ESAU SOLD HIS BIRTHRIGHT, DO NOT SELL YOUR HEAVENLY RIGHT.

 Saturday, July 8, 2023

Weekday (13)

B.V.M on Saturday

First Reading. Genesis 27: 1-5,15-29

Psalm. 135: 1-6 (R. 3a)

Gospel. Matthew 9: 14-17

TOPIC FOR REFLECTION

DO NOT SELL YOUR BIRTHRIGHT FOR MATERIAL WEALTH.

Many Christians today had already sold their heavenly birthright for earthly material wealth. Hmmm, what a shame. Yet, none of this earthly wealth will go to the grave with one, talkless of going to heaven with them. 

In today's Gospel, because Jesus our heavenly inheritance was present with His disciples, they were relaxed, enjoying His presence, because what they ought to have strived to long for was with them, so they did not fast, and of truth,  there was no need for fasting.

However, as our inheritance Saviour had returned to heaven, awaiting our coming home one day, then we can now strive to fast especially from sin, in other to be purified to possess our inheritance, which is the kingdom of heaven.

Nonetheless, despite the unmerited inheritance offered to us by the saviour on a platter form of gold, some of us Christians behave more like Esau who sold his birthright for a plate of meal.

My dear, no one can eat his cake and have it at the same time; so liken Esau's plate of meal with the earthy material wealth for which heaven's inheritance was sold.

Now, Esau finished his plate of the meal once,  and when it was time to receive his inheritance, he was denied: it will be the same with someone who sold his/her heavenly inheritance for earthly material wealth, one day the taste and value of the earthly material wealth will finish just as Esau's tasty meal ended once; then when it will be time to possess the heavenly inheritance, it will now be denied because it has already been sold to the master of the world, the devil.

What we should know is that, once we sell our birthright, it can not be retrieved, except by the special grace and the intervention of God.

Imagine, in today's first reading, Esau was to be blessed by his father Isaac, but Rebecca, who loves Jacob more than Esau, had to dress Jacob with Esau's cloth and hairy skin which even confuses Isaac.

Isaac could not believe that Esau could return so soon, moreover, he exclaimed saying, "The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.” And he did not recognise him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands; so he blessed him. 

Yet, despite the deception carried out by Jacob through the mother, God still permitted Isaac should bless Jacob and not Esau, just because Esau sold his birthright.

Read below how Esau sold his birthright from the book of Genesis 25:29-34

29. Once when Jacob was cooking stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was exhausted. (just as poverty may make some of us feel exhausted)

30. And Esau said to Jacob, “Let me eat some of that red stew, for I am exhausted!” 

(therefore his name was called Edom.)

31. Jacob said, “Sell me your birthright now.” (just as the devil will say deny Jesus to possess wealth and fame)

32. Esau said, “I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?” (this is exactly what materialistic conscious persons will always say)

33. Jacob said, “Swear to me now.” So he swore to him and sold his birthright to Jacob. (just as one will swear to the devil and perform the deadly human ritual for wealth and fame)

34. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright. (this is how some people had already despised heaven, hmmm)

Well, in my opinion, I guess we have understood better how Esau was not blessed but Jacob which should have cleared all questions of why did God permit Jacob to be blessed under deception.

In summary, I plead with us, let all of us keep striving to possess our heavenly inheritance, and not allow passing things of this world to deceive us and make us sell our heavenly birthright.

Peace ✌️ be with you

Rev. Fr. Segun Oladeji, CRS.