1Joseph threw himself upon his father and wept over him and kissed him.
One of the lost arts in Western society is the art of mourning our losses. We often try to keep our sadness locked up behind stoic faces. We don’t give ourselves permission to be broken and filled with pain. We block off the questions from our minds and are expected to “move on with our lives.” But grief is a natural part of this world. Ever since being ejected from the Garden we have been experiencing losses. Some cultures do a great job of allowing grief to be expressed. Part of my work involves this grief process. In our text today we read of Joseph expressing his grief for his father Israel, also called Jacob. He started the process when he threw himself on his father. Often this happens for us in a sterile Intensive Care Unit of the hospital; sterile, foreign and technological. Nothing about this environment helps with the process. We have to lower the sides of the bed and be careful not to pull on any of the multiple tubes that are attached to our loved one. The bright lights and absence of the familiar articles of life speak of artificial and unreal. Joseph threw himself on his father while he was laying in his bed. He wept, and Joseph knew how to weep. The last time Joseph wept it was so loud that the Egyptians outside the sealed room heard him. Joseph is not afraid to express his sadness. Joseph is also not afraid to demonstrate his love for his father in physical ways. He kisses his father. The following verses describe how Joseph provides for the execution of his father’s last wishes. Joseph was not afraid to use ritual to help him express his grief and loss. Perhaps there is some great loss that you have experienced this past year that you have not completely grieved. I want to encourage you to find a way to express that grief. Don’t be afraid to show the grief in physical ways. Tears are healthy. Expressing the depth of connection is healthy. Caring deeply is healthy.
The Arnold Journey 