Breaking the Word

29^th Week in Ord. Time, Monday – 23^rd October 2023 – Romans 4,20-25; Lk 12,13-21

Believing Beyond Sight

In the first reading, Paul continues to stress on Abraham’s trust in God and in the divine promises. He devotes the whole chapter to highlight him as a model of good behaviour which won God’s favour. Paul writes that Abraham experienced no unbelief. He didn’t waver in trusting God. Instead, he grew stronger in his faith and continued to give glory to God.  Abraham did not always understand the “why” behind God’s requests, but he believed, and did what was asked of him. This became a source of blessing for Abraham and his spiritual descendants. Promises are key aspects of relationships.  They are built upon trust. One of the things which destroys relationships is the breaking of promises. What even takes a greater amount of trust is believing that the promise will be kept and fulfilled, even though one does not see how or when it will happen.  This faith of Abraham was undeniably remarkable. He sinned as all do. But he believed that the God who spoke to Him would do exactly what He promised even as year after year passed without that promise being fulfilled. God promised Abraham a land and many descendants but Abraham never saw that happen during his sojourn on earth. His only permanent land holdings at the time of his death was the burial place he had purchased for his wife and himself. Yet his faith in God’s promises was credited to him as righteousness.

28^th Week in Ord. Time, Saturday – 21^st October 2023 – Romans 4,13.16-18; Lk 12,8-12

Designed Promise

In the first reading, Paul continues to speak of Abraham as a model of faith and trust.  Abraham’s relationship with God began with a command and a set of promises. The promise God made to Abraham was that “he would inherit the world”. Since Abraham was in perfect harmony and union with God, God promised him and his descendants of inheriting the “world”, that refers to the whole of creation. Actually, in Genesis account of Abraham, what God promised was, “will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted (Gen 3,16).” In the immediate context, Abraham is promised possession of the land of Canaan and that all the peoples on earth would be blessed through him or his offspring. In view of the future, God worked out the destiny of the whole world. A promise that Abraham and his offspring would inherit the earth. Paul seems to be referring to these promises to say that God made this promise centuries before giving the law to Moses and has nothing to do with giving of or Israel’s keeping of the law.  The full realization of this promise awaits the perfection of the kingdom when Christ returns to take all things to himself.