FAITH ON TRIAL

July 1, Thursday

 

THIRTEENTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

 

The incident of the sacrifice of Isaac was certainly a warning against the Canaanite practice of children’s sacrifices and a call for spiritual sacrifices. On the deepest level it may very well be a test of the faith of Abraham, that God’s covenant and promise of a great posterity were not simply attached to Isaac because he was Abraham’s beloved son, but to God’s gratuitousness, God’s free gift. Torn apart and dispossessed, Abraham stands the trial in faith; he still has his son, but now as if constantly given by God.

      It was, humanly speaking, a meager consolation for the cripple to hear that his sins were forgiven. But to the believer, sin is the root of human ills; when this root is taken away by forgiveness, the whole person is saved, also in one’s body. In the gospel, the scribes call Jesus a blasphemer. The official people of institutionalized religion challenge the true message of God, on account of so-called true religion. Let us pray today that we may recognize the true Spirit of God when here is a message to tell us, even when it is unpleasant.

 

First Reading: Genesis 22:1-19

After all this, God tested Abraham. God said, “Abraham!”

“Yes?” answered Abraham. “I’m listening.”

He said, “Take your dear son Isaac whom you love and go to the land of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains that I’ll point out to you.”

Abraham got up early in the morning and saddled his donkey. He took two of his young servants and his son Isaac. He had split wood for the burnt offering. He set out for the place God had directed him. On the third day he looked up and saw the place in the distance. Abraham told his two young servants, “Stay here with the donkey. The boy and I are going over there to worship; then we’ll come back to you.”

Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and gave it to Isaac his son to carry. He carried the flint and the knife. The two of them went off together.

Isaac said to Abraham his father, “Father?”

“Yes, my son.”

“We have flint and wood, but where’s the sheep for the burnt offering?”

Abraham said, “Son, God will see to it that there’s a sheep for the burnt offering.” And they kept on walking together.

They arrived at the place to which God had directed him. Abraham built an altar. He laid out the wood. Then he tied up Isaac and laid him on the wood. Abraham reached out and took the knife to kill his son.

Just then an angel of God called to him out of Heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”

“Yes, I’m listening.”

“Don’t lay a hand on that boy! Don’t touch him! Now I know how fearlessly you fear God; you didn’t hesitate to place your son, your dear son, on the altar for me.”

Abraham looked up. He saw a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. Abraham took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.

Abraham named that place God-Yireh (God-Sees-to-It). That’s where we get the saying, “On the mountain of God, he sees to it.”

The angel of God spoke from Heaven a second time to Abraham: “I swear—God’s sure word!—because you have gone through with this, and have not refused to give me your son, your dear, dear son, I’ll bless you—oh, how I’ll bless you! And I’ll make sure that your children flourish—like stars in the sky! like sand on the beaches! And your descendants will defeat their enemies. All nations on Earth will find themselves blessed through your descendants because you obeyed me.”

Then Abraham went back to his young servants. They got things together and returned to Beersheba. Abraham settled down in Beersheba.

 

Gospel: Matthew 9:1-8

Back in the boat, Jesus and the disciples re-crossed the sea to Jesus’ hometown. They were hardly out of the boat when some men carried a paraplegic on a stretcher and set him down in front of them. Jesus, impressed by their bold belief, said to the paraplegic, “Cheer up, son. I forgive your sins.” Some religion scholars whispered, “Why, that’s blasphemy!”

Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, “Why this gossipy whispering? Which do you think is simpler: to say, ‘I forgive your sins,’ or, ‘Get up and walk’? Well, just so it’s clear that I’m the Son of Man and authorized to do either, or both. . . .” At this he turned to the paraplegic and said, “Get up. Take your bed and go home.” And the man did it. The crowd was awestruck, amazed and pleased that God had authorized Jesus to work among them this way.

 

Prayer

Lord our God,
often we do not understand
what you ask of us in life.
Give us a trusting faith, we pray you,
that we may keep believing in you
even when we don’t see where you lead us.
Give us the faith of Abraham,
who was willing to sacrifice his son;
give us the faith of the lame man
who found fresh courage
when his sins were forgiven.
Tell us to stand up and walk
with the certainty that you love us
and want to bring us home to you,
who are our God for ever. Amen.

 

Reflection:

Your Sins are Forgiven

Jesus is back in Capernaum and continues his mission of healing the wounded lives of people. In the previous episode Matthew had narrated how Jesus healed two gentile men who were possessed by the demons. In Capernaum he heals a paralytic, not only of his physical paralysis but also his spiritual paralysis – his sins.
The Jews in general believed that physical illnesses was the punishment of God for the sins committed either by themselves or by their parents or ancestors. Even today, there are people who believe that sins of the ancestors and forefathers, if not forgiven by God, could remain as a curse of God on the generations to follow. In the time of Jesus, the religious leaders who regarded themselves as righteous, would not allow anyone punished by God to be accepted into the community. Hence, the sinners and the sick people were marginalised.
It is in this scenario, that Jesus tells the paralysed man that his ‘sins are forgiven.’ It was important to let those self-proclaimed righteous people know that the forgiveness and mercy of God were available at hand for everyone who needed them. “Have courage, my son, your sins are forgiven.” With one sentence Jesus proclaims the coming of God’s kingdom, where no one is marginalised.
The religious leaders were furious at Jesus for the blasphemous words – for announcing God’s forgiveness! Perhaps they were more furious that the people whom they despised as sinful and punished by God are now assured of God’s forgiveness. Jesus cured the man’s paralysis. When there was no more paralysis, which was caused by sin, then the sin had been taken away too and he was no more punished by God. And the religious leaders could not accept this concept of forgiveness for free. Because, forgiveness could be obtained only after a sacrifice and sacrifice could be offered only by the priests.
The faith of the people who brought the paralysed man to Jesus is worth imitating. They may have hoped for a healing for their poor friend, but they received more than what they desired for this paralysed man. He received both forgiveness of his sins as well as physical healing. Matthew was careful in reporting incidents of people praying before Jesus not for themselves, but for their friends. Remember the centurion who pleaded before Jesus for his servant and professed his faith in Jesus? Intercessions for the wellbeing of others was much appreciated by Jesus.

 

Video available on Youtube:  Your Sins are Forgiven