SCRIPTURE

Genesis 28:10-17 NRSV

Jacob left Beer-sheba and went toward Haran. He came to a certain place and stayed there for the night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place. And he dreamed that there was a ladder set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And the LORD stood beside him and said, "I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring; and your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you and in your offspring. Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you." Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, "Surely the LORD is in this place-- and I did not know it!" And he was afraid, and said, "How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."

REFLECTION

In this passage, a bridge (though it is called a ladder) takes centre stage. It is a bridge that links earth and heaven, and it reveals God’s nearness. Angels (‘messengers’) go up and down on this bridge, and their message, God’s message - to Jacob and to us - is one of hope: ‘Be sure that I am with you; I will keep you safe wherever you go... I will not desert you.’

When we become aware of God’s love in our lives, ‘bridges’ of hope are revealed that encourage us to cross the chasm of our fears and place our trust in things that lie beyond the limits of our sight. These bridges are signs of God’s nearness; they remind us that the goodness of God is reachable for everyone. Bridges lead us towards what is not yet clearly visible, and new vistas open before us.

Art, which points to the harmony beneath the tangle of existence, offers many ‘bridges’ of hope - a poem, a song, a painting, a story. Some bridges are relational, like love and friendship, some spiritual, like prayer and reflection. Others are simply good fun, like jokes and laughter and leisure … The Holy Week is a good time to look out for these bridges. They lead us to hope and beckon us towards the new life of Easter.