-
February 24, 2024This weekend, our first reading is commonly referred to as “The Sacrifice of Isaac” where Abraham is asked to sacrifice his son to prove his loyalty to God. I have to admit that I find this reading disturbing. I cannot imagine God ever demanding that another person, let alone an innocent child, be sacrificed to prove one’s loyalty. While this passage from Genesis can be seen as a powerful story of human trust and divine faithfulness, it sets the stage for bad theology. Let us be clear, God does not test us. God does not punish us with tragedy, illness, or national disaster. God simply love us.
What bothers me most about this passage is how it has mistakenly been used by some to explain or justify life’s challenges as somehow being a test from God that we must endure to prove our fidelity. It has been used to keep people in abusive relationships, to use God to explain why someone may have an incurable disease or chronic illness, or to offer an explanation as to why a child, spouse or parent dies or why bad things happen to good people. God does not test us. God is not the source of human tragedy or suffering. God loves us without measure.
God does not test us, life does. In life we face may challenges whether we are faithful to God’s covenant or not. God is not the cause of evil or suffering. Bad things happen to everyone. What we do know is that God is with us in our challenges and suffering. God is with us as we face the twists and turns of life, and challenges us to help lift the burdens of others and to let others help us in our time of need. Life can be difficult, but God is faithful and with us, never leaving our side. As St. Paul reminds us in our reading from his letter to the Romans, we are God’s chosen, God’s beloved.
My friends, I pray that each of us always know and believe we are God’s chosen and beloved people.
May God bless you and your loved ones today, tomorrow, and forevermore.
Fr. Harry
