Daily Readings - Thu Jul 04 2019
Genesis
1Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!Here I am," he replied.2Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about."3Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about.4On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance.5He said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you."6Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together,7Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, "Father?Yes, my son?" Abraham replied. "The fire and wood are here," Isaac said, "but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"8Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." And the two of them went on together.9When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.10Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.11But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!Here I am," he replied.12"Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."13Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.14So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided."15The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time16and said, "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son,17I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies,18and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me."19Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set off together for Beersheba. And Abraham stayed in Beersheba.
Matthew
1Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to his own town.2Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven."3At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, "This fellow is blaspheming!"4Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?5Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'?6But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." Then he said to the paralytic, "Get up, take your mat and go home."7And the man got up and went home.8When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men.
Sermon
The readings today present us with powerful lessons about faith, trust, and the divine plan. In the first reading, we hear the story of Abraham and Isaac, a test of faith that has shaped the understanding of God’s relationship with humanity. Abraham, when asked to sacrifice his only son Isaac, trusts in God’s plan, even when it seems incomprehensible. This act of obedience is not just a demonstration of faith; it is a profound expression of surrender to God’s will. The story reminds us that faith is not about understanding everything but about trusting that God sees what we cannot. The ram caught in the thorns becomes a symbol of God’s providence, showing that He always provides, even in the darkest moments.
In the Gospel, we encounter Jesus, who reveals His divine authority by forgiving the sins of a paralytic and then healing his physical body. This miracle is not just about physical restoration but about the deeper healing of the soul. Jesus’ words, “Your sins are forgiven you,” scandalize the scribes because they see forgiveness as the exclusive domain of God. Yet, by healing the paralytic, Jesus demonstrates that He has the power to forgive sins and to restore both body and spirit. This passage invites us to reflect on the connection between faith and healing. Just as the paralytic’s friends trusted Jesus enough to bring him to Him, we too are called to trust in God’s power to forgive and to transform our lives.
Both readings challenge us to deepen our faith and trust in God’s plan. Like Abraham, we may face moments where God asks us to let go of what is most precious to us, not because He desires our suffering, but because He desires our complete trust. Like the paralytic and his friends, we are called to approach Jesus with faith, knowing that He has the power to forgive our sins and to heal us in ways we cannot even imagine. Today, let us ask ourselves: Where in our lives do we need to trust God more? How can we surrender to His will, even when it is difficult? May we, like Abraham and the paralytic, experience the transformative power of faith and the boundless mercy of God.