20121015 Jacob encountered God 雅各伯與天主相遇
Abraham sent his servant Eliezer to find a wife for Isaac. In order to keep Isaac from the falling into idolatry, Abraham asked Eliezer not to take a wife for Isaac from the daughters of the Canaanites, but from Mesopotamia, where Abraham’s relatives still lived.
Prayer answered
Eliezer prayed for sign and guidance: “While I stand by the spring as the young women from the town come out to draw water, I shall say to one of the girls, ‘Please lower your pitcher and let me drink.” And if she answers, ‘Drink, and I shall water your camels too,’ let her be the one you have decreed for your servant Isaac” (Genesis 24:12-14).
When Eliezer made the request for water to Rebecca, she immediately granted his request. She also offered to give drink to the camels. God answered the prayer of Eliezer, and Rebecca became the wife of Isaac.
Loss of birthright
Rebecca bore two sons for Isaac—Esau and Jacob. Esau was rough, red, and hairy. He was a hunter and a farmer, and was the favorite of Isaac. Jacob was smooth and quiet. He was a shepherd and was a favorite of Rebecca.
Esau was the first-born. However, he sold his birthright to Jacob for a mess of pottage. The action of Esau exchanging his permanent rights for a little passing gratification reminds us of the sinner who foolishly sell his birthright to heaven for a passing sinful pleasure.
With the help of his mother, Jacob deceived his father by pretending to be his brother, Esau. Hence, Jacob received the blessing of the first-born from Isaac.
Jacob’s ladder
Jacob incurred the hatred of Esau because he obtained his father’s blessing by fraud. As the result, Rebecca urged Jacob to flee to her brother, Laban. The fleeing of Jacob was a punishment for both Jacob and Rebecca for lying and deception.
On his way to Laban, God gave Jacob a vision and a promise. He saw a ladder reaching from the earth to heaven, and angels were going up and down on it (Genesis 28:12). God renewed the covenant with Abraham by giving Jacob the same promises: land, kingdom, and universal blessing through his descendants.
The ladder is a symbol of the cross which joined earth with heaven. The ladder is also a symbol of prayer. For prayer is an elevation of one’s soul to God. Like the angels our spirit goes up to God to love and adore Him.
Jacob called the place where he had had the vision the “house of God” and the “gate of heaven”. We call the church the “house of God” because Jesus dwells there in the Blessed Sacrament. We call the Catholic Church the “gate of heaven” because through her we receive the truths and graces which lead us to heaven.
From Jacob to Israel
Jacob was received by his uncle Laban. He remained with Laban twenty years. He became wealthy and had eleven sons.
God commanded Jacob to return to his homeland. Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to Esau. The messengers reported that Esau was coming with four hundred men. Jacob was afraid and prayed to God.
During the night, God sent an angel to wrestle with Jacob. The angel changed his name to “Israel” saying, “No longer are you to be called Jacob, but Israel since you have shown your strength against God and men and have prevailed” (Genesis 32:29).
Prayer is like wrestling—it is a battle of faith and the triumph of perseverance. Esau reconciled with Jacob—-“Esau ran to meet him, took him in his arms, threw himself on his neck and wept as he kissed him” (Genesis 33:4).
亞巴郎為兒子依撒格娶妻，遂派遣僕人厄里厄則爾到米索不達米亞，在亞巴郎遠親的女兒中，物色對象，而避免在就近的客納罕婦女中尋找，免依撒格日後誤墮朝拜偶像邪神的陷阱裏。
天主俯聽祈禱
厄里厄則爾向天主祈求啟示和指引，說：「我站在水泉旁，此時城中的女子正出來打水。我對那個少女說：請你放下水罐，讓我喝點水。如果她答說：請喝！並且我還要打水給你的駱駝渴。她即是祢為祢的僕人依撒格預定的少女…（創世紀24:12-14）」
當厄里厄則爾向黎貝加要水時，黎貝加立刻給他水喝，更主動用水喂喝他的駱駝。天主聆聽了厄里厄則爾的祈禱，自然，後來黎貝加也成了依撒格的妻子。
失去長子地位
黎貝加為依撒格生育了雙胞胎的兒子 —— 厄撒烏和雅各伯。厄撒烏生得粗獷發紅，渾身是毛，後來狩獵耕種，得父親依撒格歡心。雅各伯卻恬靜深居，被母親寵愛。
厄撒烏本是首生子，當享有長子的尊貴和名份；但他卻為了要吃雅各伯的餅和扁豆羹，竟輕易地用其長子的名份，與弟弟雅各伯交換了 —— 好像罪人用罪惡，為得到短暫的快感而換走了享得天堂的名份。
另方面，雅各伯得母親的幫助，從父親依撒格騙取了首生子的祝福。
雅各伯的天梯
雅各伯因騙取了兄長首生子的祝福，唯恐被加害，母親勸他投靠舅父拉班。這次出走，可算是因黎貝加和雅各伯的欺詐，被天主懲罰。
在投奔舅家途中，雅各伯在夢裡得天主啟示和承諾：他看見一個連通天地的長梯，天使在梯上上落（參攷創世紀28:12）。天主與雅各伯立誓約，許下土地、王權及世代的祝福，作為對亞巴郎立誓約的延續。
天梯隱喻了貫通神人天地的十字架，亦象徵到達天主台前我們的祈禱，我們的心神被提昇，好像在天梯上落的天使一樣，以愛及欽崇，環繞著天主。
雅各伯稱奇夢覲見天主的地方為「天主的住所、上天之門」。今天，我們稱聖堂為「天主的住所」，因為耶穌藉至聖聖體聖事，親臨當中。我們把聖教會看作「上天之門」，因為藉著聖教會，我們領得真理和聖寵，走進天堂之路。
以色列之名
雅各伯在舅家寄居，辛勤勞動了二十載，生育十一名兒子，也變得富裕。
天主要雅各伯返回父家。雅各伯先遣人員接觸兄長厄撒烏，卻因得悉厄撒烏帶同四百人迎接他而感害怕，於是他向天主祈求。當夜，雅各伯夢得跟天神搏鬥，天神事後對他說：「你的名字以後不叫雅各伯，應叫以色列，因為你與神與人搏鬥，佔了優勢。（創世紀32:29）」祈禱猶如搏鬥 —— 為信德而奮力，會藉恆心、堅持而得最後勝利。
「厄撒烏卻向雅各伯跑來，抱住他，撲在他頸上吻他，兩人都哭了。（創世紀33:4）」厄撒烏和雅各伯重逢，兩兄弟重拾修好。