The Patriarch Jacob in Homily Preaching

Abstract

Jacob is the son of Isaac and Rebekah. In his attitudes and acts he is not irreproachable, righteous and transparent, but all the same it is with him that God creates history! Already when he was being born he grasped his brother Esau by his heel. Using a trick he bought the birthright and his father’s blessing. So he has to escape. In Laban’s home he marries Leah and Rachel who give birth to his children. When he was returning home with his whole family he had an encounter with God, during which encounter God changed his name to Israel. This was also the moment of Jacob’s inner transformation, when a treacherous and dishonest man was changed into an indomitable, subject to God one. The article shows these stories in a certain very important key. The history of Jacob’s life and various events connected with it is the way the inspired author shows how God led his chosen one towards himself. This is important for us, who are chosen by God and called to be saint by the mandate of holy baptism, as also each of us has his own history of life, including good and edifying events, but also difficult and ambiguous ones. And if it is so, maybe God—like in Jacob’s life—also in our lives, through exactly such events leads us to himself!