Daily Readings - Thu Jul 06 2023
Genesis
1After these things occurred, God tested Abraham, and he said to him, "Abraham, Abraham." And he answered, "Here I am.2He said to him: "Take your only begotten son Isaac, whom you love, and go into the land of vision. And there you shall offer him as a holocaust upon one of the mountains, which I will show to you.3And so Abraham, getting up in the night, harnessed his donkey, taking with him two youths, and his son Isaac. And when he had cut wood for the holocaust, he traveled toward the place, as God had instructed him4Then, on the third day, lifting up his eyes, he saw the place at a distance5And he said to his servants: "Wait here with the donkey. I and the boy will hurry further ahead to that place. After we have worshipped, will return to you.6He also took the wood for the holocaust, and he imposed it upon his son Isaac. And he himself carried in his hands fire and a sword. And as the two continued on together7Isaac said to his father, "My father." And he answered, "What do you want, son?" "Behold," he said, "fire and wood. Where is the victim for the holocaust?8But Abraham said, "God himself will provide the victim for the holocaust, my son." Thus they continued on together9And they came to the place that God had shown to him. There he built an altar, and he set the wood in order upon it. And when he had bound his son Isaac, he laid him on the altar upon the pile of wood10And he reached out his hand and took hold of the sword, in order to sacrifice his son11And behold, an Angel of the Lord called out from heaven, saying, "Abraham, Abraham." And he answered, "Here I am.12And he said to him, "Do not extend your hand over the boy, and do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, since you have not spared your only begotten son for my sake.13Abraham lifted up his eyes, and he saw behind his back a ram among the thorns, caught by the horns, which he took and offered as a holocaust, instead of his son14And he called the name of that place: ‘The Lord Sees.’ Thus, even to this day, it is said: ‘On the mountain, the Lord will see.15Then the Angel of the Lord called out to Abraham a second time from heaven, saying16"By my own self, I have sworn, says the Lord. Because you have done this thing, and have not spared your only begotten son for my sake17I will bless you, and I will multiply your offspring like the stars of heaven, and like the sand which is on the seashore. Your offspring will possess the gates of their enemies18And in your offspring, all the nations of the earth will be blessed, because you obeyed my voice.19Abraham returned to his servants, and they went to Beersheba together, and he lived there
Matthew
1And climbing into a boat, he crossed the sea, and he arrived at his own city2And behold, they brought to him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, "Be strengthened in faith, son; your sins are forgiven you.3And behold, some of the scribes said within themselves, "He is blaspheming.4And when Jesus had perceived their thoughts, he said: "Why do you think such evil in your hearts5Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise up and walk?6But, so that you may know that the Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins," he then said to the paralytic, "Rise up, take up your bed, and go into your house.7And he arose and went into his house8Then the crowd, seeing this, was frightened, and they glorified God, who gave such power to men
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful stories of faith and trust in God’s providence. The first reading from Genesis recounts the dramatic test of Abraham’s faith, where he is asked to sacrifice his only son Isaac as a holocaust. Abraham, despite the profound pain and confusion this command must have brought, obeys without hesitation, trusting that God’s plan is greater than his own understanding. At the last moment, God intervenes, providing a ram as a substitute for Isaac, and Abraham’s faith is rewarded with a promise of blessings for generations to come. This story is a timeless reminder of the depth of faith required to surrender our will to God, even when the path ahead seems unclear or difficult.
In the Gospel, we see another expression of faith, this time in the healing of the paralytic. The man’s friends demonstrate extraordinary trust in Jesus, carrying him to the Lord despite the obstacles in their way. Jesus, seeing their faith, first forgives the man’s sins and then heals his body. This miracle not only highlights Jesus’ divine authority but also teaches us that true healing begins with the forgiveness of sins. The scribes, who question Jesus’ authority to forgive sins, are reminded that God’s power is not limited to the physical realm but extends to the deepest recesses of the human heart.
Both readings invite us to reflect on the nature of faith and trust in our own lives. Like Abraham, we are often called to surrender our plans and desires to God’s will, even when it feels challenging or inexplicable. Like the paralytic and his friends, we are called to trust in Jesus’ power to heal and transform us, both spiritually and physically. In a world filled with uncertainty, these stories encourage us to place our hope in God, knowing that He sees our struggles and will provide for us in ways we cannot yet imagine. Let us strive to imitate the faith of Abraham and the perseverance of the paralytic’s friends, trusting that God’s plan for us is always one of love and redemption.