Reflection:

I see me

And saint and sinner â€” and Christ

I look in the mirror and I see me. I don’t see pieces of me divided from myself. I don’t see fragments joined in some kind of melded me. I just see me. Oh, I know all of which I am made: good, bad, sincere, afraid, faithful, faltering. But in the end, staring back at me in the mirror is just me.

I think then of Jacob, whose long and complicated life story unfolds in Genesis 25-36. Jacob whose name means cheater, liar. He comes face-to-face with himself in running — a running to, a running from. In his deception and cheating, Jacob can no longer look forward or back and make for himself any good hope. He is alone finally in his lying and running.

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