*Sacred Scripture* Jacob’s Dream – Ribera
April 4
Jacob had a dream at Bethel, in which he saw a ladder or stairway, which was suspended between Heaven and Earth. God’s angels were ascending and descending the ladder. This portrayal of Jacob’s dream is by the artist J. Ribera.
Gn 28:10-22
Jacob’s Dream at Bethel.*
10Jacob departed from Beer-sheba and proceeded toward Haran.
11When he came upon a certain place,* he stopped there for the night, since the sun had already set. Taking one of the stones at the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place.
12Then he had a dream: a stairway* rested on the ground, with its top reaching to the heavens; and God’s angels were going up and down on it.f
13And there was the LORD standing beside him and saying: I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you are lying I will give to you and your descendants.g
14Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and through them you will spread to the west and the east, to the north and the south. In you and your descendants all the families of the earth will find blessing.h
15I am with you and will protect you wherever you go, and bring you back to this land. I will never leave you until I have done what I promised you.i
16When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he said, “Truly, the LORD is in this place and I did not know it!”
17He was afraid and said: “How awesome this place is! This is nothing else but the house of God, the gateway to heaven!”
18Early the next morning Jacob took the stone that he had put under his head, set it up as a sacred pillar,* and poured oil on top of it.j
19He named that place Bethel,* whereas the former name of the town had been Luz.k
20Jacob then made this vow:* “If God will be with me and protect me on this journey I am making and give me food to eat and clothes to wear,
21and I come back safely to my father’s house, the LORD will be my God.
22This stone that I have set up as a sacred pillar will be the house of God. Of everything you give me, I will return a tenth part to you without fail.”
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/genesis/28
Saying the holy name of Jesus is the simplest way of praying always.
1-A prayer from Raphael the Archangel:
*While you are on this earth, you must praise the Lord God and give him thanks.
2-A prayer from Tobit and Tobias:
*They began to sing hymns of praise, giving thanks for all the mighty deeds God had done while his angel Raphael had been with them.
3-A simple Jesus prayer:
*Lord, Lord, Jesus Christ…Son of God…have mercy on me…Be kind to others…Work Hard…Be joyful.
4-Another prayer:
*When all that God asks of us is to be quiet and keep ourselves at peace-attentive to the secret work He is beginning in our souls-Be Empty and See That I Am God.
John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him . . . I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”
Jn 1:32, 34