Saturday, 3 May 2025First of all, I would like to wish all of you a happy new year, and may peace be with you all, especially our S.6 students as they begin their exams today. To start the first morning prayer of 2024, I would like to share a Bible story from the Old Testament about Joseph, and I hope you’ve heard his name and story. In the book of Genesis, Jacob had twelve sons, and Joseph was the second-to-last son who was his favourite. Jacob even gave Joseph a special gift—a coat of many colours. However, Joseph’s brothers became jealous and envious of him. They were angry about their father’s favouritism towards Joseph.
One day, Jacob sent Joseph to bring supplies to his brothers. Seeing an opportunity, they decided to get rid of Joseph. They sold him to slave traders and sent him off to Egypt. To cover up their actions, they killed a lamb and stained Joseph’s beautiful coat with its blood. They showed it to their father, making him believe that a wild animal had killed Joseph.
The contrast in this story is that Joseph went from being a favoured son to becoming a slave in Egypt. He was falsely accused and thrown into jail. However, throughout it all, the Bible tells us that “the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did” (Genesis 39:23). In God’s eyes, Joseph’s behaviour was commendable because his good actions reflected the character of the True God. Due to Joseph’s integrity, he was eventually promoted to second in command in Egypt.
The story concludes with Joseph’s brothers telling the truth to their father after years of grief. Finally, Joseph forgave his brothers and invited his family to Egypt to provide them with food during a famine. Joseph told his brothers, “You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good!” And Joseph was right, because Joseph chose integrity and kindness, God used him to save his brothers and their families.
Integrity is a choice. It is a choice to be truthful, even if it means you may get in trouble. It is a choice not to cheat on tests, exams, or other tasks, even when no one is watching. It is a choice not to speak ill or badmouth someone, even if people around you think it is no big deal. Sometimes, we may think that “good deeds will not be rewarded for good people.” However, even though the world is full of lies, it doesn’t mean we should live without integrity. Kindness and integrity should always be the principles and foundation of one’s dignity.
Today marks the beginning of a new year in school. It is a time for setting new resolutions, breaking bad habits, building good ones, and overall, having a better year than the one before. It is fitting that the Church celebrates the feast of the Mother of God on January 1st. We can look to Mary for her example, advice, and assistance as we seek to improve ourselves.
Mr. Kwan YW
4 January 2024