27th May

God has been my shepherd all my life to this day. Genesis 48, 15

(Jesus) said to him: Follow me. Levi got up, left everything and followed him. Luke 5, 27

Jacob and the drawn up stone

The name of Jacob means: "the supplanter" "he who passes before the others", lied to his father and deceived his brother. He flees because he is afraid of being killed.

The following night, God appears to him and offers him his grace accompanied by promises without condition: "I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go and I will bring you back to this land." (Genesis 28, 15). Jacob is terrified by the presence of God; however he still thinks of bargaining, because he does not like things free of charge. As a true tradesman, he answers: "If God is with me and keeps me ... and he gives me bread... and clothing... and that I will return in peace to the house of my father, the Lord will be my God... And of all that you will give me, I will give you a tenth (10 %)" (v. 20-22).

Before carrying on his road, Jacob achieves a gesture of respect to God: he takes the stone which he had placed under his head, draws it up and pours oil on top of it.

Do we know "to mark as a stone" the moments when God spoke to us? Did we recognize his comforting voice when we were discouraged, fleeing,full with self reproaches, perhaps after having done evil to somebody? Did we accept his free gift, his forgiveness? Or did we remain like tradesmen, saying: "I will engage with God, but only under such or such a condition "? Did we forget our first meetings? God, does not forget them.