The first reading for this weekend comes from the disturbing story of Abraham taking his only, and long awaited, son to Mount Moriah to sacrifice him to God. This disturbs us because we can't imagine that God would ever ask for something so extreme from anyone, especially a man who had already sacrificed homeland and kin in order to obey God's call. We remember the story. Abram and Sara pick up tents and livestock to follow a promise from God; a land flowing with milk and honey. God promises them, also, that there descendents will be as numerous as the stars in the heavens. They move to the present day Holy Land, yet after many years and much faith they are still childless, with the exception of the servant girl's son. Both in their eighties, God sends them three messengers, telling them that they will indeed have a son in their old age. Isaac comes as a fulfillment to God's promise. Maybe countless heirs is still in the stars. Then comes today's story. Sacrifice the only hope that you'll ever have for progeny to prove that you trust God.
Why would God test Abraham and Sarah in this way?
In most of our minds and hearts God doesn't work that way. My God is not some adolescent, looking for proof of love or trust. Our God is a God that loves us and forgives us unconditionally, even when we don't reciprocate. Of course, He wants us to love and trusts Him. Yet, He doesn't hold back His mercy when we err and make half-hearted pledges to Him. But still, we have to deal with this story.
One thing I remember from Old Testament classes long ago, and from cultural anthropology classes even longer ago, is that animal sacrifices were common in almost all religions in ancient times. And, human sacrifices were not all that uncommon in some religions then. So, for Abraham and Sarah to be asked to sacrifice their firstborn son to God, may have been an unwanted request from God, BUT it would not have been a foreign idea to them. It is something that other gods would have asked for. So, why not our God? Sometimes the gods ask unwanted things. Being a man of honor, of course Abraham would oblige.
Also, as mentioned before, Abraham had trusted God in every request that he'd been given. He was never disappointed. Even with the most valuable gift that God had ever given him, Isaac, Abraham trusted with faith in the God who had given him this precious gift.
Scripture scholars also say that this reading is an evidence that our God is not like those other gods. He doesn't require human sacrifice like the neighboring tribes' gods do. When they reach the top of the mountain, it is God who does the sacrificing, not Abraham. Abraham trusted. And God promises again that He will make Abraham's offspring as numerous as the sands on the seashore. The results of that promise that God made to Abraham are the reason that Jews, Christians and Muslims can all call Abraham their spiritual and real father.
(FYI: On another mountain(hill), near the legendary location of Mt. Moriah, a human was sacrificed on trumped up charges. He was also the Son of God. Again, God makes the bigger sacrifice for our sakes.)
My encouragement to you is to figure out for yourself, what your Isaac is. What is more precious than God to you? Remembering that God is outdone in generosity, are you willing to offer your "Isaac" to God? Are you also prepared for the miracles that God will then do in your life?
peace,
me
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