Greetings on this the Thursday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Readings: Gn 22:1b-19; Ps 115:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 8-9; Mt 9:1-8
Notes: The reading of The Testing of Abraham, for a Christian, can only be understood fully in the revelation of the Christ, who is Jesus.
Isaac was of age. He was aware of the divine promise of new life and the nascent sacrificial system for the atonement of sin. Many Midrashes speak of how Isaac assisted his father. I like this one as it speaks of the unity of sacrifice and obedience.
Sefer HaYashar (midrash), Book of Genesis, Vayera 20:
Abraham took the wood and arranged it upon the altar, and then he took Isaac, his son, and bound him in order to lay him upon the wood, and to slay him for a burnt offering before the Lord. And Isaac cautioned his father, saying: Do bind me securely before placing me upon the altar, or else I may turn and move about, or even break loose for fear of the knife when touching my flesh, and thus profane the offering. And Abraham did so. And Isaac further said to his father: Oh, my father, after I shall have been slain and burnt up for an offering, take with thee the remainder of my ashes and bring it to my mother, Sa rah, and say unto her: This is the pleasant savor of Isaac. Yet do not tell her these words if she be seated near a well or upon some elevated place, lest she cast herself down after me and die. And when Abraham heard the words of Isaac he lifted up his voice and wept, so that his tears flowed down upon Isaac, his son, and Isaac, too, wept bitterly, and he said unto his father: Make haste, oh my father, and fulfill on me the will of the Lord our God as he hath commanded unto thee. And the hearts of both Abraham and Isaac were full of joy in doing the will of God, but their eyes wept bitterly while their hearts were rejoicing. And Abraham finally bound his son, Isaac, and placed him upon the wood, and Isaac stretched out his neck upon the altar before his father, and Abraham put forth his hand to grasp the knife and slay his son for a burnt offering before the Lord.
Source: https://www.sefaria.org/Genesis.22.3?lang=bi&with=Midrash&lang2=en
- Who is this Christ of whom we speak?
- What testifies to his authority and power?
And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.”
Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”– he then said to the paralytic, “Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.” He rose and went home.
When the crowds saw this they were struck with awe and glorified God who had given such authority to men.
The paralytic (the Isaac of this story) was ‘bound’ to the stretcher and placed before Jesus.
He was freed by Jesus and forgiven. The burnt offering will come in the person of Jesus, not the ram of the thicket.
First Reading
But the LORD’s messenger called to him from heaven, “Abraham, Abraham!” “Here I am,” he answered. “Do not lay your hand on the boy,” said the messenger. “Do not do the least thing to him. I know now how devoted you are to God, since you did not withhold from me your own beloved son.”
As Abraham looked about, he spied a ram caught by its horns in the thicket. So he went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering in place of his son.
Responsorial
I will walk in the presence of the Lord, in the land of the living.
Gospel Acclamation
God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.
Gospel
After entering a boat, Jesus made the crossing, and came into his own town. And there people brought to him a paralytic lying on a stretcher. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Courage, child, your sins are forgiven.”
Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”– he then said to the paralytic, “Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.” He rose and went home.
Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry