well with me." Isaac then said to Jacob, "Come closer, son, that I may feel you, to learn whether you really are my son Esau or not." So Jacob moved up closer to his father. When Isaac felt him, he said, "Although the voice is Jacob's, the hands are Esau's." (He failed to identify him because his hands were hairy, like those of his brother Esau; so in the end he gave him his blessing.) Again he asked Jacob, "Are you really my son Esau?"" Certainly," Jacob replied. Then Isaac said, "Serve me your game, son, that I may eat of it and then give you my blessing." Jacob served it to him, and Isaac ate; he brought him wine, and he drank. Finally his father Isaac said to Jacob, "Come closer, son, and kiss me." As Jacob went up and kissed him ,Isaac smelled the fragrance of his clothes. With that, he blessed him saying, "Ah, the fragrance of my son is like the fragrance of a field that the LORD has blessed!" May God give to you of the dew of the heavens. And of the fertility of the earth abundance of grain and wine. "Let peoples serve you, and nations pay you homage; Be master of your brothers ,and may your mother's sons bow down to you. Cursed be those who curse you, and blessed be those who bless you."
REFLECTION
"Are you really my son Esau?
My thoughts were stuck on this reading. Though I know the reading and all that happened, I was struck with my emotional response to this story. Deceit by mother to her son, Esau, and her husband Isaac, deceit by Jacob to his father and brother, and that which was rightfully Esau's was snatched away by the two people who were family and should have loved and protected Esau, no matter his flaws. He certainly had a different personality from his twin.
Looking beyond the unfairness and some people's attempted explanation for justification that Esau had already given up his birthright, I had to find a spiritual equivalent to my human approach and indignation. God shows grace and patience to sinners while He is dealing with them. He can manifest Himself, speak with them and use them though they have sinned and are flawed, offering His grace to one who does not deserve it. God reveals Himself to anyone and uses anyone He wishes for His Kingdom.
After the deceit and the wrath of Esau, Jacob led a life of exile and hardship experiencing both familial and labor related struggles. And he also encountered deceit and manipulation by his Uncle Lahan and the tricked marriage to Leah. God uses the flawed and the weak, but this does not excuse us from leading a good life, obeying the commandments, doing good to all. But are we to pass judgment on Jacob and forever cast him aside? Of course not --Jacob's own journey of deception, redemption and ultimately becoming the leader and figure for the nation of Israel are in the hands of the Lord as we, sinners, are as well.
God Bless you. Let us pray for priests and one another.
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