13th Week in Ord. Time, Thursday – 6th July 2023 – Genesis 22,1-19; Mt 9,1-8
God Sees and Provides
The first reading describes the familiar account of God’s enormously difficult test, in which Abraham outdoes through his faith and obedience. The word “test” is to be understood as something different from the “temptation.” Because God will never tempt His people to do evil (Jam 1,13), but things are allowed to happen to confirm our faith or prove a commitment we have made. In Scripture, God does test people by asking them to trust Him and obey in spite of their difficult circumstances (Ex 15,25; 20,20; Deut 8,2; 13,3; Judg 2,22).
Abraham has the faith that God knows best. His obedience is based, not on blind faith, but by an experienced and established trust based on what he has already seen God do. When Abraham was about to kill his son, the messenger from God stops him and God “sees to it” that Abraham has something else to sacrifice. Therefore, Abraham names the mountain, the very place of sacrifice as YHWH YIREH, which means “God sees to it” or “God provides”. This name refers to the answer Abraham gave to his son earlier about providing a lamb for the sacrifice. It became a proverbial saying later on: “On the mountain of the Lord, it shall be provided.” God “sees” what Abraham is willing to do and God “provides” for Abraham, a different sacrifice than his son. God always “sees” what we do and God “sees to it” that we are recipients of divine graciousness. God’s ways are truly magnanimous because God always “sees to it” that the divine promises are being fulfilled. Our response should be to give glory and praise to God, not because of what we do, but because of how gracious our God is to us.
