Homily, August 2, 2026, Rev. Holly Cardone

10th Sunday After Pentecost

August 2, 2026

Jacob is a trickster. If he were living today, he’d be the bad kid sitting in the back of the high school classroom, mischievous and smart. The kid who talks anyone into anything and later would be a genius tech bro who makes billions from some app he developed, stealing the idea from some kid he met in college. Until he meets God face to face.

Jacob’s first bold move was tricking Esau out of his birthright. The birthright in ancient Israel meant the oldest son received twice as much inheritance as his younger brothers, or in this case, younger brother. He became the new head of the family and took care of his mother and younger siblings. And he often acted as the spiritual leader or priest for the family.

            Esau was hungry and tired from working all day and wanted some of the stew Jacob was preparing. In fact, he wanted the stew more than he cared about his birth right and didn’t hesitate to give it up to satiate his hunger. Esau did not hesitate. Score one for team Jacob.

Then Jacob tricks his father Isaac into giving him the blessing that is rightfully Esau’s. Rebecca puts Jacob up to it; Jacob is her favorite and she wants her favorite to be the patriarch of the family. The blessing passed on from the father to the son is 3 parts. First, it’s the spiritual power that Isaac has, viewed as a physical, real substance that was released through the spoken word. Second, it gave the son receiving the blessing divine favor, good health and rule over his brothers. Finally, it connected the son directly to God’s covenant promises, such as Abraham’s promise of land and many descendants. Once the spoken word left the father’s lips, it couldn’t be taken back, even if it was gained by a trick. And trick Isaac, Jacob and Rebecca did. Esau was not happy about it.

In order to keep Esau killing Jacob, Rebecca convinces Isaac to send Jacob away, out of Canaan, to protect him from his brother. She tells Isaac, though, that it’s really because Rebecca can’t stand these women around here and doesn’t want Jacob to marry one of them. She wants Jacob to marry one of her brother, Laban’s, daughters. And that’s what Jacob does. He high tails it out of there. He lives on Laban’s land, works for him for 7 years. He gets a taste of his own medicine from his uncle, being tricked into marrying Leah, when it was Rachel he really wanted. Works another 7 years for the honor of marrying Rachel, whom he truly loves. Leah had 6 sons, Rachel, bears Jacob 2 sons. Two more sons from Bilhah, Rachel’s servant and two more sons from Zilpah, Leah’s servant. Twelve sons total, the ancestors of the Twelve Tribes of Israel.

Then Jacob takes his wives, sons, slaves and all the wealth he has acquired, including the strongest animals he bred from Labans livestock, and flees Laban’s home in the middle of the night, to go back to the land of Canaan, to see his mother and father and face Esau after many years of being away.

            Before Jacob wrestles with the man at the Jabbok River, he is overtaken by Labban who is not happy that Jacob split in the middle of the night with his daughters, grandchildren, livestock and all the material wealth Jacob acquired while working for Laban. But Jacob convinced Laban to let him and his family go, and Laban does.

            When the family gets to the banks of the Jabbok River Jacob send his wives, children and livestock across the Jacob, and the story says, “Jacob was left alone.”

Jacob was old when he has this God encounter. He had spent his life manipulating and fighting for control of everything. He was single focused and he got what he wanted and in this one moment by the river wrestling with God, an angel, himself or all three, he is faced with the truth of his vulnerability and humanity.

The night-long match takes place right before Jacob reunites with his estranged and angry brother, Esau. Commentators often note that Jacob is wrestling on three levels simultaneously: with his own conscience and fears, with his brother Esau (whom the man may physically foreshadow), and ultimately with God Himself. And when God does not prevail, he hits Jacob in the hip-socket, leaving Jacob physically helpless. It is in that moment that Jacob stops fighting against God and clings to God for a blessing.

            So often, our true strength is found when we acknowledge our human frailty, as I imagine Jacob did that night. Jacob’s blessing is a total change of identity. He is no longer Jacob, but Israel and through his offspring the twelve tribes of Israel are born.  The name Israel translates to “one who struggles with God,” and becomes the defining identity for the people of Israel, which becomes an honest and lifelong spiritual struggle and dialogue with the Divine.

            Jacob survives his encounter with God, and names the place Peniel, meaning “face to face with God.” Jacob is given the courage and grace to successfully face his fears the next morning, primarily the meeting with Esau.

            Jacob is not only changed spiritually but he leaves the match walking with a permanent limp. The physical mark serves as a lifelong reminder of his encounter, symbolizing that marked or wounded scars often accompany true spiritual maturity and divine blessing.

            We have all had the dark night of the soul, when identities are stripped and we are confronted with mistakes made, nurtured regrets and the deep roots of resentment. When God confronts us by our own Jabbok rivers and challenges us to let go of who we were and let him change us into who we were meant to be. At that moment we know we have always been named God’s beloved and though we may walk away with a limp, wrestling with our new relationship with the Divine, we will always walk away blessed. Amen