Gospel for July 02, 2009, Thursday
Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc. | 07/02/2009 12:06 AM
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13th Week in Ordinary Time
1st Reading: Gen 22:1b–19
Some time later God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he answered, “Here I am.” Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I shall point out to you.”
Abraham rose early next morning and saddled his donkey and took with him two of his young men and his son Isaac. He chopped wood for the burnt offering and set out for the place to which God had directed him. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance, and he said to the young men, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I will go over there to worship and then we will come back to you.”
Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son. He carried in his hand the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke to Abraham, his father, “Father!” And Abraham replied, “Yes, my son?” Isaac said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for the sacrifice?” Abraham replied, “God himself will provide the lamb for the sacrifice.”
They went on, the two of them together, until they came to the place to which God had directed them. When Abraham had built the altar and set the wood on it, he bound his son Isaac and laid him on the wood placed on the altar. He then stretched out his hand to seize the knife and slay his son. But the Angel of Yahweh called to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”
And he said, “Here I am.” “Do not lay your hand on the boy; do not harm him, for now I know that you fear God, and you have not held back from me your only son.”
Abraham looked around and saw behind him a ram caught by its horns in a bush. He offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son. Abraham named the place ‘The Lord will provide.’ And the saying has lasted to this day.
And the Angel of Yahweh called from heaven a second time, “By myself I have sworn, it is Yahweh who speaks, because you have done this and not held back your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the lands of their enemies. All the nations of the earth will be blessed through your descendants because you have obeyed me.”
So Abraham returned to his servants, and they set off together for Beersheba and it was there that Abraham stayed.
Gospel: Mt 9:1–8
Jesus got back into the boat, crossed the lake again, and came to his hometown. Here they brought a paralyzed man to him, lying on a bed. Jesus saw their faith and said to the paralytic, “Courage, my son! Your sins are forgiven.”
Then some teachers of the Law said to themselves, “This man insults God.” Jesus was aware of what they were thinking, and said, “Why have you such evil thoughts? Which is easier to say: ‘Your sins are forgiven’ or ‘Stand up and walk’? You must know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” He then said to the paralyzed man, “Stand up! Take your stretcher and go home.” The man got up, and went home.
When the crowds saw this, they were filled with awe and praised God for giving such power to human beings.
REFLECTION
According to Genesis, Abraham set out to obey God's command without question. Some believe that God wanted to test Abraham, which indicated that he did not intend Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. The point is, however, that Abraham's faith in God was of such magnitude that he knew, if God told him to sacrifice his son, then God would be able to resurrect the slain Isaac. Such faith in God's word and promise mean that this particular passage is regarded by many Christians as an incredibly significant and exemplary one.
This episode can show how God works: both stories portray the participants carrying the wood for their own sacrifice up a mountain. And, just as Abraham shared his vision of sacrifice with his son, God the Father allowed people to go ahead and carry out the death of Jesus. Abraham's willingness to give up his own son is seen as foreshadowing the willingness of God the Father to sacrifice his Son. Also, since no struggle is mentioned in Genesis, a contrast is made between Isaac's submission with that of Christ: the two of them choose to lay down their own lives in order that the will of God be accomplished.
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