Breaking the Word

13^th Week in Ord. Time, Wednesday – 5^th July 2023 – Genesis 21,5.8-20; Mt 8,28-34

Jealousy Rejects, Love Retains

In the first reading, On the day when Abraham celebrates Isaac’s weaning, Sarah became very angry because she saw Isaac playing with his half-brother, Ishmael, the son of Hagar. This is not surprising, since Sarah had already demonstrated anger and hurt feelings towards Hagar and Ishmael in the past (Gen 16,4-6). Sarah had not forgotten how Hagar had mocked her for sterility. She was also afraid that, if the brothers got too close, it would affect Isaac’s share of the inheritance. She demands that Abraham cast out both the salve woman and her son. She refuses even to say their names. She simply declares her objection in direct, impersonal terms: “The son of this slave woman shall not be heir with my son Isaac.” They are exiled due to the jealousy of Sarah. However, Abraham loved Ishmael, his teenaged son. He did not want to see Ishmael die from being cast out.

Earlier, when God revealed that Isaac would be born within a year, Abraham mentioned immediately his wish that Ishmael could live before God (Gen 17,18). God had assured Abraham that Ishmael would be greatly blessed but that the covenant would pass through Isaac. Now at Sarah’s insistence, God tells Abraham to do whatever She demands of him. Here, God reassures Abraham once more that Ishmael will become the father of many people. Hagar and Ishmael will be protected for and become established. It’s the same promise God had previously made both to Hagar (Gen 16,10) and to Abraham (Gen 17,20). The passage demonstrates God’s love not only for the descendants of Abraham through Sarah, but also for the descendants of Abraham through Hagar, particularly when they cry out in trust to God. The followers of Islam trace their relationship back to Ishmael and his Father, Abraham.

13^th Week in Ord. Time, Tuesday – 4^th July 2023 – Genesis 19,15-29; Mt 8, 23-27

Model of Warning

In the first reading, we see the terrible catastrophe of the two cities of Sodom and Gomorrah as a punishment for their terrible immorality. At the pleading of Abraham to save righteous men, the angels urged Lot and his family to flee at once, yet they did not leave easily. Still, God was merciful so that the angels forcibly rescued Lot, his wife and two daughters from the city. It is to be noticed that only the direct relatives of Abraham are brought outside Sodom, while the in-laws are left to their own. After they were out, one of the angels gave them very specific instructions: “Escape for your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley” (Gen 19,17).  Even then, Lot insisted on being allowed to stop in a tiny, nearby town, and the angels granted his desire (Gen 19,20).  As Lot and family fled to Zoar town, fire and Sulphur rained down from heaven on Sodom and Gomorrah. The Lord warned them to trust in divine providence and not to look back at the destruction. Lot’s wife disobeyed this order and was punished by being turned into a pillar of salt. The language used here suggest Lot’s wife gazed intently. Not that she merely allowed her eyes to capture the catastrophe, rather Lot’s wife was expressing her continuing affection for the sinful culture of Sodom (Lk 17,31-32). Later in this chapter, Lot’s daughters will also act in a way consistent with a lack of faith in God and reflective of the morality of the godless culture in which they were raised.