Memorial of Saint Benedict
July 11, 2023
Daily Reading from the USCCB: Genesis 32:23-33
Jacob had been far from home seeking a wife. He had found two appropriate wives and was now on his way back to his homeland, where his elder twin brother Esau awaited him. He put his wives and possessions in a safe position and waited alone for his hostile brother.
During the night a mysterious stranger appeared and began to wrestle with Jacob. Eventually Jacob overcame the man–a messenger of the Lord. The Lord’s messenger gives Jacob a new name–Israel–which he would bear from then on.
He who up to this point was known mainly as an able deceiver is now given a name that shows that he was to be the ancestor of God’s chosen race, Israel. God’s plans are moving forward.
